The Returning Farmland to Forests Project has made remarkable achievements since it was implemented 10 years ago, according to news from the National Meeting on the Consolidation of Achievements in Returning Farmland to Forests held recently.
By the end of 2008, 139 million mu of trees were planted on farmland, 237 million mu of trees were planted on barren mountain areas and wastelands, and 27 million mu of trees were planted on closed mountain passes and hillsides. A total of 403 million mu of forestation was created.
The forest coverage ratio of the project is up by over three percentage points on average and hazards from sandstorms to water and soil erosion have been reduced.
At present, the project has already transformed from the construction phase to the consolidation of results phase.
Information shows that the central government has accumulatively injected 196.1 billion yuan to implement the returning farmland to forests project.
It will inject another 240.4 billion yuan before the end of the planning period. The project covers 25 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, involving 124 million farmers.
The implementation of the project has helped increase vegetation, develop local economies, raise farmers' incomes and change people's work and daily lives.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China's sampling and monitoring data, the regional GDP of county-level areas where the project was implemented, grew by around two times between 1999 and 2007.
By the end of 2008, the farmers who converted their farmland to forest obtained an average subsidy of 5,113 yuan.
Between 1999 and 2007, the net income per capita of farmers in those county-level areas grew 6.2 percent on average per annum.
Five main tasks, namely the cultivation of essential subsistence land, construction of rural energy, eco-migration, development of follow-up industries as well as replanting and restoration are to be carried out from 2008 until 2015.
This is to secure achievements made in the returning of farmland to forest project and help rural households make a living in the future after converting their farmland into forest.
By People's Daily Online
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article