Mr Rui Li, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, China. Global Symposium on Soil Erosion (GSER19), 15 - 17 May 2019 at FAO HQ.

1. Soil and water conservation policy evolution and its
human-environment contexts in China since 1949
The Global Symposium on Soil Erosion (GSER19),
15 – 17 May 2019, Rome, Italy
WANG Fei, Li Rui
Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University
Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS and MWR
Lindsay C. Stringer
University of Leeds
Luuk Fleskens, Coen J. Ritsema
Wageningen University & Research Centre

2.  Brief introduction Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (ISWC)
 Soil erosion in China: background, causes and state
 The SWC policy evolution in the Yellow River Basin (YRB)
 Why?
 Policy analysis
 Some cooperation chance in research on ecological civilization
 Discussion
Content

3.  Founded in 1956, the first institute in
Northwest. For regional problems on soil
erosion, agriculture, soil sciences.
 Present name determined in 1995 because
erosion being a national-wide problems.
 Up to 1998, ISWC was listed in the National
Knowledge Innovation Project of the CAS
as one of the first experimental institutes.
 In 1999, ISWC was united with other six
scientific research and education
organization as Northwest A&F University.
 208 staff, 52 research professor, 3
academicians.
Brief introduction of ISWC

4.  Develop knowledge and
technologies in soil erosion control,
sustainable agriculture and
ecological environment
rehabilitation;
 Provide scientific and technological
supports on integrated control on
soil and water losses, ecological
environment and rural
development;
 Consultation for natural resources
governess and policy-making;
 Education, training and
demonstration.
Brief introduction of ISWC

5. Soil erosion in China
 Causes
 Natural aspects:
 Landform: 70% area is mountains and hills, broken land surface
 Continental monsoon climate: seasonal rainfall (accumulation in summer and
autumn), heavy storm and great unevenness among seasons and years
 Poor soil property: over use of soil, lack of fertilizers, etc.
 Economic and social aspects
 Food shortage: poor cropping manner like cultivation on the slopes, overgrazing,
deforestation, etc.
 Lack of fuels and fodder: deforestation, removing grass with roots, etc.
 Great population and high birth rate
 Poor production everywhere and poor transportation condition
 Poverty with no or without enough inputs to improve agricultural condition

6. Soil erosion in China
 Population:
 Total population: increasing
 Rural population: about 90% in the
beginning, and decline after 1994
 Growth rate was high before 1987 with a
big valley around 1960, then declined
 Natural disasters:
 Frequently and increasing
 Soil and water losses could enhance the
natural disasters that affect the
production and safety
 Soil and water conservation is always
very necessary

7. R1, R2, R3
Flood disasters
in the Yellow
River Basin
from 1841-
1990
 Floods in 1841-1949 affecting 149 counties annually in China, and 42
events in YRB.
 Flood disasters in YRB: 2.3-5.7 events per decade in 1871-1960). Most
were big or great disasters.
 Terrible damages, for example, the disasters in 1933 and 1935
affected 67 counties and 27 counties, resulting in 3.64 million and 3.41
million victims, and more than 18 thousand and 3065 people died.
Soil erosion in China: a case on the Loess Plateau (disaster)

8. Soil erosion in China
 Food:
 Total yield grain is increasing
 Average yield increased from 210 kg/a to
about 390 kg/a and kept stable.
 Other main food, soil and sugar, increased
together

9.  The share of cropland in the Loess Plateau
was more than 30.0%
 Most cropland on slopes, steeper than 7°
accounted for 36.55% of cultivated lands
and 11.68% of the whole area.
R1, R2, R3
The gradient of croplands (flat lands including
level terraces, alluvial lands along the rivers like
plains and check-dam land)
Cropland on the tops
Terraces
Soil erosion in China: a case on the Loess Plateau (land)

10. Soil erosion in China
 After several decades, soil
erosion is still severe(Xinhua
News Agency 2008)：
 About 3.57 million km2 of soil
erosion
 Water erosion: 1.61 m km2
 wind erosion: 1.96 m km2
 Accounting for 37.2% of
China's territory

11. Predicted Soil loss
in ton/ha/year
(USLE equation)
Soil erosion in China
 Soil erosion in China is still severe worldwide after several decades’ measurement.

12. Policy analysis: DPSIR framework
Driving
forces
Responses
Pressures
States
Impacts
Natural: climate change,
e.g., less precipitation,
warming, more strong
storm events, etc.
Social and economic:
Food, fuel and forage
shortage, poverty, poor
transportation, etc.
Overuse of land:
deforestation,
cultivation on
slopes, over-
grazing, etc.
Land degradation: Soil erosion, water loss,
nutrients loss, land surface broken, etc.
On-site: soil loss, drought, nutrient
depletion, lower productivity,
ecosystem degradation, etc.
Off-site: sedimentation in
dams and riverbeds, water
level rising, flood risks
increase, disasters, costs
for banks construction, etc.
Negative: new cultivation,
tillage and pasturing on the
steep slopes and in remote
area, building higher and
stronger banks, praying
hopelessly, etc.
Positive: policy and
measures for soil and
water conservation,
scientific approaches,
population control, etc.
R1
R2
R3
The Driving force – Pressure – State – Impact - Response (DPSIR) framework (UNEP): an
organizational tool for the whole picture of the SWC - policies interaction.

13. Policy analysis: definition
Responses
 Positive and negative
 Action (Behavior), science (and
technology) and policy (systematic,
governmental, overall, etc.)
A very active and powerful response
Positive
Negative
Behavior Science Policy
Policy here is defined as “a set
of decisions which are oriented
towards a long-term purpose or
to a particular problem. Such
decisions by governments are
often embodied in legislation
and usually apply to a country
as a whole rather than to one
part of it” (Sandford, 1985, p. 4)
R1, R2, R3

14. Policy analysis: Policy-making bodies
 GAC：the Government Administration Council ( 政务院，
from October 21, 1949 to September 27, 1954, the then
highest administrative department equivalent to the State
Council)
 NPC：National People’s Congress (全国人大)
 NPCom: National Planning Commissio
 SC：The State Council (国务院)
 MWR：Ministry of Water Resources
 YRCC：the Yellow River Water Resources Commission
 CAS：the Chinese Academy of Sciences
 CPC CC: Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
 NWLCG: National Water and Land Conservation Work
Coordination Group of State Council, a branch of the State
Council founded in 1982 and canceled in 1988, and a
National Water Resources and Soil Conservation Leading
Group in 1988
R1, R2, R3
GAC, 1952
Explaining of decision (NPC
Standing Committee, 1955)

15. R1, R2, R3
Policy analysis: governmental documents as materials (1)
Code Issued by Issued date Policy
P1 GAC Dec 19, 1952 Directive to arouse the masses for drought control and drought
resistance and popularization of soil and water conservation
P2 YRCC Feb 15, 1953 The decision of the harness the Yellow River in 1953
P3 MWR Dec 31, 1953 Summary of the water conservancy in the last four years and the
policy and task in future
P4 MWR, CAS,
et al.
May to Dec,
1953
Working Report of Soil and Water Conservation in Northwest China
of Investigation Mission (Draft)
P5 NPC SC Jul 30, 1955 The decision of integrate planning for radical solution of disasters
and exploration of water conservancy of the Yellow River
P6 SC Jul. 24, 1957 The Provisional Outline of Soil and Water Conservation of the
People’s Republic of China
P7 YRCC Aug 2, 1958 The soil and water conservation planning in the middle reaches of
the Yellow River from 1958-1962 (draft)
P8 SC Apr 18, 1963 Decision on the Soil and Water Conservation in the Middle Reaches
of the Yellow River
* Pn in this paper means the relative document in Table 1.

16. R1, R2, R3
Policy analysis: governmental documents as materials (2)
Code Issued by Issued date Policy
P9 MWR Apr 29, 1980 Act of Soil and Water Conservation at the small watershed scale
P10 SC Jun 3, 1982 The Regulations on the Work of Water and Soil Conservation
P11 NWLCG of
SC
Sep, 1983 The Provisional Rule to Strengthen the Soil and Water
Conservation in Key Areas of water and soil loss
P12 CPC CC
and SC
Jan 1, 1985 The Ten Policies on Further Animating the Rural Economic
P13 SC Jun 3, 1988 Approval of the Report on setting the upper reach of the Yangtze
River as state key Prevention area of Soil and Water Conservation
P14 NPCom
and MWR
Oct 1, 1988 Regular of Soil and Water Conservation in the Development and
Construction sites in the Contiguous Areas of Shanxi, Shaanxi and
Inner Mongolia
* Pn in this paper means the relative document in Table 1.

17. R1, R2, R3
Policy analysis: governmental documents as materials (3)
Code Issued by Issued date Policy
P15 NPC SC Jun 29, 1991 and Dec
25, 2010
Law of The People's Republic of China on Water and Soil Conservation
P16 SC Aug 1, 1993 Implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of Soil and Water Conservation
P17 SC Jan 7, 1999 National Plan for Eco-environmental Improvement
P18 SC Dec 21, 2000 National Program for Eco-environmental Protection
P19 SC Jan 20, 2003 Regulations on Conversion of Farmland to Forest
P20 MWR Jun 3, 2003 Notice of the MWR on Further Strengthening the Ecological Restoration of Soil and Water
Conservation
P21 MWR Mar 2, 2006 Approval of Comprehensive Planning for Soil and Water Loss Prevention and Control in Black
Soil Region of Northeast China
P22 SC Aug 9, 2007 Circular of Policy on Conversion of Farmland to Forest
P23 CPC CC and SC Dec 31, 2011 Decision on accelerating water conservancy reform and development
P24 NDRC, MOF and
MWR
May 15, 2014 Notice on Fee Standards for Compensation Fees for Soil and Water Conservation (Trial
Implementation)
P25 SC Oct 17, 2015 Approval of National Soil and Water Conservation Plan (2015-2030)
P26 CPC GCC, SC Dec 17, 2017 Reform Programme of Compensation System for Eco-environmental Damage
* Pn in this paper means the relative document in Table 1.

18. Policy analysis: policy evolution
Water resources
exploration,
improvement of
agricultural
condition and yields
R1, R2, R3
Taking a small
watershed as a whole
unit to plan and control
with integrated control
measures
Ecological
restoration and eco-
civilization
development
Stage I Stage II Stage III
P9, 1980 P15, 1991

19. R1, R2, R3
Stage 1:
Historical flood
disasters and
desire for hydro-
power and
irrigation made the
government plan to
change the Yellow
River from a
harmful river into a
beneficial river.
Stage 3:
SWC policy with
a broader and
more central
aims and tasks.
Prevention of
new lands being
destroyed
began to be the
priority, and the
ecosystem
function and
services gained
attention.
Stage 2: Integrated control, taking a small watershed as a whole unit, a
need to explore natural resources and build on a systematic
management principle of watersheds based on previous experiences.
Chairman Mao
visiting YR in 1952
Policy analysis: a policy evolution case in the Yellow River Basin

20. Stage 2
(1980-1990)
Stage 3
(1990-current)
Stage 1
(1950-1979)
De-forestation, tillage on the slopes, over-grazing, etc.
Soil erosion and drought, siltation and floods.
Lower yields, poverty, need outside help, flood disasters and risks.
Terrace construction and outside help, dike strengthening, etc.
Population increasing, poverty, shortage of food and fuel, cropland shortage, etc.
Less water reduction when reducing more erosion, slower flow, etc.
Conflicting of runoff and sediment control, more sedimentation in riverded, etc.
Different practices with various function.
Flush sediment using reservoirs, ecological base flow adjusting, etc.
Water shortage, environmental needs, climate change, etc.
Weaker Stronger
Policy analysis: each factor of DPSIR change

21. Aspects of policy:
Scale: S
Main aims and tasks: A
Institutional aspects: I
Strategic options: SO
Stage 1
(1950-1979)
Stage 2
(1980-
1990)
Stage 3
(1990-current)
S: Householders and villages
A: Agriculture and flood control
I: Local farmers (LF)
SO: on-site cons. practices
Watershed
Integrated
control
LF with GOs’
help
Multi-
practices
Basin, region and
country
Eco-system services
Prevention first,
overall control
Governments (GOs)
 Before 1936, people did not link flood disasters to soil erosion of the
upper streams. They considered flooding a natural process, and the
long-term strategy to prevent flood disasters focused on flushing the
sediment into the sea and re-constructing the river banks.
 Until 1955, people believed “the flooding and sediment was endless in
the Yellow River and the sediment should be flushed away”.
Policy analysis: policy elements change

22.  Stage 1:
 Soil conservation on the slopes for flood
control
 Agriculture condition and yield mainly
 Reduction of river sediment load
Policy analysis: aims and tasks change
 Stage II:
 Integrated control of a small watershed as
a unit for overall benefits
 Improvement of conservation efficiency
 From Yellow River Basin to Yangtze River
basin
 Attention to erosion on the development
and construction sites
 Stage III:
 Improvement of ecological
environment
 Development of eco-civilization
 Implementation of the compensation
System
 Extension to the Black Soil Region of
Northeast China

23. Responsibility change
 From local farmers to local and
central government step by step,
 The financial support: from private
to local and central government and
to ecological compensation relating
to public benefits
Policy analysis: policy elements change
Strategic options change
 From local scale and single
methods to comprehensive and
sustainable approaches for
development of agriculture,
ecosystems, environment, economy
and society.
Re-vegation
Terraces
Check-dam
lands

24.  Taking a small watershed as a whole unit to plan
and control with integrated control measures.
 “Hills, water, forest, cropland and roads” were
harnessed together (P10) for holistic control
(R1-R3) and long-term benefits (P11, P14, P16
and P18)
Policy analysis: a case of integrated small watershed management
Photo by Wang Fei, 2008

25.  The sediment load of
the Yellow River was
very high (1.78 billion
tons on average) in
1950-1959
 Sediment deposition in
the river bed of the
lower reach amounted
to 473 million tons
annually.
 Sediment decreased to
366 million tons after
1990 (71.6% reduction).
R1, R2, R3
Annual runoff and sediment load in 1956-2010 at
Huayuankou Station (97.1% of the whole basin)
Policy analysis: a case of impact of SWC on runoff and sediment

26. R1, R2, R3
Policy analysis: sediment load reduction of China’s main big rivers
Songhua River
-36.5%
Lioahe River
-85.2%
Yellow River -76.8%
Huaihe River -86.2%
Yangtze River -36.8%
50-year change:
Average sediment load in
Stage I: 1954 -1963
Stage II: 1994-2003
Dai, 2007

27. Conclusion
 The SWC policy could act on the factors of driving forces, pressures and states directly
based on DPSIR.
 It was carried out with institutional, financial and technology support from government
and the motivation of local people.
 There were 3 clear stages which coincided with changes in main aims and tasks, main
institutional set-up and the strategies based on the overview of the problem, important
documents and actual SWC measures.
 All the important details of policy, from for whom and for what to depending on whom,
from technology to approach, from benefits on-site to off-site, from scale of the slope and
patch to watershed and basin, should be assessed carefully.

28. Thank you for your attention！
Contact information:
Professor, Dr. Wang Fei
Cell: +86 1377211 9949
Email: wafe@ms.iswc.ac.cn
 Thanks UNCCD for the invitation
to participate GSER19.