A Conservation Approach of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS): Improving Traditional Agricultural Patterns and Promoting Scale-Production

Yongxun Zhang,Heyao Li,Canqiang Zhang,Lulu He,Lun Yang,Qingwen Min

doi:10.3390/su9020295

Abstract

Heritage conservation is an important recurring research theme on agricultural heritage systems. Improving the income of farmers from agriculture is regarded as an effective conservation approach. This study examined how the improved rice-fish-duck coculture (IRFDC) promotes the protection of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraced System (HHRTS) by keeping farmers farming in their hometowns. A semi-structural interview and a questionnaire survey were used to collect data on agricultural input–outputs and household employment in HHRTS. As a result, a fairly large proportion of HHRTS rice terraces were used for the hybrid rice monoculture (HRM) with chemical inputs, and most of these rice terraces were wasted for half a year on account of being left unused; the IRFDC requires considerable time input for farming and breeding, but barely needs any chemical inputs. IRFDC entails a higher cost than HRM, but also has a higher return than HRM. Driving a family to do full-time farming requires extra more than 0.71 ha rice terraces for IRFDC. In conclusion, Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHSs) can be used for protecting terraces from abandonment and destruction by improving agricultural economic benefits for farmers. At present, a shortage of laborers in HHRTS sites is false. Agricultural heritage sites do not actual need so many people if peasant households can do large-scale farming.

Highlights

In the past few decades, with industrialization and agri-technology progress, many traditional agricultural systems have been replaced by modern ones or abandoned by farmers due to low profits and tiring work processes [1,2,3,4,5]
We obtained that MAmin is mean 0.71 ha per family, i.e., any member of the family may not work on non-farm jobs in cities again if a family has an extra 0.71 ha for improved rice-fish-duck coculture (IRFDC)
It means that letting a family operate at least an additional 0.71 ha terraces for IRFDC will promote conservation of Honghe Hani Rice Terraced System (HHRTS)

Summary

Introduction

In the past few decades, with industrialization and agri-technology progress, many traditional agricultural systems have been replaced by modern ones or abandoned by farmers due to low profits and tiring work processes [1,2,3,4,5]. Unlike modern agriculture relying on chemical inputs, traditional agriculture has rich biodiversity and plenty of traditional species with high environmental adaptivity. These characteristics cause them to have strong resistance to pests and diseases [12] and resilience to extreme climate change [13,14]. Landscape diversity and better eco-environment quality give traditional agriculture a higher recreational value [15]. These advantages of traditional agriculture have attracted research interests from scientists in some countries. In 2005, FAO began to search typical traditional agricultural systems around the world and designated them as GIAHS. How to protect GIAHSs more effectively has become a critical problem for governments in GIAHS sites under the context of urbanization

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Conclusion