The creation of farmland by gully filling on the Loess Plateau: a double-edged sword

摘要

The "Grain for Green Program" (GGP) is the largest and most acclaimed ecological program since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The program is intended to increase vegetation cover, combat land desertification, and improve the eco-environment. The Loess Plateau is experiencing the most extensive soil erosion in China and is the top-priority area for implementation of the GGP. Based on rigorous scientific research, Loess Plateau croplands that have a slope greater than 15° are the target areas for the GGP and include an area of 2.52 million ha. Based on a per capita arable land demand of 1.5 mu (0.1 ha), the potential area for GGP implementation is limited to 2.36 million ha. However, 4.83 million ha of cropland have been converted to forest and grassland on the Loess Plateau between 2000 and 2008, which is double the limitation area for GGP. Although the GGP on the Loess Plateau has been met with a chorus of praise for its successes, which include increased vegetation cover, decreased soil erosion, and an improved eco-environment, the program has also resulted in socioeconomic problems, such as a substantial decrease in farmland and a critical grain shortage. Currently, balancing the population's needs, grain supply needs, and environmental needs requires greater consideration.