Integrated Farming Systems at Different Scales 451- Eastern coast region
This region includes the central eastern part of the Liaoning, Beijing–Tianjin–
Tanggu area, eastern Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and the delta of the
Pearl River basin. These are the most developed areas in China with good condi-
tions for development of industry and agriculture. Conservation of land resources
should be the first priority in this region. High-quality, high-efficiency and high-
yield agriculture should be developed here. The linkage between rural and urban
ecosystems should be strengthened. The input of chemical fertilizer should be lim-
ited and rational exploitation of marshland should be made in coastal areas. - Songnen Plain region
Located in north-eastern China, this region includes Heilongjiang, Jilin, the north-
ern part of Liaoning and a small part of Inner Mongolia. It is one of the most
important bases of commercial grain and economic crop (e.g. soybeans, sugar beet)
production as well as timber and petroleum. In the central and southern part there
is little wasteland for reclamation due to a long history of cultivation. Special atten-
tion should be paid to developing agroforestry systems to strengthen the commer-
cial base. The northern part of the region was only exploited later and there is still
potential for further reclamation. The area has expanses of marshland which
require special attention during eco-county construction. - Loess Plateau region
The most distinguishing feature in northern China is the extensive distribution of
loess and loess-like deposits. Such deposits are distributed widely through Shanxi,
Shaan’xi and Gansu Provinces, to form the famous Loess Plateau. The most con-
centrated loess region is in the middle reaches of the Huanghe River. Lack of rain,
high temperatures, low humidity and dry winds during the crop growing period
greatly affect crop yields. In addition, soil erosion is a serious problem constraining
development in this region. About 1600 million tons of silt are carried down-
stream by the Huanghe each year, of which 90 per cent comes from the Loess
Plateau. With the silt, about 30 million tons of nitrogen, phosphorus and potas-
sium are lost. The huge amount of sediment carried downstream silts up the river
courses causing flooding. The main task for eco-county construction is to take
measures to control soil erosion and prevent degradation of grassland while devel-
oping production. A water-saving agriculture system should be established in the
course of eco-county construction. - Huang-Huai-Hai plain region
This region covers the Haihe River plain in the north, the Huanghe River basin in
the central part, and the Huaihe River basin in the south. It is one of the most
important grain and cotton producing areas in China, with double cropping in its
southern part and three crops in two years in the northern part. Inadequate drain-
age, a high water table, arid climate and strong evapotranspiration have caused
salinization and alkalization that have impeded development in the region. The