Caragana korshinskii growing in north of the Loess Plateau

Caragana Korshinskii Planting - a SWC vegetation technology (China)

Description

SWC decision makers, I.e. approach planners, lead local people to plant caragana korshinskii in the areas of serious water and/or wind erosion by means of combined inputs from government, locals and social loan etc.

Aims / objectives: The most important factor that hinders agricultural development in the Loess Plateau is soil and water loss. Many measures have been taking to conserve soil and water resources. Here is one of them using caragana korshinskii as one kind of SWC vegetation approach.

Methods: With its long roots, caragana korshinskii can improve soil infiltration and extract water from deep soil layer. It can also protect soil from water and wind erosion because it is tightly fixed in the soil. It has rhizobium in its roots to improve soil fertility. Besides, its branch has economic value. To carry out this approach, planners lead local farmers to plant caragana korshinskii in the areas of the serious water and/or wind erosion. Before planting, dipping selected seeds in brine with 1% concentration, and then moving them in warm water for about 24 hours to make them easier germinating. Caragana korshinskii can be planted in holes. Autumn is the best season for seeding, but if there is much rain in Spring, it is also ok. In the first three years, young plants are very frail. They should be protected from sheep eating and cutting. After four years, the branches of caragana korshinskii above ground can be cut according to their utilization. The more you cut the better they grow.

Role of stakeholders: Besides government leaders, local land users are also the most important participants, they accomplish most of planting and maintaining work. The Research Institute is another key participant, they provide the SWC knowledge and technology.

Other important information: Caragana korshinskii has many other advantages besides ecological benefits. It has many economic values, such as supplying forage for sheep and fuel for local residents, supplying raw material for paper making, supplying green manure and improving soil quality. Finance is mainly from government, partially from loan and local input(labor).

Location

Location: Shanxi, China

Geo-reference of selected sites
  • 113.563, 38.119

Initiation date: 1960

Year of termination: n.a.

Type of Approach
Area of the caragana korshinskii appication in the Loess Plateau.
Drawing of caragana korshinskii planting in the Loess Plateau.

Approach aims and enabling environment

Main aims / objectives of the approach
The Approach focused mainly on SLM with other activities (Sheep forage, paper making, fuel, green manure etc.)

Controlling water and/or wind erosion, preventing sand and dust storm.

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: Water and/or wind erosion, inadequate fodder, poor local agricultural and economic development.

Caragana korshinskii is one of the most drought endurable shrubs. Once planted, caragana korshinskii grows very fast.
Conditions enabling the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
Conditions hindering the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
  • Social/ cultural/ religious norms and values: People there seldom care about the environment Treatment through the SLM Approach: Education, propagandizing
  • Availability/ access to financial resources and services: There is not enough money Treatment through the SLM Approach: National subsidy, loan, collecting money from public
  • Legal framework (land tenure, land and water use rights): Lack of corresponding acts Treatment through the SLM Approach: Enforcing legislation The existing land ownership, land use rights / water rights hindered a little the approach implementation The state has ownership of the land resources, land users can only lease the land for a period of time, they worry about their land would be transferred to others.
  • Knowledge about SLM, access to technical support: inadequate Treatment through the SLM Approach: Learn from SWC specialists, introduce into new acquainted person

Participation and roles of stakeholders involved

Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles
What stakeholders / implementing bodies were involved in the Approach? Specify stakeholders Describe roles of stakeholders
local land users/ local communities Working land users were work equally divided between men and women (including all the local land users and government politicians) Existing groups of land users
national government (planners, decision-makers)
Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach
none
passive
external support
interactive
self-mobilization
initiation/ motivation
x
public meetings
planning
x
implementation
x
casual labour
monitoring/ evaluation
x
measurements/observations;
Research
x
measurements/observations;
Flow chart

Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology

Decisions were taken by

  • land users alone (self-initiative)
  • mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists
  • all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach
  • mainly SLM specialists, following consultation with land users
  • SLM specialists alone
  • politicians/ leaders

Decisions were made based on

  • evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
  • research findings
  • personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

Technical support, capacity building, and knowledge management

The following activities or services have been part of the approach
Capacity building/ training
Training was provided to the following stakeholders
  • land users
  • field staff/ advisers
  • SWC specialists, extensionists/trainers, planners, politicians/decision makers
Form of training
  • on-the-job
  • farmer-to-farmer
  • demonstration areas
  • public meetings
  • courses
Subjects covered

seed, establishment and maintenance of Caragana korshinskii

Advisory service
Advisory service was provided
  • on land users' fields
  • at permanent centres
Visiting demonstration areas; Key elements: Quality of the demonstration, Ability of visitors, Ability of hierophants; 1) Advisory service was carried out through: projects own extension structure and agents, government's existing extension system 2) Advisory service was carried out through: projects own extension structure and agents, government's existing extension system; Extension staff: mainly government employees 3) Target groups for extension: land users, technicians/SWC specialists; Activities: farm visits

Advisory service is quite adequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities; Activities of government influence the choice of land users greatly, usually by administration ways.
Institution strengthening
Institutions have been strengthened / established
  • no
  • yes, a little
  • yes, moderately
  • yes, greatly
at the following level
  • local
  • regional
  • national
Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.
Type of support
  • financial
  • capacity building/ training
  • equipment
Further details
Monitoring and evaluation
bio-physical aspects were regular monitored by 0 through measurements; indicators: None technical aspects were ad hoc monitored by 0 through observations; indicators: None economic / production aspects were regular monitored by 0 through measurements; indicators: None management of Approach aspects were None monitored by 0 through observations; indicators: None There were few changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: planting density, frequency of caragana korshinikii branch cutting.
Research
Research treated the following topics
  • sociology
  • economics / marketing
  • ecology
  • technology

comparing Caragana korshinskii with other kind of SWC vegetation species.

Research was carried out on station

Financing and external material support

Annual budget in USD for the SLM component
  • < 2,000
  • 2,000-10,000
  • 10,000-100,000
  • 100,000-1,000,000
  • > 1,000,000
Precise annual budget: n.a.
Approach costs were met by the following donors: government (national - money, technology, planning): 25.0%; national non-government (money): 45.0%; local community / land user(s) (material, money, labor): 30.0%
The following services or incentives have been provided to land users
  • Financial/ material support provided to land users
  • Subsidies for specific inputs
  • Credit
  • Other incentives or instruments
Financial/ material support provided to land users
partly financed
fully financed
agricultural: fertilizers

x
seedlings and biocides

biocides are fully financed

x

Labour by land users was

Credit

Impact analysis and concluding statements

Impacts of the Approach
No
Yes, little
Yes, moderately
Yes, greatly
Did the Approach help land users to implement and maintain SLM Technologies?

They protect their cropland by applying vegetative measures such as planting caragana koshinskii around the land so that both increasing crop yield and additional income by feeding more sheep etc.

x
Did the Approach improve issues of land tenure/ user rights that hindered implementation of SLM Technologies?

The approach could very little on it. The problem is likely to be overcome in the near future. By signing land use contract with land ownership.

x
Did other land users / projects adopt the Approach?

As one kind of vegetation method, it can be used with other approaches, such as check dam.

x
Main motivation of land users to implement SLM
Sustainability of Approach activities
Can the land users sustain what hat been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

Conclusions and lessons learnt

Strengths: land user's view
  • Obtaining additional economic return (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Developing Stockbreeding and increasing crop yield.)
  • low input and easy to implementing (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Forbidding overgrazing and cutting.)
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
  • Reducing wind and water erosion (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Scientific design and management.)
  • simple SWC and easy to carry out (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Enhancing training of how to scientifically planting caragana korshinskii.)
  • marked economic benefits that farmers would like to do (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Further developing the variable uses of caragana korshinskii.)
  • Preventing sand and dust storm in the leeward region. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Enlarging planting areas and combining with other SWC measures.)
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
  • no

References

Compiler
  • Jinsheng FU
Editors
Reviewer
  • David Streiff
Date of documentation: Jan. 28, 2009
Last update: July 9, 2017
Resource persons
Full description in the WOCAT database
Linked SLM data
Documentation was faciliated by
Institution Project
Key references
  • Yang Wenbin, Ren Jianmin, Jia Cuiping. Studies of The Relationship Between Physiological Ecology of Drought-Resist in Caragana Korshinskii and Soil Water. Acta Ecologica Sinica. 1997,17(3): 239-244.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
  • Hu Xuewen. Marked benefits of developing Caragana korshinskii in Pianguan county. Economic benefits corpus of soil and water conservation. 1987.10: 43-44.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
  • Li Zhirong. To advocate for Caragana korshinskii. Economic benefits corpus of soil and water conservation. 1987.10: 36-38.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
  • Zhao Zhizhong. Planting Caragana korshinskii extensively, breeding livestock to reach richness. Soil and Water Conservation Science and Technology in Shanxi. 1997.3: 26-28.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
  • Niu Xiwu. The distribution and description of Caragana Fabr. In China. Acta Bot. Boreal. Accident Sin. 1999,19(5): 107-133.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
  • Pan Ming, Zhao Jinrong. Benefits of Caragana korshinskii and its planting technology. Economic benefits corpus of soil and water conservation. 1987.10:39-42.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
  • Cheng Jimin. The Reasonable Utilization and Patterns of the Main Shrub Species In Southern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation. 1991,11(1): 54-61.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
  • Li Jinchuan, Wang Wenying, Lu Chongen. Exploration on Restoring Vegetations of Dump Land on An-Tai-Bao Surface Mine. Henan Science. 1999,17(Suppl.): 92-95.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
  • Bai Yongqiang. Studies on Phonological Patterns of the Main Shrubs in Yanchi Sandy Land. Journal of Arid land Resources and Environment. 1998,12(2): 82-86.: Library of Department of Resources and Environment, BNU.
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