TheImprovement ofTropical and Subtropical Rangelands

Arghaniatan
30 million hectara
Low mountalna of the Hlndukulh north
Ilope are aood lummer p..ture; lOuthern
deeert ia aood winter ranee; other
are.. are heavily overcrued; the
heavily srued lOuthe..tern foothilll
of high mountainl of HuaRdiat Itm
have fair to lood gruing; many
raneelande have ..rioUily declined,
and thia ia continuinl
Uncontrolled Itacklng, elpecla!ly alonl
major migration rout..; ruelwood
lathering; Iteady expanlion of dryland
cultivation
~ g
~
~
~
People'l Republic of China
285,690,000 hectaree
41" of total land UIed for gruing;
26" of graulande deteriorated;
eroeion ia • dangeroully accelerated";
lou of productivity; deeertification
Population preelure; 27" of deeertification
attributed to overcrazin,; ,overnment
heavily favored agriculture over
raneelande during the UI50e; convenion of
remaining thin forelt and good grulland
into cultivated fieldl
North China
Too arid; unproductive; poor gruinl
land; heavily overcrued; badly eroded;
low rorage production; poor rorage
quality; 1011 eroeion by wind and
water; plant cover deterioration
f..ter than rehabilitation
Removal of belt graling ror agriculture;
and urban development increalled pressure
on remaining rangeland; rormerly productive
grauland are now land Junel; poor
manalement of grus.. and rodder crops
South China
Poor p..ture quality; reetricted
..aeona! gruinl time; low carrying
capacity and poor cattle growth
"Note: Sise or Rangeland: Figurel are thOle given by the United NatioDl Food and Agriculture Organisation ror
Permanent Puture, which undereetimat. total lise of rangeland.
SOURCE: Adapted from International Institute for Environment and Development and World Reeourcee Institute,
1988-89, p.80.
t-:l
-.:l