The Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology, Alxa Prefecture of Inner Mongolia (SEE) is an environmental NGO which is founded by almost 100 Chinese entrepreneurs in the Alxa Prefecture, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China in 2004.
SEE is mainly focused on sand dune stabilization, desertification control, and land degradation rehabilitation, especially in Alxa Prefucture and other affected regions in Western China. In this field, SEE has established two projects – Plantation of One Hundred Million Haloxylon Ammodendron spp. Shrubs and Dry Farming of Millet Crop cultivation in Alxa Prefecture.
Alxa Prefecture, located at the east edge of Tengger Sand Desert, far west area of Inner Mongolia, is characterized by arid climate with strong winds and rich moving sand source. Experts believe that degradation of arid desert ecosystem of the Alxa Prefecture will surely affect two million square kilometers of its neighboring regions and provinces. It is concluded that the effectiveness of protecting and remaining of the arid land ecosystem in the Alxa Prefecture will help improve the degraded ecosystem and living environment of the Three North Region of China (Northwest China, Northeast China and Northern Plain of China).
The three well-known deserts, the Badain Jilin Sand Desert, the Tengger Sand Desert and the Ulan Buh Desert, have already converged across the project district and are gradually spreading. In order to prevent Alxa and its neighboring regions from further desertification, some biological approaches to combat desertification and control land degradation are needed, such as windbreaks, sandbreaks and artificial barriers to stop sand movement and mitigate desertification.
The 800 sq. kilometer vegetation plantation in the Alxa Prefecture, which is mainly composed of Haloxylon Ammodendron spp shrubs, has been severely damaged. The natural regeneration rate of Haloxylon Ammodendron spp. shrubs in the dry land is very slow. Therefore, artificial plantation based on local condition was implemented to recover and revegetate man-made biological barriers against dust and sand storm, desertification and land degradation through rational plantation of Haloxylon Ammodendron spp. In the affected areas, including its neighbouring regions.
After selecting the regions suitable for Haloxylon Ammodendron spp. Plantation, the SEE project operates a set of standardized procedures to plant the desert plant. To improve the degraded arid land ecosystem and desert steppe, SEE will also conduct plantation of Haloxylon Ammodendron spp. with rational density, 750 individuals of the plant per ha.
SEE staff reviewing the Haloxylon
Ammodendron spp.shrubs plantation with local partners, autumn in 2014>
For collective impact, SEE cooperate with local governments, communities, farmers/herds and entrepreneurs to mitigate desertification, land degradation and stabilize shifting sands and rehabilitate the degraded ecosystem, to increase income of local villagers, and to improve economy and ecology at the same time.
In addition, SEE will seek donations from domestic CSOs, corporates, and individuals in different ways to continue this project.
The “Dry Farming of Millet Crop” project is a milestone toward solving current environmental problems in Alxa Prefecture through social entrepreneurship to protect the underground water resources in oasis.
The Millet Crop is cultivated at the periphery of the Tengger Sand Desert and Yaoba Oasis of the Alxa Prefecture, Inner Mongolia, which is characterized by arid sand desert, irrigated oasis and desert steppe in West part of Inner Mongolia. In the Alxa Prefecture, most of the crops are high-water-consuming maize. SEE and its social enterprise aim to encourage more farmers to cultivate millet instead of maize, because millet is a water-saving crop.
Since 2009, SEE started
experiment for planting this millet crop in consideration of local soil
condition and climate regime. After five years of practice, SEE has gradually
developed planting guidelines and skill for planting water-saving millet, which
is welcome cereal at both rural and urban levels with satisfied production of
this organic crop.
