Strategies for Water-soil Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture of Southern Hilly and Mountainous Regions

As one of the most severely eroded areas in China,the hilly and mountainous regions of southern China faces an unprecedented challenge in water-soil conservation.This article shows the current situation of the serious soil erosion and degradation of the red soil lands in the regions,as well as the efforts in the past to remedy and prevent further deterioration.Based on the information,4potentially applicable approaches for the development of a sustainable agriculture were drawn.They included(1)the " Theme Agriculture" that focuses on the local specialties taking the over-all planning for the regions into consideration,(2)the " Three-dimensional Agriculture" that maximize the utilization of all available resources,(3)the " Recycling Agriculture" that surrounds the generation and utilization of methane gas,and(4)the " Tourism Agriculture" that combines leisure and ecologyoriented activities.For execution,the following measures were recommended:(1)mapping strategies to fit for the local conditions,(2)streamlining organizational structures to facilitate efficient operations,(3)encouraging cooperation between research institutions and industrial entities to foster innovation,(4)upgrading management to fully capitalize investments,and(5)providing trainings to enhance employee quality.