Protecting Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS) by Industrial Integration Development (IID): Practices from China

Industrial Integration Development (IID) emerges as a highly effective strategy for conserving Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS), including UNESCO-recognized sites like the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. The study demonstrates that IID, when grounded in ecological and cultural values, leverages local resource advantages, and integrates multi-stakeholder coordination, significantly enhances heritage preservation outcomes. Researchers analyzed four Chinese IAHS sites—Longji Terraces (Guangxi), Honghe Hani Rice Terraces System (Yunnan), Aohan Dryland Farming System (Inner Mongolia), and Huzhou Mulberry-dyke & Fish-pond System (Zhejiang)—to validate this approach. The findings underscore the necessity of aligning IID with site-specific characteristics while emphasizing policy synergy and stakeholder collaboration to sustain agricultural heritage systems amid development pressures.

Yongxun, Z., & Lulu, H. (2021). Protecting Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS) by Industrial Integration Development (IID): Practices from China. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2021.04.013