The Role of Poplar-based Agroforestry in Rural Development: A Case Study of the Heze Prefecture in Shandong Province, China

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The Role of Poplar-based Agroforestry in Rural
Development A Case Study of the Heze Prefecture
in Shandong Province, China

• Yvonne Wood
• July 7, 2005
• P.R.E.M.I.U.M 2005
• Sponsored by NSF and MSU

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Agenda

• I. Introduction into AF
• II. History and Context of AF
• III. Poplar-based AF
• IV. Heze Prefecture, Shandong Province Case study
• V. Survey Data and Comments
• VI. Results and Recommendations
• VII. Discussion

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What is Agroforestry?

• Approach to land use that incorporates trees into
  farming systems, allows for production of trees
  and crops or livestock from the same piece of
  land
• Economic and ecological interactions between
  components!!
• Intentional, Intensive, Interactive, and
  Integrated

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History of AF in China

• AF has been practiced for centuries, evidence of
  AF from Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 220) until the
  present
• Collectivization and industrialization in 1958
  depleted resources Cultural Revolution continued
  to stagnate agriculture and forest productionthe
  future of forest resources did not look good
• But in 1978/1979 Big Changes!
• Household Responsibility System (HRS)

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Present situation

• Problems environmental degradation, population
  growth, resource depletion
• Environmental problems soil erosion,
  desertification, forest depletion, air pollution,
  global warming,
• Land per farmer (per capita) 0.1 ha
• Timber-shortage
• Meet increasing basic food requirements

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Benefits of AF

• Growing trees can provide households with timber,
  fuel, and other products.
• Trees can reduce wind velocity, modify solar
  radiation, increase soil moisture, improve soil
  nutrition, and control erosion
• Note trees do compete with crops for light and
  water

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AF addresses

• Sustain existing food production
• Ecologically sound agricultural production
• Production inefficiencies and surpluses
• Uncertainty of wood supply

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Major forms of AF in Temperate China

• Farmland shelterbelt and forest networks
• Intercropping agricultural crops with trees
• Planting trees around houses, along roadsides and
  river banks
• Promising form of AF in the past has been
  intercropping with Paulownia
• Is Poplar the new Paulownia??

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Poplars (Populus spp.)

• Known in the Near East as the blessed tree
• Poplars have been the primary timber producer in
  regions lacking natural forests in the northern
  hemisphere.
• Though still a minor contributor to the worlds
  timber supply, the area of land planted to
  poplars is increasing rapidly, particularly in
  China, South Korea, and the United States

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Why the interest in Poplars?

• Fast-growing and disease-resistant
• Ease of vegetative propagation of poplar
• With stem cuttings, superior hybrids can be
  easily and quickly cloned and
• Within a very short time made available for
  planting on a large scale
• Poplar plantations can be integrated with other
  land uses, including agriculture, in ways that
  both enhance agricultural uses and protect
  environmental values

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Poplar-based AF in China

• China largest country with poplar planting, 86
  of worlds planting
• In recent years, one of the species used in
  agroforestry in the North China Plain is Populus
  spp.

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Heze Prefecture, Shandong Province

• Heze one of areas suitable for poplar
• Poplar predominant species in afforestation, more
  than 80 of total planted areas in Heze
• Heze one of most advanced areas in poplar
  breeding and management

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Shandong Province
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Heze

• Heze administrative forestry unit for Shandong
• Total population 8.81 million, 7.25 million
  rural
• Per capita land 1.44 mu (0.96 ha!)
• Total Forest and tree coverage 28.6 of land
  base
• Annual forest value production 10 billion RMB,
  this includes timber production, and wood
  manufacturing

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History of AF in Heze

• Early 1950s forest coverage low
• Early 20th century Yellow River changed course,
  this area is where the old course used to be -
  sedimentation and salinization serious problems
• Now after many years there has been established a
  well organized and functioning forest network of
  shelterbelts, greenbelts, woodplots, and along
  rivers
• Environmental conditions have improved

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Development of Wood Manufacturing Industry

• More than 3,000 wood product manufacturers in
  city
• More than 30 are large wood product companies
• 27 companies are joint ventures with
  international investors
• At least 28,000 mills in city
• Total employment 500,000
• Annual wood utilization 6 million cubed meters
• Annual processing value 7 billion RMB

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Role of Government

• Reduced or have gotten rid of taxes
• Incentives include low interest loans, reduced
  price for electricity, improved infrastructure,
  minimal regulation for manufacturing
• Demonstration extension service, encourages
  involvement of farmers with AF
• Provide free seedlings
• Forestry treated as strategic sector in city
  development policy
• Role further reduced

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Role of Private Sector

• Market based mechanisms playing major role
• Private investments have been engine of forestry
  development
• Government and private complimentary to
  development of forestry
• Without initial capital accumulation industry
  would grow slower
• Domestic and foreign investors

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Environmental Service

• 1 increase in atmospheric moisture level
  Evaporation had decreased by 300 mL
• Days of strong winds decreased by 15 days
• Hot and dry rains decreased
• Winter wheat yield affected by hot dry winds
  decreased

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Future of AF in Heze

• 2003 city approved by state development reform
  commission to establish 2 million more mu of
  plantations
• Plan to further increase forest area and yields
  establish larger manufacturing facilities
  locally produced wood can be utilized
• Trends seen as continuing

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Survey Comments

• Average Age 48.56
• Education Level 4 reached or graduated from High
  School, 2 Middle School, 2 Elementary School
• Average Family Size 5 people
• Average Income 12,333.33 RMB
• Average Total Land 12.9 muAverage Intercropped
  Land 9.2 mu

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Additional Comments

• Primary reason for intercropping economic
  reasons
• Most farmers intercropped poplar with winter
  wheat
• Some grew wheat separately and intercropped with
  alfalfa for fodder
• 2nd season crops included cotton, corn, and
  peanuts
• One farmer intercropped with willow (10)
• Fertilizer mentality apply as much as you can
  afford

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and more

• Many people interviewed owned tractors or
  threshers
• Government gave seedlings and in some cases
  grass (alfalfa)
• Private dealers come directly to growers to buy
• In one case an official would come to collect the
  raw lumber from one farmer
• Old traditions are dead, no longer can farm like
  ancestors
• Children are taking off-farm jobs or moving to
  urban centers
• Additional occupations e.g. doctor, construction

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My Interviewees Comments

• Before agroforestry, usually had 2 crops per
  year. High workload, low profit. Now can profit
  from both trees and cows. Frees workload to
  allow emigration to cities and a greater income.
  For most people in the village (according to
  interviewee), income is 2-3 times greater than
  what it was before.
• (Mr. Zhao Yueliang)

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Interesting

• Short run children can help family
• Long run become urban citizens!
• (Mr. Xie)
• Used to try to plant wheat and trees together,
  but productivity was low. Grass can be sold or
  used to feed livestock.
• (Mr. Zhao Wei Jiang)

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Zhao Yu Fa

• Plants wheat because have historically grown
  wheat, and because they can eat it. Poplars and
  grass both grown for income. Raises sheep and
  cattle because he already has the grass. Before
  agroforestry, did not have very many heads of
  sheep and cattle.
• Doesnt let livestock graze openly because
  inconvenient to chase down! Cuts grass for the
  animals.

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Ban Xiang Wu

• The government uses technology as a way of
  developing agriculture. The quota system and
  taxes have been dropped if farmers plant poplars.
  Compensation of 13 yuan/mu to farmers that
  intercrop with trees.
• Father was a farmer, but he learned little from
  him. His father worked in collectivized farms
  and cared little about his role.
• He used to plant fruit trees in the early 1990s
  however they were not as economically beneficial
  as poplar.
• His products go to the US, South Korea and Japan

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Mr. No name

• Choices limited to increase income, could also
  grow vegetables
• Grew apple trees before but didnt make a lot of
  money and complicated management (pests, pruning,
  labor difficult)
• Development of forestry stimulated other economic
  activities
• 16 from the village now in college.

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Results

• Growing trees is more profitable
• Raises standard of living for farmers and
• Those involved with the timber industry
• More opportunities for women
• Encourages entrepreneurship of locals
• Local markets - materials and products
• Internal demands and local conditions
• Market economy based on community decisions
• Example of capitalism and privatization

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Recommendations

• Need stable markets for both farmers to make
  transition and for investors to feel secure
• More research with poplars and other species
• Land tenure policy that is favorable to farmers

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Discussion

• Sustainability? What if conditions change?
• Finite possibilities?
• Land-based livelihoods difficult to improvemove
  to urban areas?
• National food security?
• Photo Credit Karl Rohe

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Acknowledgments

• Dr. Yin, Dr. Qi, Dr. Maureen McDonough, Mike,
  NSF, Monkey Queen, Qing, Zedawow there are so
  many people to thank however its almost 430 in
  the morning so you know who you are you crazy
  kids )