Strengthening Demonstration and Extension of Conservation Tillage to Promote Sustainable Agriculture Development in China

摘要

The primary reasons for adoption of conservation tillage (CT) in China are at present to overcome drought and dust storm problems. Systematic experimentation of CT in China was started at the end of the 1980s. Many years of trials and research have shown that CT is suitable to northern China. In 2002, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture commenced a national CT demonstration project. Since then, 94 national CT demonstration sites have been established, which has promoted the establishment of a great number of provincial or municipal CT demonstration sites. According to data collected from 10 national monitoring and testing sites, CT can reduce dust storms by 48-60%, increase yields by 4.1-32% and reduce costs by 225-945 yuan/ha. A series of measures have been adopted by the Chinese government to promote CT implementation: 1) financially assist research and development of CT, 2) organize CT demonstration and extension, 3) Strengthen training and propaganda for adoption of CT, 4) test and select CT machines to recommend to farmers, 5) enhance the monitoring and measuring of CT results, and 6) promote international cooperation.