China's desert control experience shared with Arab states

LANZHOU -- On the southern fringes of the Badain Jaran and Tengger, two large deserts in northwest China, Nisreen Saed Al-Qaddi, an assistant professor with the Palestinian Farmers Union, was impressed by the effective use of sand barriers and wind observation towers to control the shifting sands.

"Sand barriers control desert movement. And the wind observation towers that measure direction and speed are advanced measures to prevent future environmental impacts," she took notes carefully while speaking.

Together with more than 20 foreign experts, Al-Qaddi recently took part in a technical training program in northwest China's Gansu Province on China's innovative approaches to sandstorm prevention, oasis preservation, and ecological restoration.

Home to over 12 million hectares of sandy land, Gansu has been exploring a variety of new measures to bring green back to the formerly barren land.

The results of a new round of national desertification monitoring unveiled late last year showed that desertified and sandy land in Gansu had decreased by 2,627 square kilometers and 1,045 square kilometers, respectively, compared with figures published in 2015.

During the 21-day courses, researchers from Gansu Desert Control Research Institute shared their experiences and methods for preventing and controlling desertification in the region.

The researchers touched on the restoration and reconstruction of vegetation in arid, sandy areas; prevention and control technology of desertification in alpine grassland; breeding and cultivation of shrubs on sandy land; and application of modern biotechnology in ecological protection.

Attendees also visited several desertification control projects, sand-related industrial bases and experiment stations in Gansu.

In Minqin County, they learned about how greening methods such as drip irrigation and sand barriers have helped increase local forest coverage from 11.52 percent in 2010 to over 18 percent this year.

Most participants of the workshop came from Arab countries and regions greatly affected by desertification and drought.

Among them was Mohamed A.E. AbdelRahman, a researcher at Egypt's National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences. A soil science major, with an interest in desertification, he saw this trip as a good start to his research career.

"We are facing vast areas of moving sand dunes that hinder economic development, especially in agriculture. Many of Egypt's landmarks also suffer from the effects of wind and sand," he said.

"Some of China's mode of afforestation and desertification control technologies have been introduced to Egypt, offering a solution to control desertification in the academic field," he said, hoping to learn more practical methods and apply what he learns in his own country.

China began research into combating desertification in the 1950s and has managed to reverse the trend of disappearing grass and shrubland. Now its experience and technologies are inspiring countries facing the same challenges.

"Saudi Arabia is collaborating with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on a sand barrier project, which uses techniques from China. We've conducted a series of mechanical sand barrier tests to assess their effectiveness in Saudi Arabia," said AbdelRahman Al-Thumayri, a senior irrigation networks specialist with the Saudi Irrigation Organization.

"Combating desertification is an urgent task faced by humanity. Strengthening exchanges and cooperation in this field is particularly important", said Ji Yongfu, director of Gansu Desert Control Research Institute.

Since 1993, the institute has provided training courses on desertification prevention and control for more than 1,000 officials and scholars from some 80 countries.

Echoing Ji's remarks, Al-Thumayri commented, "We need to pass on the concept of ecological governance and ensure continued attention to the environment, so that the next generation can inherit an evergreen ecosystem created through our joint efforts."