Protecting Traditional Agricultural Landscapes by Promoting Industrial Integration Development: Practices from Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS) Sites in China

Yongxun Zhang and Xiande Li ()
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Yongxun Zhang: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China
Xiande Li: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: Traditional agricultural landscapes (TAL) have a long history. They have received significant attention due to concerns regarding their multiple functions and scarcity. Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS), designated by the FAO or some countries, are typical TAL that are facing conservation problems. This study takes IAHS as an example and examines the pathway and coordinating mechanism that industrial integration development (IID) uses to promote TAL conservation using available literature reviews and field surveys in IAHS sites. The findings suggest that the main pathways protecting IAHS, depending on IID, include increasing product price by IAHS branding, diversifying farmers’ income by developing special resources, and employing more seasonal surplus laborers by extending local industrial chains. Building a fair and reasonable benefit coordination mechanism among stakeholders in IID is crucial to prompt IAHS conservation. It rests on accurately identifying key stakeholders in IAHS conservation, selecting industrial organization modes that are suitable to an IAHS site, and introducing beneficial distribution mechanisms that can encourage farmers to stay on the farm. The case studies show that diversifying income channels and increasing income with industrial development are the main forces driving farmers to protect IAHS. The IID based on IAHS resources and the win-win benefit distribution principle are key to sustainable conservation.

Keywords: sustainability; labor productivity; nationally important agricultural heritage system (NIAHS); small farmer; agricultural landscape (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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