Abstract
The designation, conservation and tourism development of agricultural heritage systems, which are embedded with intricate human–nature relations, could significantly influence community livelihoods. Therefore, a livelihood approach is critical for agricultural heritage conservation and the sustainability of the hosting community. Taking Guanhou Village, Xuanhua Grape Garden Urban Agricultural Heritage Site as an example, this study examines impacts of heritage conservation and tourism on the community livelihood system and its implications for community livelihood sustainability. A sustainable livelihood framework is adopted to guide the analysis. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with management officials, village leaders and village residents. The research identified the importance of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) designation on raising government support and public awareness on conservation. Tourism emerges as an alternative livelihood to some residents which exerts positive economic influence. However, tourism participation is currently at a low level which restricted the distribution of benefits. The sustainability of local rural livelihood is at risk due to the rapid urbanization, the decline of human resources and the insufficient integration of traditional agriculture with tourism. Practical implications were discussed to enhance local participation and tourism contribution to GIAHS conservation.
Highlights
An agricultural heritage system is a living, evolving system of human communities in an intricate relationship heavily embedded within its natural, social and cultural environment [1]
Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) designation of Xuanhua Grape Garden represents the highest level of international recognition of its value, which generates a variety of government support forits conservation and tourism development, ranging from policy making to financial assistance
As required in the application for GIAHS designation, a Heritage Conservation and Development Master Plan is in place since 2013, which outlines the area of protection and detailed measures to facilitate dynamic conservation of Xuanhua grape gardens
Summary
An agricultural heritage system is a living, evolving system of human communities in an intricate relationship heavily embedded within its natural, social and cultural environment [1]. The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, aiming to conserve these systems with relevant landscapes, biodiversity, and traditional knowledge for sustainable management [1]. This call has been actively supported worldwide, which encourages the recognition, conservation and sustainable development of these important agricultural systems. Various studies on the traditional rice–fish system at Qingtian in Zhejiang province of China demonstrated the impacts of tourism on increasing the price of agricultural products and enhancing the recognition of the value of traditional agricultural systems; conservation of the traditional rice–fish system is further promoted [3,6,10]
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