Abstract:

To cope with the problem of global agricultural environment, food security and the crisis of sustainable agricultural development, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) together with other relevant national organizations and several countries initiated to protect Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) in 2002. Qingtian Rice-Fish system was designated as China’s first and the first batch of GIAHS pilot sites, in 2005. Since then, study of systematic agricultural heritage and its conservation and utilization started in China. On the basis of a comprehensive review of the relevant studies, the author reviews the main achievements in conservation and utilization of important agricultural heritage in China over the past 10 years. At the present stage, the core contents of study on agricultural heritage are mainly focus on two aspects. One is value excavation with multi-functional development. Another is dynamic conservation with adaptive management. Around the concept and connotation of agricultural heritage, there are many controversies, which, in turn promoted the understanding of this new type of heritage. The sustainable mechanism within agricultural heritage gives itself value diversity. Study about the value of agricultural heritage highlights the significance of protection. Basically, there are two ways to conserve and utilize agricultural heritage. For one hand, develop multi-functional industrials based on its multi-functional value, including the production of high-quality and characteristic local agricultural products, the development of ecotourism, and the development of cultural industries. For another hand, establish incentive mechanism based on ecological and cultural compensation. In order to carry out dynamic conservation and adaptive management, the establishment of “five in one” multi-stakeholder mechanism and legal guaranteed ordinance are indispensable. Although China has a leading position in agricultural heritage study around the world, it still needs to carry out basic researches in resources census, and characteristics of system evolution and sustainable mechanism, to do more apply researches in framework and mechanism construction, paradigm of dynamic protection. Multidisciplinary comprehensive study is important as well.

Key words: Agricultural Heritage System, Important Agricultural Heritage System, Dynamic Conservation, Adaptive Management, Conservation and Development, Study Review