Sustainable Agriculture and Food: Four volume set (Earthscan Reference Collections)

Integrated Farming Systems at Different Scales 435

crops was kept between 120 and 126.67ha, and the production of fruits was
enhanced by extending the area and increasing per unit area yield. In addi-
tion, 55,000 citrus trees were planted along the river banks, roadsides and
field ridges. In the meanwhile, aquaculture has been greatly developed by
using by-products of crops to process fodder. From 1988 to 1991, the yield
of farm products rose, and remarkable economic benefits have been achieved
(Table 18.7).
2 Developing IFS based on ecological principles. Large areas of waterbodies were
effectively protected and reasonably exploited. The protection of water
resources was a first priority. Advanced aquaculture techniques were intro-
duced to increase yields. Chicken-raising and fishery cultivation were deliber-
ately arranged according to energy flow and food chain principles. The fertility
of topsoil was further improved by increasing the input of manure and decreas-
ing the amount of chemical fertilizer (Table 18.8). Afforestation were carried
out mainly in the rolling land, which accounted for 451.33ha or 60 per cent
of the hilly land of the village. From 1988 to 1991 the total area of afforesta-
tion on the rolling hilly land reached 386.67ha and forest coverage rate rose
from 42.4 per cent in 1988 to 70 per cent in 1991.
3 Developing the courtyard economy and constructing eco-households. A spe-
cial type of animal husbandry-dominated courtyard economy was developed
in GSES. About 262,000 fruit trees were planted in the courtyards with

Table 18.6 Readjusted sectorial composition in total output value from 1988 to 1991

(Unit: 10 thousand yuan RMB)

Year TOV CP FO AH SI FI

Sov Per Sov Per Sov Per Sov Per Sov Per

1988 287.98 63.02 21.88 167.70 58.23 33.41 11.60 6.77 2.35 17.08 5.93

1991 666.92 86.30 12.94 457.77 68.6 88.60 13.28 12.95 1.94 21.30 3.19

RGR (%) 131.59 36.94 172.97 165.19 91.29 24.71

Notes: TOV: Total output value; CP: crop planting; FO: forestry; AH: animal husbandry; SI:
sideline; FI: fishery; RGR: Relative growth rate to 1988; Sov.: Sectorial output value; Per.:
Percentage of sectorial output value to total.

Table 18.7 The output from different sectors of agriculture

Year Total yield of

grain (tons)

Yield of fruits (tons)
Total output Citrus yield Chickens Eggs (tons) Honey (tons)
1988 1708 1559.3 1525 16,790 38.4 32.7
1991 1899 5402.5 5390 38,475 115.1 36
RGR (%) 111.18 246.47 153.44 129.15 199.74 100.09
Notes: RGR: Relative growth rate to 1988.