Report No. 10 : China Cluster of GEF/UNEP/UNU PLEC

FINAL CLUSTER REPORT Summary of Results and Achievements from 1998-2001

China Cluster, GEF/UNEP/UNU PLEC

I. HISTORY OF WORK OF CHINA CLUSTER

China cluster of UNU/PLEC was formed and established as part of Mainland Southeast Asian (MMSEA) Cluster at the end of 1992 and early 1993.

From 1992-1997, the main focuses of China Cluster were site selection, identification of research contents, development of methodology and capacity building, as well as planning for GEF Proposal. Seven workshops have been organized jointly with Thailand Cluster.

The main achievements from 1992-1997 are: (1) development of Agrobiodiversity Assessment (ABA, Guo Brookfield, et al, 1996); (2) formation of the core members of China Cluster; (3) confirmation of four demonstration sites: two in Xishuangbanna and other two in Gaoligong Mts.; (4) training of young researchers on methodology etc.; (5) baseline data collection of the demonstration sites and background information of the two regions.

1. Site SelectionGaoligong Mts. Region:

Sites Selection in Gaoligong Mts. was based on a survey all around the communities surrounding Gaoligong Mts. State Nature Reserve in 1993. Baihualing in the eastern slope and Daba in the western slope of the GLG SNR were selected both for PLEC and FMBC (MacArthur funded project). At the same time, Shabadi and Datang in the west were selected as supplementary sites.

Gaoligong Mts. is one of the biodiversity richest without systematic scientific research in the world. Many new plant species were found and published from this area since 1920s. Only from 1995-1997, a long term field plant specimen collection and systematic flora research revealed that there are more than 5,000 species of higher plant in GLG Mts., and 40% of them are endemics (Li Heng, Guo Huijun and Dao Zhiling,200).

The local people already developed various technologies and practice to cope with changes and conserve biodiversity. However, the conflicts between nature reserve and surrounding communities are one of the great challenges. Baihualing and Daba villages are located at the South Silk Route passing Gaoligong Mts. and also close to Nature Reserve. Therefore, these two villages were selected as demonstration sites since 1993.

From 1993-1997, the research team has conducted following activities: (1) research on the interaction between community and nature reserve; (2) survey of flora and different vegetations from 780 m to 3,400 m a.s. and different land use stages in the two sites; (3) household survey of 60 % of the total number of households; (4) establishment of GLG farmers association on biodiversity conservation etc. A series articles and

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monographs have been published.

Xishuangbanna RegionXishuangbanna group has worked in 9 villages for site selection from 1992-1996.

Daka of Hani people and Baka of Jinuo people were finally identified and confirmed in 1996 as demonstration sites of PLEC China.

Xishuangbanna is a relatively rich in traditional agricultural practice and tropical rainforest in China, and is similar to neighboring countries in Mainland Southeast Asia. 13 native ethnic minorities live in the area, and many of them are still live within or nearby the Xishuangbanna State Nature Reserve. Most of them are practicing swidden cultivation, and have developed tropical cash crops like rubber. The local people have developed various successful agroecosystems, such as Casia siamea based firewood forest, homegarden, cropping under natural forest, sacred forest etc. They also preserved rich varieties of upland rice and paddy rice. However, traditional practices and genetic diversity are threatened by modern crops and agro-techniques.

Those issues are interested to be scientifically understood, and conservationist community development approaches need to be developed for the region.

2. Initial Characterization and MethodObjectives of PLEC and characteristics of Xishuangbanna and Gaoligong Mts.

Regions are the main principles for site selection of China Cluster.PLEC has change focuses from interrelationship between population growth, land

use and environmental change (1992-1995) to biodiversity conservation and expert farmer demonstration (1996-1997). According to the long-term field research by cluster members in these two regions, China cluster changed to find the communities with successful land use and rich native agrobiodiversity as demonstration sites.

In December 1997, under the supervision of Dr. Harold Brookfield, the Principle Scientific Coordinator, China Cluster finally confirmed Daka in Xishuangbanan and Hanlong/Baihualing in GLG as the two main demonstration sites, and Baka and Shabadi as supplementary sites.

3. Determination of focus sites and conversion of some or all of these into demonstration sites

China cluster has worked in about 13 villages for pre-study of GEF-PLEC. Only four of them converted into GEF-PLEC funded demonstration sites, as mentioned above. But the cluster members are still working in some of the supplementary sites on other subjects. Shabadi, one of the four sites, is maintained as research sites after one-year implementation since 1999.

4. Progress of work within the four GEF-PLEC yearsSince 1998, there have been several significant outcomes and achievements:1) China Cluster has gradually moved its interest from general issues of population

growth and resource management to specific issues, i.e. biodiversity conservation. Biodiversity was further divided into natural biodiversity and

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agricultural biodiversity.2) The agrobiodiversity assessment in demonstration sites was conducted at both

landscape and household levels. Major research findings, including methodologies, were published in two special issues of Acta Botanica Yunnanica on agrobiodiversity assessment and conservation.

3) The traditional extension by outside technicians has been replaced by expert farmers' demonstration of local innovations. By 2001, a total of 27 expert farmers with their best practices in three villages are recognized by scientists and other farmers. From 1998 to 2001, 10 expert farmers demonstrated their successful management practices to over 1000 farmers in Baihualing village alone.

4) Scientists and technicians have gradually reduced their roles in experimental and demonstration activities from being organizers to being facilitators. On the other hand, farmers, especially the Gaoligongshan Farmers' Association for Biodiversity Conservation, have taken an increasing role in promoting conservation farming and forest management. The Association has 115 members, and its activities were reported in many medias such as China Central TV and Japan NHK. Members of the Association said that they had a sense of recognition and felt more responsible for developing and promoting conservation farming practices.

5) Junior researchers and students have become the key research force of the Cluster. Six PLEC postgraduates published 8 academic papers. They are fully trained to carry on the PLEC-type research in future.

Table 1. Number of Persons Involved in PLEC China by Year and CategoryCategory 1998 1999 2000 2001

XB GLG XB GLG XB GLG XB GLGResearcher 9 8 7 7 6 3 6 4Local Researcher 5 13 5 13 6 9 6 7Students 1 1 1 2 2 3 3Expert Farmers 17 9 17 9 17 10 17 10Exp. Farmers 192 175 192 175 192 175 192Ext. Farmers na 178 na 270 na 325 na 310

From 1998-2001, China cluster has organized following (detailed see table 2): (1) Four annual cluster meetings participated by 221 person, 57 of which are

non-PLEC members and officials, 28 of them are international scholars; 4 cluster working group meetings with 32 person participants, and other 6 meetings with 66 participants.

(2) Nine Young Researchers Training Workshops, one English Training Course, totally 199 person participated these training workshops, 70 person of which are non-PLEC participants and 18 are female.

(3) 6 MSc. graduate students have been trained. They have published 8 articles in Chinese Journals from 1998-2001.

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(4) Two regional groups (Gaoligong Mts. and Xishuangbanna) have organized 15 farmers training workshops. Totally, 587 persons attended, 142 of which are female and 225 are non-PLEC farmers.

(5) Four on-farm workshops for Expert farmer and Non-Expert Farmers have been organized, totally 65 household times attended, in which 21 households are non-PLEC funded farmers. 110 farmer times on-farm exchange have been organized.

(6) Registered Gaoligong Mts. Farmers Association for Biodiversity Conservation has absorbed 115 members who are conservationist development farmers. An exhibition room with a small library, history, charts, and activities of the association are placed in the association room.

Table 2. Annual Meetings, Workshops, Training Workshops and Field Days etc. of PLEC ChinaCategories 1998 1999 2000 2001

Annual Cluster Meetings, Working Group

Meetings and National Meetings74 44 36 69

# of non-PLEC part. 20 28

Other Meetings including sub-cluster

meetings, Advisory Group Meetings and

International Workshops

16 10+? 40

# of non-PLEC part. ? 30

Training Workshops for Young Researchers

and Local Officials)49 22 118 10

# of non-PLEC part. 69 2

Farmers Training Workshops 103 125 187 143

# of non-PLEC part. 56 59 93

Students, including MSc. and Undergraduates 2 4 5+1 6+2

Demo Expert Farmers* 26 26 27 27

Experimental Farmers 192 367 367 367

Collaborating farmers178+781+

?

270+781+

?

325+781+

?

310+781+

?

Total Number of Participating China

Cluster Activities (person times)1,421 1,649 1,887 1,715

# of non-PLEC part. 1,005 1,107 1,465 1,216

II. DESCRIPTION OF DEMONSTRATION SITES

Yunnan is one of the richest areas both in natural and agro-biodiversity from ecosystem, species and genetic levels, and linked with its cultural diversity for China and Eastern Himalayas. Totally, there are 1,500 species of ferns (accounts for 58% of China), 18,000 species of seed plants (accounts for 50% of China), 760 species of birds (accounts for 66% of China), 248 species of mammals (accounts for 56% of China). Yunnan is also part of the origin area of many world important cultivated plants, such as

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rice, tea, mango, and animals including chicken and their wild relatives. These are preserved in conjunction with traditional culture of ethnic minorities.

But, there are many species threatened, for instance, 500 endangered plant species, and 199 species of endangered animals (accounts for 59.4% of China) in Yunnan, some of these are endemics of Yunnan. To protect these important species and ecosystems, totally 120 nature reserves with total area of 2,549 km2 (accounts for 6.5% of Yunnan’s territory) were established until 2001, and 10 of them are state nature reserves. Xishuangbanna State Nature Reserve and Gaoligong Mts. State Nature Researve are two of the first five state nature reserves in Yunnan, where 4 China PLEC demonstration sites are located.

Baihualing and Shabadi are located in the eastern and western slope of GLG SNR, Daka(Hani) and Baka(Jinuo) located nearby Menglun Reserve of XB SNR(see Fig 1, Table 3).

Figure 1. Location of Demonstration Sites of PLEC China

XishuangbannaXishuangbanna is a critical transformation region from Eastern Himalay to Mainland

Southeast Asia, from the sub-tropics to the tropics by means of flora, fauna and vegetation.

Within the total land area of 19,700 sq km, farming land occupied 11%, 7% of plantation, 66% of forestry land. It has a total population of 993.3 thousands, with population density of 50 persons/ sq km, 35% of them are Dai, 8% of them are Hani, 30% of them are Han (immigrants from interior for rubber plantation since 1960s) in 2000.

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Xishuangbanna preserve the largest China’s tropical rainforest with 8 types, 12 sub-types and 38 communities of vegetations. 5,000 species of higher plants (accounts for 34.8% of Yunnan, 14.9% of China) with 4 endemic genera and 153 endemic species, 56 species endangered plant species. 102 mammals, 427 birds, 1437 insect species have been recorded in the region, many of them are endemics.

Table 3. Brief Information of Demonstration Sites of PLEC China (1995/2001)category Region Xishuangbanna Gaoligong Mts.Demonstration Sties Baka Daka Hanlong Shabadi

1995 2001 1995 2001 1995 2001 1995 2001

1. Social SettingPopulation 258 269 304 332 196 208 59 75

# of Households 56 68 53 65 45 48 14 17

Ethnic Group Jinuo Akha Lisu, Han Lisu, Han Lisu Lisu

2. Elevation 600-1000 720 1200-1600 1200-1600 1800-2000 1800-2000

3. Land UseSwidden Field 2064 700 850 440 / /

Upland* 720 450 179 180 150 150

Paddy 104 80 220 295 255 225 55 85

Community Forest 500 1,000 500 1050 1500 300 300

Plantation.1: Rubber 413 633 1416 3900 / /

Plantation. 2: Tea 7 7 38 35 4 4

Plantation .3 : Fruit 37 770 14 40 15 25

Plantation .4 : fuel wood 20 116 150 40 400 *** 30

4. Cash Crops

Cardamom 276 403 142 180 100 150

Sugarcane 130 250 /

Tobacco / / / 50 150

Richest biological resources, largest China’s tropical rainforest, and characteristic ethnic culture, characteristic agroecosystems such as shifting cultivation, Dai’s Homegarden, Casia siamea fire wood system, sacred forest etc. attracted wide attention from China and overseas. But these are in the process of decreasing, losing, destroying under the population growth, policy changes, market driven economy during the past 50 years. At the same time, the local people already developed some successful technical and institutional measures to cope with the changes.

A. Daka1. Area and population: Area of Daka is 10910 mu, consist of community forest, rubber

and fallow in turn. Its most recent census recorded 332 people in 65 families in the village. There are 164 males and 168 females, and Hani people occupy 98% and Han occupy 2%.

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2. Physical characteristics: The average temperature is 21.5C, the annual rainfall is 1,563mm/y, and annual mean relative humidity is 83%. The soil is lateritic red earth. The original vegetation is tropical seasonal rainforest. The altitude is from 540 to 980 meters.

3. System of land use and production: Community forest is owned by community and used for building wood and fuelwood collection, and is managed by a committee. Household-owned hilly land used for fuelwood and cash crop plantation. Foodstuff depends on paddy field and upland cultivation. Rubber and Chinese Cardamom play important roles in cash income.

4. Population characteristics: Young generation only have two children based on national policy. On the other hand, old generation usually have four to six children. Cash income mainly depends on cash crop, such as rubber, Chinese Cardamom and Passiflora, and usually changes with market price. Hani nationality can marry with other nationality.

5. Resource degradation, outmigration, and other constraints: There is enough land for fallow and have enough time for plant restoration, so land degradation is not serious in the village. There are a lot of young people going out for work, most of whom are labors without high education. There are several factors that limit sustainable development, e.g. market price change affect crop cultivation and bad traffic.

B. Baka1. Area and population: Area of Baka is 2600 mu, consist of fallow and cash crop

plantation. Its most recent census recorded 269 people in 68 families in the village. There are 144 male and 125 female and of which Jinuo people occupy 98.8%, Han occupy 0.7% and Hani occupy 0.3%.

2. Physical characteristics: The average air temperature is 21.5C, the annual rainfall is 1556.3mm/y, and annual mean relative humidity is 82 %. The original vegetation is tropical seasonal rainforest. There are 186.4 foggy day per year.

3. System of land use and production: Land use mainly are fallow and cash crop plantation, and lack forest as state nature reserve takes great deal of fallow land of the village. Foodstuff depend on fallow and paddy field. Main crops include upland rice, corn and paddy rice. Cash crops include rubber, passiflora and Chinese Cardamom.

4. Population characteristics: Population increase slowly, and family structure is simple. Non-agricultural income takes great ratio of cash income, such as sell wild butterfly from nature reserve. Jinuo nationality only can marry with other clan.

5. Resource degradation, outmigration, and other constraints: The fallow land area decreased from 24 mu to 8 mu per person in 1983. The cultivation period is extended and fallow period is shortened, and therefore, plant and soil are lacking an enough restoration period and are degraded seriously. Complex land ownership and lack of land had bad effect on sustainable development of the village.

Gaoligong Mts.Gaoligong Mts. is an bi-national Mts. between China and Myanmar, in China side, it

has total land area of 23,988 sq km, 63.56% of which are forest, 11.98% are farming land. Recent study reveals that Gaoligong Mts. is another biodiversity richest region in Yunnan and China, with total seed plants of 5000 species (Li Heng et al, 2000). Three state, provincial nature reserves have been established with total reserve land area of 505,626 ha, accounting for 21.52% of the territory until 2000. Gaoligong Mts. State

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Nature Reserve is one of the first five State Nature Reserves in Yunnan.Because of its south-north oriented mountains and rivers, and as the linkage among

three ancient continents in the geological history, as well as its vertical climate, GLG harbors 44 communities of 12 sub-types and 7 types vegetation from tropical to alpino ecosystems, especially those 1,759 endemic plant species (44.05% of the flora) in Gaoligong Mts. attracted world wide attention of botanist.

During the past 40 years, diverse ecosystems and species are threatened by local demands of fire wood for home consumption and industrial crops such as tobacco, sugarcane, tea etc. many endemic species live below 2,000 m a.s.l, and are threatened by agricultural expansion. On the other side, the local people have developed many successful agroecosystems such as Alnus nepalensis based agroforestry system, Oak tree based fire wood systems, artificial afforestation of rare timber of Phoebe sp., etc., which provide some important experience and techniques for sustainable development. C Baihualing

1. Area and population: area：1,810 ha.（27,150 mu）；population：2,180 2. Physical characteristics: Main vegetations are dry and hot volley shrub, subtropical

evergreen broad leave forest etc.. Its subtropical monsoon climate can be divided into distinct dry season and wet season. Rain season is between May to October; The village lies between 850 meters to 2,000 m. a.s.l., and the upper part borders the State Nature Reserve of the Gaoligongshan Mountains. The main soil is brick red soil.

3. System of land use and production: Main land-use types are upland, paddy and forest and home garden. Forest lies between 1,400-2,000 m a.s.l. and borders nature reserve which lies above 2,000 m. Community forests are commonly divided into collective forest, responsibility forest and private forest with divers classification among different nature villages; All of farming lands were allocated to and managed by individual household. Main crops of Baihualing village are paddy rice, maize, sugar cane, coffee, walnut, chestnut, pea and potato.

4. Population characteristics: Main sources of income are sugarcane, livestock, labor output, cash crops; annual cash income is low. The age and sex of population are moderate. But education level is widely low, only 3% farmers graduated from high school. Han is majority, the others are Lishu (16.83%), Bai (16%), and Yi, Hui, Zhuang, Dai etc.

5. Resource degradation, outmigration, and other constraints: Soil fertility of upland is letdown because of monocropping of maize and sugar cane while paddy field become hardening because of too much use of chemicals; A lot of young generation went out for jobber in winter. Minor forest products collection is popular in the village. Farmers do not have enough money to extend cultivation and to find a new way for development.

D. SHABADI1. Area and population: 11,273mu；655 households, with 3,018 2. Physical characteristics, including soils and land cover: Main vegetations are monsoon

evergreen broad-leaf forest and humid evergreen broad leaf forest. It is subtropical monsoon area with distinct dry season and wet season with average annual rainfall of

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1400 mm. Rainy season is from May to October; The village lies between 1,385 - 2446 m. a.s.l.. The village lies in the western slope and bordering GLG Mts. State Nature Reserve. The main soil is brick red soil. Much forest already been replaced by artificial timber and economic forests.

3. System of land use and production: Main land-use types are paddy (4,105 mu, more than Bauhualing), forest, upland (397 mu, relative less), and home garden. Main crops are paddy rice, tobacco, rape, wheat, soybean etc.

4. Population characteristics, including main sources of income, livelihood options, age and sex considerations, ethnicity: Population density is quite high, main cash income are from tobacco, rape, husbandry, forest products. Han and Lisu are the main ethnic groups.

5. Resource degradation, outmigration, and other constraints: great demand of fire wood lead to destruction of community forest, and monoculture of afforestation has been developed.

III. PLEC ACTIVITIES AT THE SITES, AND EVALUATION OF THE OUTCOMES

China cluster has implemented 55 activities under the 8 PLEC activity categories from 1998-2001: (1) Demonstration sites: 3; (2) Biodiversity Assessment: 7, plus 10 specific research; (3) Socio-economic Survey: 4; (4) Experimentation / demonstration: 5, plus 10 specific activities; (5) Data analysis and reporting: 5; (6) Capacity building: 5; (7) Networking and dissemination: 2; (8) Coordination and Planning: 6. (Detailed see attachment 1). Based on these activities, a series articles have been published.

These activities were identified according to the PLEC Project Document, Annual Contract with UNU, and proposals from Cluster members each year. Those activities are classified into three types: (1) Regional (Xishuangbanna and Gaoligong Mts. Region); (2) Cross-region (one group working in both region); (3) Cluster office organized and participated by all regions.

1. Principles and MethodsDemonstration is the heart of PLEC. Conservation of biodiversity with high income is

the basic indicator for selection of demonstration farmers (expert farmers). Identification of expert farmer requires both scientific survey and farmer’s recommendation. Household based agrobiodiversity assessment (HH/ABA) developed in 1999 provides basic need and important opportunity for expert farmer selection. Some successful practice could be found in the 4 PLEC demo sites, and some could be found from other non-PLEC demo sites, which also important for the farmers in the PLEC demo sites to learn from non-PLEC communities for their conservationist development (see Fig.2).

Figure 2. Process of HH/ABA & Expert Farmer SelectionAssessment and Selection Assessment and Selection

of Expert Farmers in Demo Sites of Expert Farmers out Demo Sites

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Household Base Agro- Farmers Recommendation biodiversity Assessment (HH/ABA)

Experimentation of outside Expert Farmer Tech in PLEC Demo Sites

Expert Farmers: Summarizing Technology and Experiences

Modification and Demonstration Design

Demonstration of Expert Farmers, Experimentation of Successful Technology at System and Species Level

M/E of In site Expert Farmers M/E of Exp. Demonstration

Farmer – Farmer on-Farm Exchange, Training & ExtensionImpact Assessment and Policy recommendation

Not all of the practices could be extended, some of them need to be modified then demonstrated and extended.

The above process helped researchers found some farmers innovatively developed some specific technologies, or managed specific species, or successful agroecosystems, or domesticated wild species etc. and also earned high income. These expert farmers already became or are becoming the leaders of community development and agrobiodiversity conservation. Not only can be found the expert farmer in the PLEC demo sites, but also many expert farmers can be found in other non-PLEC sites. Those are some times more direct resources for conservationist development.

Farmer’s Association has played an important role in facilitating experimentation and demonstration of outside expert farmer as well as expert farmer selection, training, on-farm exchange, extension and implementation of those experimentation and demonstration activities. China cluster used both outside (mainly before 1999) and inside (mainly since 1999) expert farmer approaches. HH/ABA also become a very useful tool for monitoring and evaluation every year.

Totally 17 activities have been implemented which are directly implemented by farmers, funded by PLEC funds, under the facility of researchers, organized by farmers

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association from 1998-2001. Those are categorized and described in the following sessions.

2. (PLEC Sites) Expert Farmer Demonstration

Li Dayi, famous in Baihualing and GLG because of his specific expertise in breeding, plantation of Phoebe puwenensis, a rare timber tree species, is the first identified expert farmer through ABA, and is the first PLEC-supported demonstration expert farmer since 1995. The project supported breeding, plantation and extension of Phoebe puwennensis from 1998-2001. Li Dayi has extended his technology to 95 farmers in Baihualing Village.

Based on HH/ABA, and under the support from PLEC and organization of Farmer’s Association in Baihualing, 10 expert farmers were selected for 8 activities demonstration including fruit tree grafting, Ammommum cultivation, breeding of walnut, agroforestry systems, homegarden, management of timber forest etc. Cooperating farmers increased from 178 households in 1988 to 270 households in 1999, 325 in 2000, 310 in 2001.

3. Experimental Demonstration and Income Earning ActivitiesTotally, 10 activities have been assigned for experimental demonstration activities

directly participated by 367 household supported by PLEC, 781 household have been extended by the experimental demo farmers. The following categories are included:

(1) Outside Expertise Experimental Demonstration: 4 activities, participated by 180 household, extended to 301 household. The activities include:

Agroforestation alternating swidden cultivation in Baka (XB) and alternating degraded land in Shabadi (GLG);

Homegarden Improvement and Agrobiodiversity Conservation in Daka (XB) & Shabadi (GLG);

Casia siamea Fire Wood Afforestation in Baka (XB) and Indigenous Oak Tree Fire Wood Afforestation in Shabadi (GLG);

Community Forest Conservation and Community Toursim in Baihualing (GLG)Jinuo people in Baka has already learned Casia siamea fire wood afforestation since

1970s. Hani people in Daka and Jinuo people in Baka started learning Dai’s homegarden systems and combining their own knowledge of plant utilization since they settled in the current location in 1960s. PLEC China is facilitating their process of transferring these technologies and expanding the extension.

In Xishuangbanna, 17 expert farmers have extended agroforestry, homegarden and fire wood systems to 96 households from 1998-2001, which accounts for 71.43% of total number of households of the two demo sites. In Gaoligong Mts., 133 households directly participated in these activities, and extended to 301 household from 1998-2001. Community forest conservation and community tourism participated by 48 households and extended to 480 households in Baihualing has become one of the successful approach of sustainable and environment-friendly community development, while recognized by the government and applied by many other projects.

(2) Introduced Technology Experimentation and Extension: 4 activities, participated by 187 households, extended to 480 household from 1998-2001. These include:

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Butterfly farming in Baka (XB): 2 experimenta demo farmer, 20 attracted; Rare Timber Tree Plantation in Daka and Baka (XB): 60 hh participated; Fire wood saving Stove in Baka (XB): 15 households participated; Endemic Plant Garden of GLG Mts.(GLG)These activities were based on the problems encountered by the community and

identified by the researchers, and then introduce some appropriate technologies to solve these problems. For instance, butterfly has been one of the large amount products purchased by tourists and also one of the main cash income of the local people in Xishuangbanna. Population of many rare wild butterflies are decreasing, some of them are distinct. The project introduced technology from the Nature Reserve Research Institute and experiment it in two farmers, successful butterfly farming already attracted 20 framers to be extended.

(3) Infrastructure Projects: Irrigation Channel Construction in Baka; Transportation Road Construction in Daka (XB)These two projects are supplementary infrastructure support of PLEC

conservationist and expert farmer based development mostly supported by the local government.

4. Farmer’s Association Oriented Community Capacity BuildingGaoligong Mts. Farmer Association on Biodiversity Conservation, as China’s first

Farmer’s Environment Protection Association, attracted wide attention of news media and became the main organizer of demonstration sites.

Gaoligong Mts. Farmers Association on Biodiversity Conservation was established and registered in 1995. It was promptly reported by various news media in the same year, and became one of the “hot topics” in the year. Since 1998, the association summarized its experienced in the period of 1995-1997, and improved its regulations and roles, and it gradually became the main organizer of all experimentation, demonstration activities, expert farmer demonstration activities, and farmers training activities. Up to February 2002, 115 households became the members of the association, the members are selected and assessed in advance, only those farmers has successfully conserving biodiversity and economic development can become the member.

Successful experience of the association not only attracted attention from media and the public, but also recognized as one of the most successful approaches of coordinating the relationships between nature reserve and its surrounding communities by the government agencies, this experience has been extended to many other areas with nature reserves in the whole province of Yunnan. There are 50 similar associations have been established in Yunnan.

5. Impacts of PLEC Training Activities on the Local CommunitiesBeside the GLG Farmers’ Association as mentioned above, the impacts of PLEC on

demonstration and local communities can be also realized from: (1) the growth of local farmers participating PLEC training workshops: (2) technician oriented training transferred into farmer led training; (3) formal training workshop changed into informal

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on-farm exchange; (4) management of demonstration activities by farmers association and expert farmers; and (5) improvement of interrelationships between nature reserve and Communities etc.

The most important of the impacts are changes of altitude from large scale extension to small farmer based demonstration and extension, coordinative development with biodiversity conservation, as well as farmer oriented training.

(1) 15 farmers trainings participated by 587 household from 1998-2001 (see table 4), not only involved PLEC supported farmers, but also 208 household joined the training activities. Through these activities, the local people understood that expert farmer demonstration and biodiversity conservation.

On the other side, they found that there are some farmers already developed conservationist and sustainable agroecosystem by the farmers themselves (expert farmers) both in the demo site and other places, instead of government extension agencies.

There are five types of farmers’ capacity building adopted by China Cluster: (1) practical knowledge and technology training course by researchers and technicians; (2) Expert Farmer-Non-expert farmer Training; (3) On-farm workshop; (4) Cross-visit / on-farm exchange; (5) Responsibility of PLEC Contracted Demonstration expert farmer with number of other Farmers.

Two great changes of capacity building approaches have been taken places in China Cluster. The first is teachers of the training workshop from researchers and technicians changed to expert farmers; the second is organizer of the training workshop from Project member to Farmers association. These changes also improved passive conservation to aggressive conservation.

(2) Another important change is from formal training into informal on-farm training. From 1998 to 2001, 4 on-farm Demosntration workshops were held in demo sites, and totally 65 expert farmers and 21 non-expert farmers attended. 110 on-farm exchanges were organized (see table 4). These informal training activities organized by farmers association raised great respects of farmers knowledge by other people and the public. They realized that successful experience and technology is around themselves. On the other side, these successful expert farmers provide approaches environmental friendly economic development approaches. These reorganizations lead to large number’s participation in PLEC demonstration and training activities from 1998-2001, and also lead to sustainable development of the whole community.

Table 4. Training Course / Workshops held for Farmers, China Cluster of PLEC

Title Organizer Date Place # of Part.# of

Femal

# of PLEC

Demo Farmers

# of Non –

PLEC Farmers

1 Agrobiodiversity Conservation XB 24/12/1998 XTBG 103 27 32 71

2 Ethnic Favorite Timber Plantation GLG18/06/1999 XTBG 60 10 10 50

3Nature Conservation and Fruit Tree

GraftingGLG

19-20/12/

1999BHL 65 12 9 56

4 On-Farm Training of Homegarden XB 28/10/2000 Daka 24 22 12 12

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Mgt.

5 Cross Exchange Between Demo Sites XB 31/12/2000 XTBG 47 42 32 10

6Agrobiodiversity Conservation and

Practical Techniques XB 8/12/2000

Daka /

Baka36 10 32 4

7 Demo Farmers Exch. Workshop GLG 20/04/2000 BHL 15 1 10 3

8 Workshop on Demo Activity GLG 15/06/2000 BHL 15 1 10 3

9On-farm Exchange between Expert

Farmer and N-Expert FarmerGLG All Year BHL 50 5 10 41

10 Practical Techniques & Fruit Tree Mgt. GLG 29/12/2000 BHL 30 0 10 20

11 Tropical Fruit Plantation and Mgt. XB 22/06/2001 Daka 10 10 10 0

12Reporting and Exchange of Expert

Farmers GLG 22/02/2001 BHL 18 1 10 8

13Rewarding and Exchange of Expert

FarmersGLG 20/06/2001 BHL 17 1 10 7

14On-farm Exchange between Expert

Farmer and N-Expert FarmerGLG All year BHL 60 8 10 50

15Biodiversity Conservation and

Practical TechniquesGLG 24/12/2001 BHL 38 2 10 28

Total 1998-2001 587 142 217 225

Those capacity building activities changed into community oriented since 1998. The

local people and the community are seeking approaches to secure fund for sustainable maintenance and to continue the activities. For instance, GLG Farmers association has obtained 12 thousand RMB donation from private, membership fees, and responsibility regulations of supported expert farmer to train other farmers etc. to sustain the activities.

6. Impacts of PLEC demonstration on Agroecosystems

(1) Conservation of Native AgrobiodiversitySome of the small farmers have already developed some successful knowledge and

technology of agroecosystem, species as well as varieties of some species. Therefore, selection of expert farmer for demonstration is based on agro-biodiversity conservation and economic development. For example, Agroforestry systems alternating swidden cultivation developed by Jinuo People in Baka harbors 289 species, with 108 preserved species, 50 cultivated and semi-domesticated native species, 6 endangered species, 3 endemic species, 12 cultural species (Zen Yiqun et al, 2001). Hani people in Daka managed 124 species in their homegarden system for medicine, vegatable and etc. 37 species of them are semi-domesticated from wild (Cui Jingyun et al, 2000). About 34 - 85 species have been recorded in the homegarden of Lisu people in Hanlong, Baihualing, according to HH/ABA in 10 households, 12 species are managed wild species, and some important semi-domesticated species such as Phoebe puwenensis, a rare timber tree, Toona sinensis, a rare timber and tree vegetable, Trachycarpus fortunei, a weaving

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material and edible flower plant, Crataeva unilocularis, as well as some native bamboo species (Dao Zhiling et al, 2000).

Those farmers with high agro-biodiverisity and income were selected as expert farmers for demonstration based on HH/ABA. Rewarding and supporting those conservationist expert farmers encouraged native agroecosystems conservation, as well as conservation of some important native endemic, endangered, and semi-domesticated species. Since many of the species are subsistence consumption of the local people during their long history encouraged conservation of native agro-biodiversity, increasing market of tourist and urban consumption this conservationist development.

(2) Income Increase and Crop diversification:From the general information collected from 1998-2001, number of crops and

species of the agroecosystems of the demo farmers and the village were gradually increasing in three demonstration sites. Monoculture of cultivation is changing into agroforestry systems with more crops and species. Natural and market crisis is going to be decreased. For instance, cash crops have been diversified and expanded which will provide an important basis for the farmer future income sources in Baihualing (see table 5). The income structure of the demo farmers like Yang Zhixue, Wu Chaoming in Baihualing Village has been diversified under the PLEC supported and encouragement from 1997-2000.

Table 5. Area and production of main tree cash crops in 1997 and 2000 in the Baihualing villageUnits: Area: mu (1/15 ha.), Yields: kg.

Crops Walnut Chestnut Coffee Longan Persimmon Orange

Area (mu)1997 35 50 82 10 4 43

2000 150 130 1272 480 4 42

Yields (kg)1997 500 600 1200 1 80 172

2000 3200 4400 18500 120 93 970

Source: Dao Zhiling et al, 2002， PLEC/China Report No.4. (Note: data are from the village statistics; most of cash crops are still young seedlings. PLEC data suggest that the village statistics underestimate the area now under tree crops, which now totals more than 5,000 mu).

GAOLIGONG MTS.1. Baihualing

1) Growth of a population of collaborating farmers: Nine expert farmers were selected as demonstration households in 1998. Nine expert farmers were divided into two generalist farmers and seven specialist farmers in 1999. One specialist expert farmer was added in 2000 to 2001, total expert farmers are ten 。 100 farmers(households) took part in PLEC activities every year during project implementation in Baihualing village, such as training workshops.

2) Selection of expert farmers, and the development of farmer-to-farmer training: Farmers with innovative ideas for agrobiodiversity utilization, development and

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conservation and special techniques on land management and cultivation were selected as expert farmers for demonstration; Farmer-to-farmer training is occasionally happened in the field while the Farmers’ Association for biodiversity conservation organized one or two field workshops for farmer-to-farmer training and exchange every year.

3) The main fields and methods in which farmer-to-farmer training has been effective: Farmer-to-farmer training include grafting, seedling breeding, tree crops cultivation, agroforestry systems management which related to rural development and biodiversity conservation. Field workshop(expert farmers show their techniques and experiences in the field) is one of best methods for farmer-to-farmer training.

4) Success and otherwise in developing farmer associations, and in using these associations as a vehicle for encouragement of conservationist management: Gaoligongshan Farmers’ Association for Biodiversity Conservation was established in Baihualing village in 1995.There are four main roles of this Association: a). To coordinate biodiversity conservation and rural sustainable development; b). To provides a bridge between government departments (State Nature Reserve) and communities, and between projects and farmers; c). To organize training courses for practical techniques of agriculture and biodiversity conservation; d). One of new roles of the Association has been to identify expert farmers in agrobiodiversity management and take an important part in the organization of PLEC demonstration activities. Up to now, there are 115 memberships, and ten of them are women.

5) The nature of interventions introduced by PLEC: The principles of PLEC-China demonstration projects were: a).based on HH-ABA research results; b). household-based demonstration; c). organized by Farmers’ Association for Biodiversity Conservation; d). supported by government; e).core issue-Agrobiodiversity conservation in situ. Farmers with innovative ideas and special techniques for biodiversity management and conservation are selected as expert farmers for demonstration. Expert farmers bring along other farmers to develop diverse cultivation, such as to develop agroforestry systems both in uplands and paddy fields. By training workshops and farmer-to-farmer training, more and more farmers join PLEC activities. Expert farmers are encouraged to transfer their knowledge and experiences to other farmers. By monitoring and evaluation of demonstration results and impact, expert farmer get reward from PLEC.

6) Ways in which farmers have adapted PLEC activities and their own ideas : In beginning, farmers think that PLEC will give money for them to increase their cash income and develop large scale of plantation. By explaining, training and expert farmers selection, more and more farmers understand that PLEC will select innovative farmers (expert farmers) to transfer their knowledge and experiences for agrobiodiversity conservation and development, evoke them to develop divers, productive and sustainable agricultural systems. They not only manage biodiversity conservation in situ well, but also get a lot of benefits from their diversified farming systems. As expert farmers of Baihualing said when we visited demonstration, there are many advantages with the framing systems of perennial/annual crop diversity. They reduce

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production risk and market risk compared with monoculture. And few people must lead the development of diversity, and other conservative people would then see benefits of new ways of farming and follow.

7) The value of PLEC activity to the farmers and their families: PLEC ideas and demonstration projects help local farmers to develop indigenous technologies for biodiversity conservation in situ. The local farmers cultivated a lot of native tree crops such as walnut, chestnut and Phoebe puwenensis( a timber tree)in their upland, and introduce some high economic value crops （ Amomum kravanh ） into agroforestry systems. Soci-economic assessment shows that cash income of most households are increased in recent years. One of important reasons is PLEC demonstration projects. Following table shows the cash income change of expert farmers between 1999 to 2001. Cash income of eight expert farmers(80%) are increased.

Table 6. Cash income change of ten expert farmers between 1999 to 2001

Expert Farmer(household)Annual Cash Income(Y)

1999 2001

Wu Chaoming 26840.00 32060.00

Yang Zhixue 12990.00 14170.00

Gao Denglin 5600.00 6600.00

Yang Xiubo 29900.00 20100.00

Chen Shihou 10090.00 11730.00

Mi Yunheng 17000.00 7300.00

Yang Chengwu 12000.00 14000.00

Zhen Jiafan 6535.00 14300.00

Li Jiahu 15600.00 27000.00

Li Dayi 12250.00 13450.00

XISHUANGBANNA 2. DAKA

1) Growth of a population of collaborating farmers: Before 1998 farmers express their collaborating willing when we undertaken landscape level agrobiodiversity assessment. At the same time, there are some expert farmers who manage natural resource much better than other farmers. In 1998 9 collaborating farmers were selected and determined. Up to 2001, there are 12 collaborating farmers.

2) Selection of expert farmers, and the development of farmer-to-farmer training: 8 expert farmers were selected through direct observation, farmer recommended and of HH/ABA quadrat investigation on homegarden, rubber plantation, upland, fuel wood plantation, and fallow field management. Farmer-to-farmer training on experiences and technique management of homegarden through expert farmers to other farmers in October, 2000.

3) The main fields and methods in which farmer-to-farmer training has been effective: Expert farmers introduce their experience and management of homegarden on the spot.

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4) Success and otherwise in developing farmer associations, and in using these associations as a vehicle for encouragement of conservationist management: Although hard work had been done, farmer association is failed to develop in Xishuangbanna for some reasons.

5) The nature of interventions introduced by PLEC: Homegarden economic improvement was undertaken as there are many homegarden with low cash income or few biodiversity. Get rid of some species and varieties of cash crop with bad quality or low cash income from homegarden. At the same time, introduce some species and varieties of high quality or high cash income from wild and other villages. In addition, as community forest lack of construction timber, valuable timber species are encouraged to be planted in the village.

6) Ways in which farmers have adapted PLEC activities and their own ideas At the beginning, farmers thought the PLEC project a helping-poor-up project, and were passive. Now, farmers accept the PLEC methods, and are voluntary. Especially, farmer to farmer training of homegarden improvement is warmly welcome by the farmers as they think it is more easy to understand and acceptable.

7) The value of PLEC activity to the farmers and their families: Farmers changed their viewpoint. PLEC activity offered farmers chances of inter-communication and inter-study. Farmers widen their horizon, and accept others’ experience and technique. Average cash income per person from 786 to 1193 yuan from 1998 to 2001. Cash income from cash crops per family from 3114 to 5681 yuan from 1998 to 2001.

3. BAKA1) Growth of a population of collaborating farmers: Before 1998 farmers express

their collaborating willing when we undertaken landscape level agrobiodiversity assessment. At the same time, there are some expert farmers who manage natural resource much better than other farmers. In1998 selected and determined 9 collaborating farmers. Up to 2001, there are 33 collaborating farmers, including 16 on slash-and-burn agriculture alternative with agroforestrty, 15 on fuelwood plantation, and 2 on butterfly breeding.

2) Selection of expert farmers, and the development of farmer-to-farmer training: As lack of land, agroforestry practice is popular in the village. 5 expert farmers were selected through Household-based agrobiodiversity assessment (HH/ABA) on agroforestry system management. Through farmer-to-farmer training, expert farmers introduce their experience and technique to other farmers.

3) The main fields and methods in which farmer-to-farmer training has been effective: the management of agroforestry system is the main fields. Zhangshan is expert farmer of rubber plant system management. Licongbao is expert farmer of fruit tree system management. Alao is expert farmer of passionflower system management.

4) Success and otherwise in developing farmer associations, and in using these associations as a vehicle for encouragement of conservationist management: Although hard work had been done, farmer association is failed to develop in Xishuangbanna for some reasons.

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5) The nature of interventions introduced by PLEC: The first, Lack of enough land for fallow, farmers have to adopt land management and develop agroforestry systems. Agroforestry system is very popular in the village, but technology and yield is different among farmers. At the same time, some expert farmers manage well and earn more cash income than other farmers. So they have been selected to demonstrate their experience to others. The second, as deforestation, it is more and more difficult to find fuelwood. Farmers realize that fuelwood plantation advantage so they proposed to plant fuel wood. The third, hunt wild butterfly is popular in the village in the past. As national policy forbid, they have to give up hunting and lose cash income. At the same time, butterfly breeding is easy to be accepted by farmers as technology and practice is very simple. So two farmers were selected to practice butterfly breeding in the village.

6) Ways in which farmers have adapted PLEC activities and their own ideas: At the beginning, farmers thought the PLEC is a poverty alleviation project, and were passive. Now, farmers accept the PLEC methods, and are voluntary. Especially, farmer to farmer training of agroforestry systems is warmly welcome by the farmers as they think it is more easy to understand and acceptable.

7) The value of PLEC activity to the farmers and their families: Farmers changed their viewpoint. PLEC activity offered farmers chances of intercommunication and inter-study. Farmers widen their horizon, and accept others’ experience and technique of. For example, farmers develop agrobiodiversity as they introduce more species in agroforesty system to get more cash income. Butterfly breeding helps to earn 8,315 yuan cash income from 1998 to 2001 and protect wild butterfly resource. 20 farmers begin to learn butterfly breeding experience. Cash income from cash crops per family increased from 3,794 to 6,294 yuan from 1998 to 2000.

IV. Data Analysis 1:

The effect of PLEC-sponsored management on biodiversity

GAOLIGONG MTS.1. Agroforestry Systems：Agroforestry management is one of main demonstration

activities of PLEC expert farmers. Based on HH-ABA research of agroforestry system of Hanlong village, the results show that the species richness indices, agro-species richness indices, species using rate, individual using rate of agroforestry are different among different households. The individual using rate is low while the species-using rate is high in agroforestry systems. The species richness and useful species of two expert farmers (Mr. Wu and Mr. Yang) is the highest. The average species richness indices are 0.052. The highest one (Mr. Wu and Mr. Zhang) is 21% higher than the average and lowest one is 71% of the average. Average agro-species richness indices are 0.192. The highest one (Mr. Wu) is 51% higher than the average and lowest one is 51% of the average. Otherness of agro-species indices is high among the different

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agroforestry systems. The economic value of agroforestry system with high species richness indices and agro-species richness indices are higher than the agroforestry system with low richness indices（see following figure. Agroforestry systems take more and more important role in Hanlong village. On the other hand, some farmers are much more knowledgeable on wild plants than other farmers. For example, Mr. Wu Chaoming, one of expert farmers, he not only knows how to use a lot of wild plants, but also introduces some useful wild plants into his agroforestry system, such as he cultivates one of orchid medicinal plant (Dendronbium candidum) on walnut and chestnut tree stems and rocks.

Table 7. Species richness indices of different households of agroforestry systems in Hanlong

Sample ID Area（m2）

Specie

s

Individua

l

Useful

spcies

Useful

individual

s

Useful

species

rate(%

)

Useful

sindividua

l

rate（%

）

DMo D`Mo

AF1 Zhang

MS400 63 952 16 57 25.4 6.0 0.066 0.281

AF2 Peng XL 400 29 625 10 139 34.5 22.2 0.046 0.078

AF4 Peng DF 400 21 501 8 42 38.1 8.4 0.042 0.190

AF5 Xiong

WR400 50 968 17 178 34.0 18.4 0.052 0.096

AF6 Yang ZX 400 49 1322 21 186 42.9 21.6 0.037 0.113

AF7 Wu ChM 400 55 837 18 46 32.7 5.4 0.066 0.391

图 3. 不同农户混农林系统中物种丰富度指数与经济效益比较Figure 3. The comparison between cash income and species richness indices of different

household in agroforestry systems

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Comparison the relationship between biodiversity and economic value of agroforestry system also reflects difference between expert farmers and other farmers. As shown in figure, Mr. Wu and Mr. Zhang get more cash income while they keep and use more biodiversity and agrobiodiversity in their agroforestry systems.

2. The purpose of PLEC is not only to absolutely increase biodiversity in a certain land type or a certain field. The main purpose of PLEC is to demonstrate expert framers’ innovative knowledge and skill on agrobiodiversity conservation and sustainable rural development which will help increase biodiversity on all aspects of management level, landscape level, ecological level, species level, and variety (genetic) level in a certain area. In the mean while, farmers can undoubtedly get benefits from their diverse farming systems. In Gaoligongshan demonstration site, 461 farmers have been trained on grafting, pruning, pest control, tree crop cultivation and environmental protection through workshops on biodiversity conservation and practical rural skill since 1995. More and more farmers introduce tree crops into both uplands and paddy fields bringing along by expert framers. In Baihualing village, about 400 households took part in PLEC activities on cash crop breeding, cultivating, grafting and pruning between 1998 and 2001. And 2200 mu (147 ha.) farm land have been managed by agroforestry. On the other hand, more and more farmers consciously protect wild animals and plants in the nature reserve around the village. For example, Mr. Li Dayi, a Lishu people, he was a typical Lishu hunter in the past. He began to cultivated a native timber tree (Phoebe puwenensis） in 1983 after land allocation to individuals. He tested two years to get seedlings of this timber tree. He began to cultivate this tree around his house and upland sides. And then he planted this timber tree in his 30 mu (15 mu rented from other) upland from 1993 to 1995. He also planted other trees, such as Toona ciliate, Cunnighamia lanceolata. He has been selected as expert farmer since 1995. He also supplies different kinds of tree crop seedlings for other farmers and teaches them how to cultivated every year. His new seedlings are Chinese fir, walnut and Punica granatum. He bred 50,000 walnut seedlings, 5,000 Punica granatum seedlings and 5,000 chinese fir seedlings from 2000 to 2001. A hunter has gone.

XISHUANGBANNA1. Experimental Demonstration of Agroforestry Systems alternating Slash-and-

burn Cultivation: The tropical uplanders have started to alternate Slash-Burn cultivation into various agroforestry systems under the pressure of population growth and market driven economy (Zeng Yiqun et al, 2001). Under the PLEC support, rubber plantation, the priority cash crop of the local people were developed and encouraged into agroforestation on the swidden field, fruit tree, 8 other crops were added into the systems with total area of 116 mu. HH/ABA has been conducted on 24 different sample quadrates of 18 farmers, which reveals that there are 289 species that belong to 197 genus and 76 families, including 108 cultivated and reserved species that belong to 82 genus and 45 families. Noteworthiness, 12 species with culture meaning are cultivated and conserved in agroforestry systems. New species are introduced into agroforestry systems almost every year to face market needs such as pomelo, coffee, plum, orange, banana, litchi

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and etc. Vegetable is inter-planted in young rubber plantation, such as pumpkin, cucumber, and dasheen etc.

2. Experimental Demonstration of Fuelwood Plantation: Artificial fire wood of Cassia siamea developed by Dai people has been learned by other siwddeners since 1960s. The project helped this process with a total area of 50 mu fuelwood plantation. There are 106 individuals of Cassia siamea in two 400 m2 sample quadrates that mean 88 individuals per mu. The sample investigation results show that there are 48 secondary species and 30 individuals of 12 tree species around the barrier. Artificial fuelwood helps meet most consumption of the village and helps to conserve nature forest.

3.Homegarden Improvement Demonstration: Get rid of some species and varieties of cash crop with bad quality or low cash income from homegarden. At the same time, introduce some species and varieties of high quality or high cash income from wild, such as Acacia pennata willd and from other villages, such as Caria papaya Linn, etc. and from local scientific institution and government department, such as passion fruit etc. Most of all, as farmers collect seedlings from wild and grow in homegarden, it helps conserve some wild species. HH/ABA of 9 farmers shows that there are 124 valuable species in homegarden, including 47 introduced from wild.

4. Experimentation of Butterfly Farming: There are 126 butterfly species that belong to 62 genus and 7 families are found around Menlun. Of which 27 species are valuable and hunted by farmers in the village. 507 individuals of 13 plant species are introduced into butterfly breeding garden, including 120 individuals of 8 species found and introduced from local area. Farmers begin to realize the value of plant and the importance of biodiversity conservation, and butterfly farming become an important approach to release the wild population decrease.

V. DATA ANALYSIS 2: Briefly describe and present firm or conditional results on other forms of data

analysis undertaken by the Cluster

GAOLIGONGSHAN MTS. 1. Special topics research by graduate students 1) Ms Li Jianqin: Fuelwoodwood Forest at Shabadi, Tengchong County: Abstract: Fuelwoodwood wood, one kind of energy sources, plays an important role in energy consumption of rural area. Now, lacking of Fuelwoodwood wood becomes a common problem in that place because forest, the source of Fuelwoodwood, was destroyed seriously. However, the indigenous in some area have accumulated a wealth of traditional knowledge on protecting, managing and using fuelwoodwood forest. The Shabadi villagers provide a typical case for this. Under the methods guidance of Participatory Observation, Depth Interview and House-hold AgrobiodiversityAssessment(HH-ABA), this paper sum up the traditional knowledge

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and practice situation of Quercus Fuelwoodwood forest management in Shabadi; The traditional knowledge and technology of Shabadi villagers on Quercus Fuelwoodwood forest management and using should be inherited and carried on. Meanwhile, methods to accelerate growing of Quercus and economize Fuelwoodwood wood through building methane tank, improving the function of cooking stove should be developed. This method can not only protect the environment but also solve the energy crisis effectively. At the same time, it can provide a good example for the area which be puzzled by energy lacking problem.

2) Ms Li Jiqun: Socio-Economic development and Biodiversity Change in Agroecosystem: A Case from Baihualing, Baoshan, West YuannanAbstracts: Socio-economy development is one of important factors that could influence the biodiversity. The author investigated the socio-economy situation of sample households and thirty-seven sampling plots in three nature villages of Baihualing administrative village, which have different environment and situation of socio-economy development in Baoshan. The results show that: the change of population and household could influence the land management. On the other hand, the structure of income, plant change and the methods of plant management connect with the economy. In a word, we should advocate the diversity of plant.

3) The Impacts of Different Managements on Biodiversity of Community ForestAbstracts: There are several tendencies in community forest under different management by using vegetation sampling method and agro-biodiversity assessment method of PLEC BAG guidelines. The results show: (1) The forms of community forest management become more and more variable with multiple factors, such as: policy, traditional customs; (2) With the intensity of the management declining, the indexes of biodiversity are increasing in tree layer and herb layer, but that of shrub layer is decreasing. (3) The timber volume is increasing with the species decreasing, in tree layer. Get to know the regulation between community forest management and it’s biodiversity is helpful and urgent for conservation the forest and biodiversity.

2. Gaoligongshan Farmers’ Association for Biodiversity Conservation was established in Baihualing village in 1995. There are four main roles of this Association: a). To coordinate biodiversity conservation and rural sustainable development; b). To provides a bridge between government departments (State Nature Reserve) and communities, and between projects and farmers; c). To organize training courses for practical techniques of agriculture and biodiversity conservation; d). One of new roles of the Association has been to identify expert farmers in agrobiodiversity management and take an important part in the organization of PLEC demonstration activities. Up to now, there are 115 memberships, and ten of them are women. From 1998 to 2001, 461 farmers attended nine training workshops on Biodiversity conservation and practical rural technologies. 500 farmers joined more than twenty PLEC field demonstration workshops. It has been interviewed by many media, such as CCTV, China Daily, China Youth Daily, China Environmental Daily, Yunnan Daily, and so on.

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3. Expert farmer demonstration on agrobidiversity conservation in situ achieved successful results. Since 1999, PLEC household-based assessment has identified several innovative farmers and their practices in Hanlong and other communities in Baihualing. These farmers are very experienced in management of cash crops, and some of them have developed sustainable agroforestry systems, which they are encouraged by PLEC to demonstrate. In contrast to the extension approach, the modified approach emphasizes the role of innovative farmers in diffusion and improvement of technologies. Household survey and agrobiodiversity assessment showed that farmers differ in management of biodiversity for their livelihoods. Nine expert farmers were selected in 1998 and one was added in 2000 on the basis of their farming skills. Expert farmers are further divided into generalist farmers and specialist farmers. The former has multiple skills in management of soil and diverse cash crops. The latter has one or two special skills in management of soil or cash crops. Details about the ten demonstration farmers are provided in Table 8.

BOX 1. Expert Farmer Li Dayi, Taoyuan, Baihualing, GLGMr. Li Dayi is an expert in tree plantation. Phoebe puwenensis is a preferred

native timber in Baihualing. His household received two ha of upland from the community for maize in 1982. Since 1983 Mr. Li has prepared seedlings by himself and transplanted them and other timber trees into his uplands. In 1995, he rented about two ha.of land from other villagers for expansion of this native tree business. He also started to provide seedlings of Phoebe purwenensis to other farmers, and to train them in plantation techniques, with support from both PLEC and the MacArthur Foundation (Guo Huijun, Christine Padoch, Fu Yongneng, Dao Zhiling and Kevin Coffey, 2000). At present, all of his uplands are covered by timber trees and other cash crops (Ammomum vilosum etc.). He also prepares seedlings of coffee and timber trees.

Table 8. Expert farmers and their skills

Household(farmer) Demonstration types Natural Village Main skills

Wu Chaoming Generalist HanlongWalnut, chestnut, ammomum, coffee, honeysuckle plantation,

home garden, grafting

Yang Zhixue Specialist HanlongWalnut and chestnut based

agroforestry systems management

Gao Denglin Specialist Da Yutang Grafting

Yang Xiubo Generalist Da YutangUpland Management and

timber tree plantation

Chen Shihou Specialist Mang Gang Nursery and seedlings

Mi Yunheng Specialist Mang Gang Chinese fir plantation

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Yang Chengwu Specialist Gu Xinzhai Home garden

Zheng Jiafan Specialist Bai Hualing Dry fruit tree plantation

Li Jiahu Specialist Mang Gang Fruit tree plantation

Li Dayi Specialist Tao Yuan Native timber tree plantation

BOX 2. Expert Farmer Wu Chaoming, Hanlong, Baihualing, GLGMr. Wu Chaoming, is one of the best expert farmers managing his farmlands

quite diversely and well. He was also one of earliest farmers turning his annual cropping upland into a perennial biodiversity-rich system since the former community land allocated into individuals under the Household Production Contract System in l982. One of plots of his household received in 1982 is about 7.5 mu, which used to be for annual crops like maize and beans. Because this plot of land is too rocky and steep to continue annual crops, he has planted different trees, such as walnut, chestnut, Chinese fir, Zanthoxylum, flowering quince, bamboo. Some of wild species are regenerated naturally, such as Phoebe puwenensis, Pinus armandii, Lindera conmmunis etc. There are now more than 100 species in the agroforestry plot.

Mr. Wu also does a lot of experimentation in his small but diverse home garden. There are 73 species in his garden, 71% are useful species. He tried to graft many pear, persimmon, new apple varieties on local variety tree, prepare and graft seedlings of walnut and chestnut and cardamom (medicinal use) seedlings. Mr. Wu says to the young generation that when you cultivate a tree crop, planting counts for only 30 % of the efforts while management absorbs 70%. He often discusses grafting technique with some old farmers and teaches the young generation both in his house and fields. Mr Wu, who has a large family, is now one of the most prosperous farmers in Hanlong.

Usually, farmers exchange their ideas informally. It is difficult to organize a large meeting of farmers. It is more convenient for farmers to meet in the fields accidentally and exchange their ideas. Expert farmers demonstrate their skills in the fields, not in the house and are happy to share their knowledge with other farmers. For example, Mr. Yang Zhixue helps four farmers nearby his chestnut agroforestry land, and teaching them management techniques. Another example is Mr. Chen Shihou. He began cultivating a traditional rice variety of high quality instead of hybrid rice two years ago. Now, more and more farmers are following his example and cultivating this rice variety because of its high quality and high market value.

XISHUANGBANNA1. Graduate students thesis1). ZENG Yi-Qun, 2001. Causes and Dynamics of the Changing of Agroforestry Practices

25

in Baka, Xishuangbanna. Acta, Botanica Yunnanica. Suppl. ⅩⅢ (in Chinese with English abstract): Agroforestry systems play a vital role in rural development, especially in tropical upland areas. This new technique combines agriculture, forestry and husbandry, linking closely with social, environmental and economic factors. The dissertation deals with dynamics of social, technical and economic elements in agroforestry practices, alternative to shifting cultivation. The study was conducted in a Jinuo Mountain of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, southwest China. The contents include identifying land use changes at village and household level respectively, examining the relationships between fallow systems and agroforestry practices, and describing farmers strategies in agroforestry development and its impact on other agriculture systems, environment, indigenous agriculture and agro-biodiversity. Methods of household-based socioeconomic survey , on-farm monitoring, , participant observation and interview have been applied in this research.

2). ZENG Yi-Qun,. 2001. Household-based Agrobiodiversity Assessment(HH-ABA) of Agroforestry Systems in Baka Village in Xishuangbanna. Acta, Botanica Yunnanica. Suppl. ⅩⅢ (in Chinese with English abstract): Three types of agroforestry systems of 18 households were selected for agrobiodiversity assessment. The contents include agroforestry development and its relationship to indigenous agriculture, agrobiodiversity changes and market integration. Methods of HH/ABA (Household-based Agrobiodiversity Assessment), sampling, on-farm monitoring, PRA and interview have been applied in this research.

3). DU Xue-Fei.2001. Study on the Relationship of Indigenous Medicine and Agrobiodiversity Conservation in Daka, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. Acta, Botanica Yunnanica. Suppl.ⅩⅢ (in Chinese with English abstract): Indigenous medicine is important part of indigenous knowledge, about 1/5 plants are used to cure illness. By the research in tropic upland village, it is found that the indigenous medicine can evoke local people to preserve 24 medicine plants. So it can be used to improve the richness of agrobiodiversity. But the traditional medicine is facing disappeared, the policy must be took is to improve the important of traditional medicine.

4). DU Xue-Fei.2001. Study on the Relationship of Indigenous Medicine and Agrobiodiversity Conservation in Daka, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. Acta, Botanica Yunnanica. Suppl.ⅩⅢ (in Chinese with English abstract): Local villagers have important effect on the biodiversity in the nature reserve as they take advantage of the source for hundreds of years. Baka, a Jinuo village was studies with market investigation and questionnaire, especially focused on the benefits and costs that risen from nature reserve. It is found that the local people get a large number of income from nature reserve, at the same time, local people lost opportunity costs for lost land where is turned to nature reserve. Suggestions are given to management and development of the nature reserve.

5). GONG Zhi-lian. 2001. Study on the Relationship of Indigenous Medicine and Agrobiodiversity Conservation in Daka, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. Acta, Botanica Yunnanica. Suppl.ⅩⅢ (in Chinese with English abstract):Upland rice varieties are collected in Daka, Baka and Mannalong villages. Socio-economy situation and upland rice varieties diversity of 39% households in each village were investigated using

26

structure and semi-structure interview based on household based agrobiodiversity assessment. The results are as follows: upland rice resources and their diversity in morphology and genetics were discovered through investigation on upland rice resources in the three villages. Some upland rice varieties of good quality are disappearing and most are fit for poor soil. The number and varieties of upland rice which farmers plant are influenced not only by the area of upland rice and swidden but also by farmers’ hobbies, planting techniques ,market ,and culture. So we must take measures to protect upland rice varieties.

2. Mr. Wangxueren, vice governor of Yunnan Province reviewed demonstration sites in 14, January, 2000. Mr. Wang interviewed with farmers in the demonstration field and gave excellent advice and suggestions about the demonstration activities. He praised PLEC work and thought it valuable to extend to other rural area around Yunnan Province.

3. Fuelwood plantation and energy-saving stove has attracted local government’s attention. Xishuangbanna Newspaper has reported success of fuelwood plantation and energy-saving stove within PLEC work in Baka in May, 2000. Jinuo local government extends Baka experience and encourages farmers plant fuelwood and timber species..

4. Research work undertaken within PLEC Work: There are 18 scientific papers have been published during 1998 to 2001 (see attachment 3).

VI. THE SUSTAINABILITY OF PLEC WORK

GAOLIGONGSHAN MTS.1. Project Impact and sustainability of PLECOutside technicians demonstration (large scale plantation) have been changed into

expert farmers (household) demonstration. Expert framers become one of important demonstration tools for second phase of PLEC.

Roles of farmers and the farmers association are promoting conservation farming and forest management (One of important capacity buildings). Field training activity is one of the best way for farmer-to-farmer training. Training workshop for rural practical techniques and biodiversity conservation is adapted and very helpful for local framer.

Junior researchers and students have become the key research force (One of most important Capacity buildings), they will become senior researchers in the second phase of PLEC. PLEC is not only promoting to increase biodiversity in particular fields, but also, very importantly, is promoting innovative farmers to demonstrate their skills and experience. This is very helpful for biodiversity conservation in situ.

2. One of main demonstration projects PLEC encouraging is to build Agroforestry systems

Several training courses on techniques of planting fruits such as grafting, pruning,

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prevention and cure of plant diseases were organized to help farmer expand areas of coffee, longan, orange, chestnut, walnut and persimmon as alternatives to sugarcane. The expansion and diversification has increased farmers’ income and reduced the risk arising from market fluctuation. Table 5 summarizes the results achieved. The tree crop cultivation increased nine times and production increased 10.6 times from 1997 to 2000. Up to now, 50 % of farmlands of Baihualing are managed in agroforestry systems that are over 5,000 mu in Baihualing Village.

Coffee has become an important new cash crop in Baihualing due to its relatively high profit. On average, the income from coffee is 1100 yuan (about 8.3 yuan equal to 1 US dollar) per mu (15 mu equal to 1 hectare), while it is only 800 yuan per mu for rice. With PLEC and MacArthur’s FMBC projects support, Mr. Sai Huwa experiments inter-cropping of coffee with vegetables, and fodder crops as contrast to the monoculture of coffee by other farmers. He has put 30 mu of his contracted and rented fields together for the coffee plantation and made good money. As coffee is a new crop, most farmers need some time as well as external advice to manage it well.

Also under PLEC MacArthur’s FMBC projects support and technical guidance, Mr. Yang Zhixue has developed an intercropping system of chestnuts, peach, maize, peas on steep uplands. The productivity of the agroforestry systems is much higher than the former cropping patterns (Table 9).

Table 9. Comparisons of productivity between monocropping and agroforest in Hanlong village

Farming Type CropYield

(kg/mu)Value

(yuan/mu)Total Value

AgroforestryChestnuts

MaizeBeans

4512040

3609648 504

Mixed CropsMaizeBeans

15050

12060 180

Chestnuts monocrop

Chestnuts 30 240 240

Maize monocrop Maize 150 120 120

Note: 15 trees/mu, 5 –year age ; local market price

XISHUANGBANNA1. Homegarden improvement in Daka: there are 124 valuable species in

homegarden. Most of them are folklore medicine, vegetable, fruit, ornamental and flavoring. Noteworthiness, there are 47 valuable species introduced from wild. So it helps agrobiodiversity conservation with guide and encourage farmers in the village. Introducing some traditional domesticated species and high cash value species into homegarden help avoid crisis under bad natural disaster and market change. Thus, homegarden improvement is warmly welcomed and accepted by local farmers and easily extended.

2. Fuelwood plantation in Baka: it is popular that fuelwood and timber wood

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resources decrease due to deforestation in rural area, especially in mountainous area of Xishuangbanna. So fuelwood plantation and energy-saving stove demonstration is worthy to be extended to other similar villages to resolve fuelwood and timber wood problem. Furthermore, Jinuo government has equipped energy-saving stove in 3 villages, including two beyond the PLEC demonstration sites.

3. Butterfly breeding by small farmer: sustainability of butterfly breeding by small farmer is depend on its simple technology, and most of all, it does not need to change farmers’ traditional labor allocation. At the same time, butterfly breeding needs less labor than hunting wild butterfly and earn more cash with good quality. Demonstration farmer begin to find and relocate host plant from wild and realize the importance of biodiversity conservation. In addition, some factors need to be noted, e.g. butterfly breeding must be selected around area with rich butterfly resource and a feasible host plant garden.

4. Slash-and-burn agriculture alternative by agroforestry system: agroforestry system have synthesized economic benefit of both monoculture agriculture and monoculture forestry, such as short-term crop interplanted with perennial cash crop, and Chinese Cardamom plantation under natural forest. Green fence helps keep water and soil, as well as save wood resource. Traditional agriculture alternative by agroforestry system is a great contribution to agrobiodiversity in-situ conservation. For example, there are 74 reserved species in agroforestry field. PLEC work suggests that introduced new cash crop need to be combined with domestic and native species to practice agroforestry and diversify variety and species to meet market change.

May 13, 2002

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