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The Grain for Green Project in Contiguous Poverty-Stricken Regions of China: A Nature-Based Solution

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  • Tingyu Xu

    (Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
    Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
    Dagangshan National Key Field Observation and Research Station for Forest Ecosystem, Xinyu 338033, China)

  • Xiang Niu

    (Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
    Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
    Dagangshan National Key Field Observation and Research Station for Forest Ecosystem, Xinyu 338033, China)

  • Bing Wang

    (Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
    Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
    Dagangshan National Key Field Observation and Research Station for Forest Ecosystem, Xinyu 338033, China)

Abstract

The Grain for Green Project (GGP) is one of many Nature-based Solutions (NbS), which aims to address the challenge of ecological restoration while providing livelihood security for farmers in poverty-dominated regions. Evaluating the success of such a project can prove difficult. Here, we choose the contiguous poverty-stricken regions (CPSR) of China to study the multiple benefits of the GGP in the context of NbS. We collect ecological-monitoring data, forest-resources data, and socioeconomic data and use them in a distributed method with relevant indicators, to evaluate the ecological benefits of the GGP. Additionally, the socioeconomic benefits are evaluated using questionnaire-based surveys. Our results showed that the ecological benefits of the GGP in the CPSR were 5.6 × 10 11 RMB/a in 2017, with the proportion of each ecosystem’s services being 27.1% (water conservation), 21.1% (biodiversity conservation), 18.4% (purification of the atmospheric environment), 13.1% (soil conservation), 12.9% (carbon sequestration and oxygen release), 5.4% (forest protection), and 1.6% (nutrient accumulation). In terms of socioeconomic benefit, the GGP changed the production methods of farmers, which resulted in income growth, with an average increase of 5100 RMB/a per household. In the context of NbS, ecological conservation, and restoration, the accurate and systematic monitoring of the socioeconomic and ecological benefits will become more important for government decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Tingyu Xu & Xiang Niu & Bing Wang, 2022. "The Grain for Green Project in Contiguous Poverty-Stricken Regions of China: A Nature-Based Solution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:7755-:d:847654
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    References listed on IDEAS

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