As desertification threatens ecosystems and livelihoods in many parts of the world, China's experience in counteracting sand encroachment offers new ideas for countries striving to restore degraded territories.
The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, located in northwestern China and surrounded by deserts on three sides, has been battling desertification for decades. These efforts to control the desert have transformed a once sand-threatened region into a model of ecological restoration.
The China-Central Asia Cooperation Center for Desertification Prevention and Control, established in 2025 and based in Ningxia, serves as a platform for exchanging technical knowledge, conducting joint research, and implementing pilot projects. It connects China's experience with the ecological conditions and development needs of partner countries.
Among the methods attracting international attention is the 'straw chessboard' method. This technique was developed and widely used in China, where straw is laid out in a grid pattern and partially buried in shifting sands to stabilize dunes and create conditions for vegetation growth.
Nevertheless, Chinese specialists emphasize that there is no universal approach to desertification control. Huang Wei, Deputy Director of the Cooperation Center and Senior Engineer, noted that 'the effectiveness of the approach depends on local conditions.'
During a desertification seminar held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Huang adapted the program to account for the country's mountainous landscape and severe soil erosion. The program included sessions on mountain afforestation, soil conservation, forest pest management, and wildfire prevention.
This demand-oriented approach forms the basis of the center's pilot projects currently under development. These include a demonstration zone for urban greening in Uzbekistan, a seedling breeding base in Kyrgyzstan, and a smart greenhouse program in Kazakhstan.
Gulom Bekmirazev, a professor at the Green University of Uzbekistan specializing in desertification studies and desert economics, has attended several training programs in China. He hopes to organize similar events in Uzbekistan so that more people can benefit from the exchange of experience.
A recent example occurred at the end of July when a three-week training program launched in Yinchuan, the regional capital. Thirty-four eco-experts and officials from Iraq, Jordan, Tunisia, and three other Arab countries participated.
Saifuddin Eturki, a researcher from the Tunisian Institute of Arid Regions, stated: 'We are here to study how China's experience can be adapted to our own conditions.'
China's experience in desert control has also provided valuable insights useful for ecological restoration efforts in other parts of the world. In Saudi Arabia, the integration of China's development of photovoltaic installations with desert restoration offered new concepts for balancing renewable energy development and land rehabilitation. Lessons from China's 'Three Norths' Shelterbelt Program were also shared to support the 'Great Green Wall' Initiative in Africa.
Fan Zhangwen, Director of the Cooperation Center, emphasized: 'Sandstorms know no borders. The exchange of experience and solutions is crucial as countries work together to solve this common problem.'
