Institutional innovations of the grassland household‐contract‐responsibility system:a study of the household‐allied operation system of Xilinguole League,Inner Mongolia

摘要

In the past 30 years, the HCRS ( household‐contract responsibility system) has made a great contribution to the development of China.Although it is a successful practice in rural areas, it has its defects, especially in pastoral areas.This system leads to grassland fragmentation and possibly results in degradations of grassland ecosystem.This paper analyses a new practice, which is an institutional innovation of HCRS by herdsmen : household‐allied operation system ( HAOS).HAOS encourage herdsmen to cooperate for grassland use and management.Under this system, the productivity is improved, human resources are developed, herdsmen's per capita income is increased, and, more importantly, it results in rotational grazing that protects the ecosystem of grassland.