Considerations on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Dryland Areas

Drylands of the world cover 41%of the Earth＇s land surface and are a direct source of livelihood for 6.5 billion people, especially in developing countries. However, nearly all drylands are at risk of land degradation as a result of human activities. Poverty and desertification in dryland areas are major problems threatening sustainable agriculture and rural development in dryland areas. Several topics that are significant for sustainable agriculture and rural development for food security and environmental rehabilitation in dryland areas were stressed in this paper.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN SALINE-ALKALI SOIL AREA OF SONGNEN PLAIN,NORTHEAST CHINA

There is great potential for agriculture in saline-alkali soil area in Songnen Plain, Northeast China. But the sustainable crop production in this area has been restricted by a few of main factors, such as less precipitation, h igher evaporation and frequent drought, high salinity and alkalinity, high excha ngeable sodium content and poor infiltration of the soil, and insufficiency and low availability in nutrition. It is also considered that there are a few of fav orable conditions for agricultural development in this region, such as sufficien t light and heat resources, rich ground water resources, plenty of manure produc ed by livestock, and so on. At the same time, scientific management and measurem ents have been employed; rational irrigation and drainage system has been establ ished; reclamation, amendment and fertilization of soil, and suitable strategies of cropping practices have been made for the sustainable development of agricul ture. Great progress has been made during 1996-2000.

Sustainable tourism development of globally important agricultural heritage sites:a case study of "traditional rice-fish agriculture system"

Traditional rice-fish agricultural heritage site in Qingtian County, China, one of the pilot sites of Glob-ally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), is of great value in tourism development. This paper aims to explore how to realize sustainable tourism development in agricultural heritage site through identifying current problems in GIAHS site, and making constructive recommendations for coupled development of heritage preserva-tion and economic development. Field survey was carried out and data was collected through fi eld questionnaire surveys of tourists and residents in Longxian Village of Qingtian County, as well as interviews of residents with semi-structured questionnaires for their perceptions and attitudes to tourism development. The following results are got: (1) the tourism industry is still at its early state of Nongjiale tourism (enjoy and experience authentic country life-style), under very limited administrative management; (2) what attracts visitors most are delicious f ish and beautiful natural environment, but not agricultural heritage itself; (3) most tourists come from adjacent areas and stay only half a day, many of whom pay their visits twice or more; (4) a few local residents take part in the activities of tourism industry, but in very limited manners even if they do. Current patterns of tourism development are casting negative impacts on agricultural heritage. Conservation of agricultural heritage should be put in the fi rst place for sustainable tourism development. Agricultural heritage, as a key attraction, should be taken as the focus for tourism development. The important thing is to change the present Nongjiale tourism into real heritage tourism, to establish a cooperative mechanism among different stakeholders, and to increase local residents' income through engaging in tourism industry.

Study on Decision Support System of Agricultural Sustainable Development of Jianli County in Jianghan Plain

With the agricultural development and the modernization of decision-making, it is necessary to establish the agricultural sustainable development decision support system supported by GIS. We set Jianli county as an example; our aim is to realize decision spatialiazation with the support of information system, remote sensing and artificial intelligence. The system components are described in the aspects of database, knowledge base, model-base and method-base. This system will provide a workable system for local decision-makers and agricultural management sections.

The Discussion on the Interaction and Integration of Modern Agriculture and Rural Tourism Sustainable Development

The thesis summarizes the connotation of rural tourism and divides it into six types,including rural sight-seeing,rural body-building activity,rural folk culture,rural experience of farm work,rural business affairs,and study and development.It outlines the theory of sustainable development of rural tourism and points out that what sustainable development of tourism concerns is the coordination of ecology,economy,and society centering on human and nature.On the basis of introducing the connotation of modern agriculture,it divides modern agriculture into six types,including sightseeing agriculture,leisure agriculture,green agriculture,characteristic agriculture,factory agriculture,and three-dimensional agriculture.And by concluding,it obtains the combination model of modern agriculture and rural tourism.Based on the introduction of the above related theories,the thesis discusses the interaction and integration model of the sustainable development of modern agriculture and rural tourism.It emphatically analyzes the integration model of modern agriculture and rural tourism,including pastoral agriculture tourism model(sightseeing village,leisure farm,citizen farm),and science education tourism model(agricultural science and technology education base,tourism and leisure education agricultural park,children's,agricultural education base,agricultural exposition).Based on the interaction and integration relationship between modern agriculture and rural tourism,the thesis puts forward corresponding countermeasures so as to promote their positive development and realize the maximum of ecological,social and economic benefits.

Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in the Plateau Regionof North Part of Hebei

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Diversification and Sustainable Development in Chinese Agriculture

Feeding a growing population exceeding 1 billion is a big challenge to the Chinese government and has partly led to the self-sufficient policy in grain production and supply for decades. However, the efforts to push grain production everywhere have resulted in not only deterioration of the environment but also stagnation or even reduction in farmers' income as production costs continue to increase. This situation might be worsening after China's accession to the WTO that provides market access for bulk commodity imports. A sustainable development in Chinese agriculture depends on diversification, or structural adjustment, that allows Chinese farmers to fully utilize their comparative advantage in production of labor-intensive goods. Past experience has shown that diversification has contributed more than a half of the growth in Chinese agriculture during the reform period and reduced stresses on the environment at the same time. It is likely to contribute even more to Chinese agriculture in the future

Essential Factors and Sustainable Development of Green Agriculture

This paper discussed the definition and essential factors of green agriculture, including green ecological environment, green material energy input, application and the popularization of green agricultural technology, the green behavior of worker, green policy regulations guarantee, fund support, supply and the production of green agriculture products, as well as the concept of green agriculture, structural mechanism and function. And finally existing problems in present green agriculture and five suggestions of green agricultural sustainable develonment were proposed.

Organic Agriculture: The Inevitable Choice for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture

The current situation of farmland utilization in China was analyzed firstly, and then cost of fertilizer misuse leading to decrease of cultivat- ed land in quality was discussed. Finally, it is concluded that organic agriculture is the inevitable choice for the sustainable development of agricul- ture from the meaning, advantages and countermeasures of developing organic agriculture in China.

Regional Evaluation on Sustainable Development of Agriculture in Tibet Based on Cluster Analysis

To understand the spatial difference of agricultural sustainability in Tibet,this paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation model of agricultural sustainability to calculate the score of agricultural sustainability of 7 areas in 2013 in Tibet. By using cluster analysis,this paper conducts the regional evaluation of Tibet's agricultural sustainability. The results show that 7 cities' regional difference of agricultural sustainability was obvious in 2013,the agricultural sustainability index value was 0. 4232- 0. 6937,and the value was in the order of Nyingchi > Lhasa > Shannan > Ali > Shigatse > Qamdo > Nagqu. According to the agricultural sustainable development level,Tibet can be divided into three regions: the first type is the area with the highest level of sustainable development of agriculture,including Nyingchi and Lhasa; the second type is the area with the average level of sustainable development of agriculture,including Shigatse and Shannan; the third type is the area with the low level of sustainable development of agriculture,including Qamdo,Ali and Nagqu.

On sustainable development of agriculture in oasis: a case study of Hexi Corridor, Gansu, China

Hexi Corridor is one of the most potential areas in the China’s Western Development in 21st century. However, the problems - the sustainable development of oasis agriculture, the ecosystem of the oasis edge, the landscape structure, the population density in oasis, water resources and land resources in oasis are deteriorating and have restricted the sustainable development of society and economy in this area. This paper summarizes the problems at present, and puts forward the concept of protecting and constructing the oasis environment and sustainable development for the sustainable development of the oasis agriculture in the Hexi Corridor.

Research on the Sustainable Development of Agriculture

Based on the background of sustainable development of agriculture, its concepts and characteristics were analyzed, and the present situation of research on the sustainable development of agriculture at home and abroad was studied. Furthermore, some measures to promote the sustainable development of agriculture in China were proposed.

Selenium Enriched Trionyx sinensis : A New Choice for the Sustainable Development Model of Modern Agriculture

Based on the analysis of the current situation and existing problems of traditional Chinese soft shelled turtle(Trionyx sinensis)breeding industry,combined with the fact that selenium enriched functional agriculture is the future demand of mankind,this paper put forward the necessity of developing selenium enriched Chinese soft shelled turtles and promoting the sustainable development of modern agriculture:the development of selenium-enriched Chinese soft-shelled turtle is the need of the consumer market for food safety,the need to reduce the production cost of soft-shelled turtles and improve the production efficiency of soft-shelled turtles,the need to enrich the Chinese soft-shelled turtle market,and the need to promote the sustainable development of modern agriculture(fishery).

Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in Tibet Based on "Resource Saving and Environment Friendly"

During the ＂13th five-year＂ period,Tibet is building a well-off society in an all-round way and constructing a harmonious socialist new countryside. The pace of economic construction in the west is advanced step by step,and all kinds of economic construction subjects show obvious increasing trend. As one of the regions with rich agriculture and animal husbandry resources,it is inevitable to face the problems that wild resources are gradually consumed,and environmental pollution is severe in Tibet. While developing the economy,it must not damage the environment. To a certain extent,the resource and environment infrastructure is the material basis for economic development. With the gradual progress of economic construction,improvement of residents＇ living standards,and updating of consumption structure,it needs to build,produce and live in the environment of ＂ beautiful Tibet with clean water,blue sky and green＂. In this paper,based on resource-saving and environment-friendly angle,it sufficiently understands the importance and urgency of accelerating sustainable development of agriculture and animal husbandry in Tibet from the global and strategic heights. It should accelerate Tibet agriculture and animal husbandry taking ＂ resource-saving and environment-friendly＂,put the sustainable development of agriculture and animal husbandry in an important historical development opportunity,and impel large economic development of plateau agriculture and animal husbandry.

Research on layout of China leisure agriculture based on sustainable development

Leisure agriculture is a new form of agricultural production and management in the course of agricultural structure adjustment.It is an aggregation of agricultural production and tourism,high-tech and traditional agriculture,agricultural value and regional cultural values.There is the inseparable relationship between Leisure agriculture and sustainable development.Four agricultural areas of China have rich but different agricultural and tourist resources,by which different types of leisure agriculture can be layed out.It is important to make a right orientation for leisure agriculture in various agricultural areas for sustainable development of agriculture in China.

Sustainable Development of Wannian Rice Cultivation Culture System

Based on the research on the relevant background and significance of the sustainable development of agricultural cultural heritage,taking Wannian rice cultivation culture system as an example and its natural environment,traditional agricultural production activities,unique cultural patterns,socio-economic development and protection,and protection and development approach as the basis for evaluation,an evaluation index system for the sustainable development of Wannian rice cultivation culture system was constructed.Each index was quantified and standardized,and their weight was determined through the analytic hierarchy process to obtain the comprehensive evaluation value of the sustainable development of Wannian rice cultivation culture system.The evaluation value was analyzed to propose the main issues in the sustainable development of Wannian rice cultivation culture.

Agro-ecological engineering in China: a way towards sustainable agriculture

Sustainable development, as a “hot topic”, concerns not only economic development but also environmental protection. Agriculture, the base of other economic activities, has faced many difficulties that include over growth population, land decrease, and land degradation and so on. Therefore, how to increase the food supply, to meet the over\|growth population demands, is the main task all over the world at present, especially in the developing countries, such as China, but we also must protect agricultural environment for medium\| and long\|term development simultaneously. Hence, sustainable development in agriculture is the most important estate that we must concern. Its sustainable development determines the sustainability of other economic development to a great extent. Despite Chinese government has paid much attention to develop agricultural production and obtained great successions, there are also many shortcomings in Chinese agriculture. Therefore, China must seek new approaches for its development and environmental protection that suit local conditions and are based on local resources. Agro ecological engineering, the application of ecological engineering in agriculture, is very thriving in China in recent decades. In this paper, the ecological, economic and social benefits of agro\|ecological engineering are analyzed. The principles are discussed. The results indicated that agro\|ecological engineering can meet the farmer′s short\|, medium\| and long\|term benefits. In the meanwhile, it also concerns not only economic benefits but ecological and social benefits. Therefore, agro\|ecological engineering is a way that leads to sustainable agriculture in the future in China.

Assessing Agricultural Sustainable Development Based on the DPSIR Approach: Case Study in Jiangsu, China

According to the contemporary ecosystem approach, the linkages of human actions with their environment have to be assessed in an integrative manner. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response （DPSIR） model is applied to identify and describe processes and interactions in human-environmental systems. An example application from a research project dealing with the development of sustainable management strategies for the agriculture in Jiangsu, China, illustrates the potentials and limitations of its sustainable development. The concept and indicators of ecological integrity are used to assess the indicators in the dimensions of DPSIR between 2003 and 2006. The main drivers included population growth which caused increasing demand for food, growing environmental demands, and rapidly decreasing of land and other natural resources. The main environmental problem was water pollution. The results show that in the dimension of driver, total grain output and agricultural land productivity both increased. Labor intensive agriculture has been promoted to increase agricultural land productivity. In the dimension of pressure, on the positive side, infrastructure got greatly improved, the input level such as total power of machinery, and level of fertilizer use increased, and level of pesticides use decreased, but on the negative side, cultivated land per capita and irrigation rate decreased, natural resources keep decreased. Environmental pollution indicators such as industrial wastewater discharge and acid rain rate increased in Jiangsu Province. In the aspect of state, ecosystem state was improved, plant coverage index increased, biological abundance index increased, fertilizer productivity increased, eco-environmental quality index increased, but land degradation index also increased. In the aspect of impact, output level increased, output efficiency enhanced, farmer＇s social economic benefit improved. In the aspect of response, social support was greatly improved, input for environmental governance increased. To assess the effects of environmental governance, Jiangsu government was successful to increase compliance rate of sulfur dioxide emissions, but not so efficient in compliance rate of industrial wastewater discharge.