Refining China’s grassland policies: an interdisciplinary and ex-ante analysis
Colin Brown A I , Karl Behrendt B C , Li Ping D , Qiao Guanghua E , Jeff Bennett F , Zhang Bao E , Jane Addison G , David Kemp C , Han Guodong H and Zhang Jing A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
B Land, Farm and Agri-Business Management Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, United Kingdom.
C Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.
D Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, PR China.
E College of Economics and Management, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, PR China.
F Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
G CSIRO Land and Water, ATSIP, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
H College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010000, PR China.
I Corresponding author. Email: colin.brown@uq.edu.au
The Rangeland Journal 42(6) 435-445 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20097
Submitted: 2 October 2020 Accepted: 21 December 2020 Published: 8 February 2021
Journal Compilation © Australian Rangeland Society 2020 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
China is about to embark on a new round of grassland policies as part of its 14th Five-Year-Plan. Although current grassland policies have generally been perceived positively in arresting widespread grassland degradation, concerns have arisen that the current policies may not be effective in achieving the desired reduction in livestock numbers. Furthermore, there are concerns the incentive-based payments that are part of these policy programs may not reflect herder opportunity costs or the marginal environmental benefits of the program, with associated issues of herder satisfaction and compliance. Changes to current policy settings are being considered in response to these concerns. This paper reports on an interdisciplinary and ex-ante analysis of alternative policy settings affecting grazing and livestock management in terms of their environmental impacts, net social benefits and other impacts. The analysis finds that a bundle of instruments involving both positive and negative herder incentives is needed if desired stocking rates are to be achieved. The impact on herder incomes, both positive and negative depending on the grassland biome, along with transaction costs of implementing the policies, have the most influence on net social benefits.
Keywords: China, grasslands, incentives, policy, stocking rates.
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