agricultural heritage systems in east asia and chinas experiences on their conservation

Agricultural Heritage Systems in

East Asia and China's Experiences

on their Conservation

Prof. Dr. Min Qingwen

CAS-IGSNRR-CNACH

• Concept of Globally Important

Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)

• Progress of Agricultural Heritage

Systems in East Asia

• Dynamic Conservation: Three Key

Mechanisms

What are GIAHS?

GLOBALLY

IMPORTANT

AGRICULTURAL

HERITAGE

SYSTEMS

"Remarkable land use systems and landscapes which are rich in

biological diversity evolving from the co-adaptation of a rural

community/population with its environment and its needs and

aspirations for sustainable development (FAO, 2002)."

GIAHS Selection Criteria

1. Food & livelihood security

2.Biodiversity & ecosystem function

3. Knowledge systems & adapted technologies

4. Culture, value systems & social organisations (Agri-culture)

5. Remarkable landscapes, land & water resources management features

Historic

RelevanceContemporar

y Relevance

Treats &

Challenges

Ongoing

EffortsAction Plan

Characteristics of Global (or National) Importance





• Dynamic Conservation: Three Key

Mechanisms

• In 2005, Qingtian Rice-Fish Culture System was

designated as the first GIAHS pilot site in China.

• In 2012, China-NIAHS program was launched

officially.

• By the end of 2015, there are 62 China-NIAHS

sites including 11 GIAHS sites.

• Qingtian Rice-fish

Culture system in

Zhejiang province

(2005)

• Honghe Hani Rice

Terraces System in

Yunnan province

(2010)

• Wannian Traditional

Rice Culture System

in Jiangxi province

(2010)

• Congjiang Dong’s

Rice-fish-duck

System in Guizhou

province (2011)

• Pu’er Traditional Tea

Agrosystem in Yunnan

province (2012)

• Aohan Dryland

Farming System in

Inner Mongolia

Autonomous Region

(2012)

• Urban Agricultural

Heritage of

Xuanhua Grape

Garden in Hebei

province (2013)

• Shaoxing Kuaijishan

Ancient Chinese

Torreya in Zhejiang

province (2013)

• Jiaxian Traditional Chinese Data

Gardens in Shannxi province (2014)

• Fuzhou Jasmine and

Tea Culture System in

Fujian province (2014)

• Xinghua Duotian

Agrosystem in Jiangsu

province (2014)

GIAHS Network in Japan

Prefectural level

• Voluntary network by Governors of 8 GIAHS sites (MAFF's

involvement is limited and UNU is an advisor)

• GIAHS promotion such as participation in Milano Expo 2015

• Chairperson is elected annually in turn

Municipality level

• Voluntary network by municipalities in GIAHS sites (MAFF's

involvement is limited and UNU is an advisor)

• Practical exchange of local experiences

• Chairperson is elected annually in turn

East Asia Research Association for Agricultural Heritages Systems (ERAHS)

ERAHS was established in 2013, members now include experts from China, Japan and Korea.

1st ERAHS Conference was held in Xinghua, China, in April 2014; 2nd ERAHS Conference was held in Sado, Japan, in June 2015; The 3rd ERAHS Conference was held in Guemsan, Korea in June, 2016.





• Dynamic Conservation in China: Three

Key Mechanisms

• Policy Incentive Mechanism（政策

激励机制）;

• Multi-Stakeholders Participation

Mechanism（多方参与机制）;

• Industrial Promoting Mechanism

（产业促进机制）.

Three Mechanisms——

• Remarkable rural cultural landscape

• Ingenious traditional cultural knowledge

• Unique traditional farming technology

• Abundant (agri-)biodiversity

• Important Eco-Function Areas

• Wonderful agroecological

landscape

Ecological compensation

Cultural compensationEco-Cultural Compensation

(1) Policy

Incentive

Mechanism

(2) Multi-Stakeholders Participation

Mechanism

The Five-in-One Model:

• Governments (Central & local, different sectors);

• Multi-disciplinary Scientists (ecologists,

agronomists, economists, historians, planners,

managers, …);

• Local communities &Farmers;

• Enterprises; and

• Social aspects (Media, educators, citizens, NGOs)

(3)Industrial Promoting Mechanism

• Favorable eco-environment and landscape

• Strong national culture

• Good quality of agri-products

• Plenty of biological resources

• Relative surplus labor forces

• Exquisite traditional skills

Resources viewing from industrial development

Cultural industry

Food processing

industry

Agricultural

production

Biological

resources

industry

Leisure agriculture

and agrotourism

Agro-

product

processing

industry

• To create the GIAHS-brand of different products

(functional agri-products, distinctive agri-

products, special tourism routes, tourist

souvenirs) ;

• To develop the high-end market;

• To absorb more labors;

• To increase farmers’ income.

Thank you for your Attention

Please Visit:

http://www.fao.org/giahs/en/

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