Practical Implementation of

GIAHS Concept in China: GIAHS and NIAHS

Prof. Dr. Min Qingwen

CAS-IGSNRR-CNACH

• Historical Review: Decade of

Grinding Sword

• Practical Implementation: Three Key

Mechanisms

• Way Forward

• In 2005, Qingtian Rice-Fish Culture System

was designated as the first GIAHS pilot site

in China.

• In China: One of typical traditional eco-

agriculture with more than 2000 years.

• In Qingtian: Over 1200 years history

with plenty of agrobiodiversity, cultural

diversity and remarkable landscape.

• From 2009 to 2014, FAO/GEF GIAHS

project-China Pilot was implemented by

MOA, CAS and Qingtian County.

• In 2012, China-NIAHS program

was launched officially.

• In 2015, FAO/GEF-GIAHS Project China Pilot

Summary Meeting and Ten-Year Anniversary

of Qingtian RFC Designated as GIAHS Site

was held in Qingtian.

Conserving

GIAHS/NIAHS is ——

• One of the important contents to inherit and promote

traditional Chinese cultures;

• One of the effective measures to fill in gaps in

natural and cultural heritage conservation;

• One of the basic requirements to promote

sustainable agricultural development; and

• One of the effective approaches to promote farmers'

employment and income.

• Historical Review: Decade of

Grinding Sword

• Practical Implementation: Three Key

Mechanisms

• Way Forward

• Policy Incentive Mechanism;

• Multi-Stakeholders Participation

Mechanism; and

• Integrated Industrial Development

Mechanism.

Three Mechanisms——

• National/Local preferential

policies for GIAHS/NIAHS

conservation and

development;

• Payment for Ecosystem

Services;

• GIAHS/NIAHS-labeling

products;

• Model Farmers.

(1) Policy Incentive Mechanism

• In 2014, Mr. JIN Yuepin from Qingtian

awarded by FAO as“Asian Model

Farmer”for his contribution to RFC

conservation and development.

(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)

S&T supporting——

• Muilti-disciplinary research

(Evaluation of ecosystem serices,

resilience and sustainability;

Local farmers’ attitude; Dynamic

conservation theory and best

practices; … );

• Expert-guided conservation and

development;

• Academic exchange and

experiences sharing.

• East Asia Research Association for

Agriculture Heritage Systems (ERAHS)

established in Beijing in 2013.

• In November 2014, Agri-cultural Heritage

Systems Branch of China Association of

Agricultural Science Societies (ACHS-

CAASS) established.

Local Communities and Farmers——

• More and more farmers join and obtain

benefits from conservation of GIAHS/NIAHS.

Social Aspects——

• Media

• Citizens

• NGOs

• Young volunteers…

Cultural industry

Food processing

industry

Agricultural

production

Biological

resources

industry

Leisure agriculture

and agrotourism

(3) Integrated Industrial Development

Mechanism Agro-

product

processing

industry

• Historical Review: Decade of

Grinding Sword

• Practical Implementation: Three Key

Mechanisms

• Way Forward

• How to tradeoff GIAHS conservation to

industrialization/urbanization/agri-modernization;

• How to promote the special policies and funds for

GIAHS conservation researches and practices;

• How to attract more enterprises and citizens to

join the conservation and deal with the possible

conflicts with farmers;

• How to balance the benefits among farmers inside

and outside of GIAHS/NIAHS sites

• How to monitor the over-used the resources or

abused GIAHS/NIAHS logo.

Main problems or challenges——

• International collaboration (of bilateral, multilateral,

regional and global)

• Institutional improvement (of national and local);

• Integrated survey (of potential GIAHS/NIAHS sites)

and multi-disciplinary research (of ecological,

economic, social and cultural) .

• Information sharing (demonstration and diffusion of

GIAHS/NIAHS sites); and

• Intelligence increase and capacity building (of

decision makers, managers, citizens and farmers)

Main Tasks——

Thank you for your Attention