Eco-Compensation and Agriculture: Lessons from the United States, Questions for the People’s Republic of China

Why is agriculture important for eco-compensation? Agriculture is key to food security, rural livelihoods, economic growth, and human survival; but, it is also a major source of environmental degradation. Current farming practices (e.g., tillage, introduction of new plant varieties, application of fertilizers and pesticides, etc.) are associated with loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, desertification, and water and air pollution. Hence, it is vital for the People’s Republic of China to examine ways to improve the ecosystem functions of working farmlands. Find out the major tools used in the United States and lessons from the US experience in incentivizing farming practices that maintain or improve ecosystem services.