The project site is located in the southeast of Lulong county of Qinhuangdao city. The place features high east and west and low middle with many hills. The Yinma river flows 6km within this township. The main economy is agricultural products including sweet potato, corn, grape, walnut and the main livestock are pig, sheep and chicken. Corn accounts for 50% of total crops and the corn straw are usually open burned in the farm land. Some farmers ever shattered the corn straw as fertilizer. However, due to technical problems, it caused crop underproduction so that farmers lack of willingness to try straw comprehensive utilization any more.
Main problems:
1. open burning straw in the farm land is still the main way that the farmers deal with the straw, which has caused air pollution in Heibei and Beijing;
2. low level of straw comprehensive utilization;
3.technical support to farmers on straw comprehensive utilization is not enough; there is 1-2 technicians for an entire township;
4.the comprehensive utilization cost of straw for individual household is high which hinder the farmers action.
Solutions/activities:
1. Organize press conference and workshop to raise awareness on straw comprehensive utilization;
2. Support to establish a farmer's cooperative to collect and store straw;
3. Train technicians on technologies of straw comprehensive utilization including straw for edible fungus cultivation, straw as feed for sheep and chicken breeding;
4.Mobilize farmers to participate in straw comprehensive utilization;
5. Establish a internet platform for technology sharing and information dissemination.
Anticipated results/outcomes:
1.about 75 people including local government officials, researchers, farmers and other stakeholders participated in project press conference and workshop, which is covered by 20 media;
2. a farmers cooperative registered and collect 20000 tons of straw, which equals to reduce 26000 tons of CO2 emissions;
3. about 20 technicians trained on straw comprehensive utilization and support 50 farmers to pilot technology of straw comprehensive utilization;
4. through mobilization, 100 household participated in project and their income increase about $488 per capita per year;
5. policy and regulations on straw comprehensive utilization reaches to general public and policy recommendation is submitted to local government through local people's congress.