Deserts and Aeolian Desertification in China:Book review and some thoughts

Raanan Katzir *

Sustainable Agriculture Consulting Group (SACOG), Israel

Desertification is a global phenomenon that affects about two billion people. It occurs in arid zones where the annual precipitation is below 400 mm, particularly in the marginal areas of the world’s largest deserts. It is a result of water and wind erosion, overgrazing, global warming, improper soil cultivation, and increased pressure of population growth, and it causes degradation of soil and natural and agricultural vegetation. The direct result is less food for people and livestock, which influences population and animal husbandry fluctuations. Despite efforts to combat and reduce desertification, the affected areas are annually increasing.

Scientists from the Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAREERI, CAS) have for the last six decades been conducting research with the aim to understand the desert and aeolian desertification (means land degradation through wind erosion mainly resulted from the human impacts in arid, semiarid and sub-humid regions of China) and to learn how to deal with them.The book "Deserts and Aeolian Desertification in China"(by Wang Taoet al., 2011) provides a comprehensive summary of the research on deserts and aeolian desertification and their rehabilitation practices in China. This book scientifically reveals the origin and the mechanism of deserts and aeolian desertification in China, powerfully demonstrates that deserts are the outcome of the nature process while aeolian desertification is the product of human’s irrational activities, clarifies the prolonged divergence of views on the desert and aeolian desertification, and solves some important theoretical problems as to the aeolian desertification control. On the basis of summing up the practices and experiences as to the desert and aeolian desertification in China over the past 60 years,some strategies to combat aeolian desertification, the basic principles and patterns for the rehabilitation of deserts and aeolian desertified lands and their rational use in different climatic zones in China are put forward, and some major technical systems to combat aeolian desertification are established.

As an Israeli expert who is familiar with the development of advanced agriculture in dry lands in Israel, I would like to emphasize the contribution and importance of modernized agricultural methods in turning desert areas into fertile land. I believe these methods could serve to combat desertification anywhere in the world, and especially in China. Israeli advanced desert agriculture is based on knowledge and technology, which are locally generated through our agriculture regional research and development (R&D) system. Its aims are to find rapid,practical solutions to the challenges of desert agriculture,and to introduce innovations from other similar climatic regions of the world. Our R&D system is based on the cooperation of four local partners: agricultural research and extension agents, farmers’ representatives, and the leaders of local authorities. Local R&D committees are in charge of local regional research and extension and development programs.

A primary goal of Israeli advanced desert agriculture is to take advantage of the favorable winter climate conditions to produce out-of-season vegetables, flowers, and fruits for export to European countries. These countries have high purchasing power and are continually looking for fresh produce during the winter months. Currently,70% of the total winter agricultural Israeli exports come from the Israeli desert.

In the early 1960s a widespread drip-irrigation system was developed in the Israeli desert. The system was implemented due to the scarcity of water and the fact that the only available water was saline. Drip irrigation allows strict irrigation control and, as such, is a saving-water system and is also the only efficient method for the use of high-saline water for irrigation.

From my Chinese consulting and analyses experience for the last two decades, I know that the Israeli experience could well serve to introduce modernized agriculture into the desert areas in China. In the last few years,large areas in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia have gained important achievements in establishing modernized irrigation and mulching agriculture. However,I would like to emphasize that direct copying from Israel is not the way to succeed. What is needed is to adapt the approach of sustainable agriculture in arid zones; experimental trials of Israeli knowledge and technology will enable the Chinese agricultural industry to maximize its limited natural resources.

Professor Tao Wang and his colleagues have produced a book that is an important tool to understand the processes of aeolian desertification and various approaches and methods for combating Aeolian desertification. I think that the integration of these, together with the establishment of modernized advanced agriculture, could bring profitable restoration to China’s deserts and arid lands and become a main factor for food production, improved rangelands reforest, and development of recreation areas.

What is done in China in the field of combating aeolian desertification and the development of dry lands could serve as a practical solution to waste areas in other countries. This book presents in a very clear and efficient way what aeolian desertification means and how to combat it, and would be very useful for understanding these processes and finding solutions in other countries of the world as well.

Raanan Katzir

August 2, 2013