Latest comments posted about A new future for China’s grasslands on ChinaDialogue en-gb http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/628-A-new-future-for-China-s-grasslands http://staging.chinadialogue.net/images/cdlogo.gif http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/628-A-new-future-for-China-s-grasslands Cattle farmers usually go to collect straw during the autumn harvest. Straw from every mu of field (1 hectare equals to 15 mu) is usually worth about 80 yuan (some 10 US dollars). Compared to dry straw, fermented silage is more nutritious and a better feed for cattle to grow faster. Cattle which is fed with silage is usually ready for slaughter two months earlier than those fed with dry straw. More importantly, beef of cattle fed by silage is not contaminated with hormones and pesticides. Sat, 29 Dec 2007 16:26:52 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-6376 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-6376 The new thoughts I suggested do not require resettlements, instead it will lead to the change of those stocks to rear by giving a full play of the advantages of farmlands and grasslands. This will have less impacts upon traditional grazing areas. On the contrary, the new ideas will help shift from quantity to quality animal husbandry. Though the traditional animal husbandry does not only help keep the culture but also create opportunities for eco-tourism. However, it cannot guarantee good economic returns. Fri, 22 Dec 2006 11:48:23 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-821 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-821 The above comment certainly touched upon a very important problem - the habits and customs of the ethinic minorites. To them, livestock is not merely a resource for meat production, and source of financial income, but provides a basis for life, clothes and shelter (yurts). One can see traces of their farmed livestock in every aspect of their lives. Of course, the author did not speak about abandoning the rearing of livestock in the north, but simply put forth a logical framework to adjust the agricultural industry. However, this kind of readjustment framework would bring about an enormous rise in employment.This is what I guess would happen. In the end, rearing battery instead of free-range chicken has a much higher production efficiency. In my personal understanding of the situation, the culture and customs of minorites allow them to remain self-sufficient, and inclines them towards a more comfortable lifestyle. In that case, a generalisation of this suggested mode of production would be met with strong popular resistance. What is needed, of course, is adjustment, not regression. More importantly in practice, under the current rapid development towards a perfect market production, the author's suggestions still merit a lot of foresight. At least I believe, there are no visible shortcomings in theory. Wed, 20 Dec 2006 02:01:56 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-809 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-809 From the perspective of economics, the author's suggestion is indeed good, innovative and reasonable. However, from the viewpoint of anthropogeography and sociology, despite the above benefits, I think your suggestion will lead to changes in demography and social structure, even huge influences on employment. I would like to know, should it be letting the inhabitants adapt to a new way of production, or should it be letting people resettle from the south to the north and vice versa for better use of resources? What exactly is the change resulted from your suggestion? Worth more consideration, but it's very interesting! Wed, 20 Dec 2006 11:16:34 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-813 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-813 Mr. Jiang’s article is very helpful to me, with professional knowledge and good readability. The idea is very exciting, but how about the feasibility of it? As a farmer in Hebei Province or a herdsman on the grassland in Inner Mongolia, what should we do to help achieving the goal? However, everything has two sides. Is there any negative problems to execute this plan? Is it technically feasible? Is it economically practical? Has it been evaluated across-the-board? Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:44:17 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-808 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-808 This article suggests that multiple problems of overgrazing, Avian flu, waning rural incomes, the quality of chicken meat production, and increasing pressures on Chinese food production may be solved by this rearrangement of resources. Jiang Gaoming has commented on ways different agricultural productions may be complemented efficiently. And the points made are certainly promising. However, I feel the issue of livelihoods affected has been unduly ommitted from the discussion. The northern provinces affected are also home to ethnic minorities, to whom raising cattle forms a traditional part of life. Sweeping legislation runs risk of further undermining these ethnic groups, and forcing them to join the growing underbelly of Chinese development: the poor unskilled workers. A simple solution therefore may not necessarily be best. Mon, 18 Dec 2006 15:14:18 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-804 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-804 Though the author's suggestions sound reasonable in terms of animal husbandry development, he does not take into consideration of the impacts of the advised practices on the livelihoods of affected areas. Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:21:17 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-806 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/628#comment-806