[Pil-pc-oceania] Gansu adopts massive re-afforestation to offset earlier broadacre landclearing

[Deb Guildner]

 Courtesy of Farmonline, today:
http://www.farmonline.com.au/news_daily.asp?ag_id=45145

      Breaking Rural News : AGRIBUSINESS AND GENERAL  

     
     China meets China at Ag Show, Qld 
      By GRAHAM FULLER - Australia
      Thursday, 6 September 2007 

      The latest developments in water use efficiency tempted a Chinese trade delegation visiting Australia to drop in at this week's AgShow event in Toowoomba, Qld.
      The high-powered visitors hailed from Gansu Province and included the deputy mayor of Dingxi City, Zhang Wenxue, the deputy chairman of the city's Parliament, Zhang Minzheng, and the vice chairman of the political consultative committee of Dingxi City, Zhao Xinwen.

      Located in the north west of China, on the upper reaches of the Yellow River, the district encompasses a portion of the famed Gobi Desert, placing increasing emphasis on ways to best utilise one of the world's most precious resources: water.

      Mr Zhang Wenxue told Queensland Country Life that prevalent crops included wheat, corn, cotton, plus sugar beet and tobacco. 

      It's an area of China with an average 400mm rainfall pattern, a figure that sharply dips towards the inner Mongolian Plateau.

      Principally in Australia to check out the quality of our water storeage and associated technologies, the delegation also will take a look at our animal husbandry industries.

      "Dingxi City is suffering serious water shortages because it's located in an arid, semi-arid region," Mr Zhang Wenxue said.

      "But people are used to the climate which, historically, has always been harsh."

      Today, Dingxi City has immense water storeages to hand, although climate change increasingly is becoming a top-of-mind issue with both urban and rural societies.

      Currently, Gansu Province has adopted a massive re-afforestation programme in an attempt to reverse an earlier emphasis on wide-spread land clearing designed to accommodate broadacre crops.

      Interestingly, the Chinese delegation visiting AgShow is well aware of Australia's interest in setting water useage limits - something that already exists in Gansu Province.

      As well, the Chinese population is resigned to paying more for its water, according to the visiting delegation which took a keen interest on the range of Chinese-built Agriboss tractors being exhibited by Dalby-based supplier, Fieldlink.

      SOURCE: Queensland Country Life, posting news updates daily on FarmOnline. A full AgShow report will appear in the September 13 issue.
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