Scholarlink

<p>We examined whether, with proper adjustments to production, payments for ecosystem services (PES) can improve food supply while easing pressure on natural resources. Using China’s Grassland Ecological Compensation Policy (GECP) as a case study, we found that the GECP encourages a shift from traditional extensive grazing to intensive feedlot farming, benefiting both grassland conservation and increased meat production. Guided by a conceptual model, we analyzed data from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and showed that the GECP positively impacts grassland conditions. It also reduces the sheep population while increasing cattle numbers, along with higher outputs of mutton and beef. Mechanism analysis indicated that the rise in meat production is linked to the GECP-driven industrialization of livestock farming, driven by the expansion of feedlot-based livestock enterprises. At the household level, the GECP has also prompted changes in production, such as greater use of concentrated feed and the adoption of improved livestock breeds. Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the GECP has a stronger effect in regions with better grassland resources. This study highlights how the GECP influences grassland preservation and food security in pastoral areas, and shows that the negative effects of PES on certain production activities can be reversed. These findings provide valuable policy insights for developing future PES programs that balance ecological protection with food production.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Achieving Win–Win Outcomes for Ecological Conservation and Food Security through Payments for Grassland Ecosystem Services

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月6日

查看全文
  • Huang Chen,
  • Jianjun Tang,
  • Min Liu

摘要

We examined whether, with proper adjustments to production, payments for ecosystem services (PES) can improve food supply while easing pressure on natural resources. Using China’s Grassland Ecological Compensation Policy (GECP) as a case study, we found that the GECP encourages a shift from traditional extensive grazing to intensive feedlot farming, benefiting both grassland conservation and increased meat production. Guided by a conceptual model, we analyzed data from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and showed that the GECP positively impacts grassland conditions. It also reduces the sheep population while increasing cattle numbers, along with higher outputs of mutton and beef. Mechanism analysis indicated that the rise in meat production is linked to the GECP-driven industrialization of livestock farming, driven by the expansion of feedlot-based livestock enterprises. At the household level, the GECP has also prompted changes in production, such as greater use of concentrated feed and the adoption of improved livestock breeds. Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the GECP has a stronger effect in regions with better grassland resources. This study highlights how the GECP influences grassland preservation and food security in pastoral areas, and shows that the negative effects of PES on certain production activities can be reversed. These findings provide valuable policy insights for developing future PES programs that balance ecological protection with food production.