China has worked to strengthen management of desertification and restore forest ecosystems. Adopting a four-wheel-driven approach that involves the government, enterprises, farmers, and academia, remarkable progress has been made in alleviating desertification and raising people’s incomes in Kubuqi, the seventh largest desert in China. At the same time, the Saihanba Forest Farm succeeded in turning the desert into forest through four generations of unremitting efforts, bringing local people a greener and richer life.

Despite different local conditions, Kubuqi and Saihanba share similar experience in achieving ecological restoration and economic development.
First, the government’s policy support. Ensuring sound ecological systems has been incorporated into China’s national development strategy, and law on prevention and control of desertification as well as relevant policies have been introduced accordingly. A desert ecological science and technology center has been set up in Kubuqi Desert and the largest germplasm repository in Northwest has been launched with governmental support. Besides, financial authorities at all levels have provided preferential credit services for desert governance in the two localities.
Second,market-based farmers’ participation. In Kubuqi, 232 sand treatment teams were formed by farmers. 5,820 farmers are turned into eco-construction workers and 1500 farming households increased their income by running family inns, restaurants or doing folk handicrafts.
Third, sustained business investment and science-based stewardship. In Kubuqi, a complete sand-treatment industrial chain has been developed by enterprises involving solar energy generation, development of economic value of desert plants and development of desert tourism.
Fourth, technological innovation. Over the years, Kubuqi has made unrelenting efforts to improve planting techniques through application of scientific research. In Saihanba, local foresters have made breakthroughs in seed planting, cultivation, afforestation, disease and insect prevention and treatment in high-altitude desert environment with extreme cold weather, contributing to the sustainable development of forests.

Forest coverage in Saihanba has increased from 11.4 percent to 80 percent, and reclaimed landscape is currently supplying some 137 million cubic meters of clean water and 545 thousand metric tons of oxygen to Beijing and Tianjin every year. The restored forest has stimulated economic growth of estimated RMB 12 billion yuan in annual eco-services.
In Kubuqi desert, forest coverage had increased from 0.8% to 15.7% , and vegetation coverage from 16.2% to 53%. The growth of circular economy has helped lift 102 thousand residents out of poverty and raised per capita incomes from less than 400 to 14,000 yuan.