Pastoralism and Rangeland Management on the Tibetan Plateau in ...

4 Resettlement Programmes
The above-mentioned observation that a significant share of pastures on the
Tibetan Plateau <strong>and</strong> in adjacent regions such as Xinjiang are severely degraded
has supported the introduction of further measures that have been justified
<strong>and</strong> rationalised on ecological <strong>and</strong> economic grounds. 45 The “restore pastures
to grass” (tuimu huancao) campaign as part of the wider framework of “farml<strong>and</strong>
to forest” (tuigeng huanlin) is accompanied by slogans such as “grain to
green” <strong>and</strong> aims at poverty reduction in a comprehensive policy approach.
“Poverty alleviation through migration” (yimin fupin) suggests a new dynamic
involving people to be moved. Resettlement schemes introduced since 2002
aim at population concentration in “resettlement in high pastures” (Photo 5)
or “agro-pastoral resettlement in lowl<strong>and</strong> regions” (see above). Both envisage
concentrated settlements resembling townships that provide all infrastructural
assets for a decent life. Animal husb<strong>and</strong>ry will significantly change as fewer
shepherds will be involved in schemes that concentrate livestock in central
stables/shelters <strong>and</strong> that provide sophisticated livestock-specific agricultural
extension <strong>and</strong> veterinary care.
Photo 5: Pastoral settlement in Naqu Prefecture
(photograph © Hermann Kreutzmann October 18, 2010)
45 Cf. Foggin 2008, Ho 2001, Miller 2000, Sheehy, Miller & Johnson 2006, Tashi et al.
2010, Yeh 2005.
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