Satellite imagery shows China's achievements in combating desertification in Xinjiang

Satellite imagery has showed that China's effort to contain the expansion of the extra-large Taklimakan Desert by encircling it with a sand-blocking green belt has paid off.

The Taklimakan Desert, located in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, covers 337,600 square km and its circumference measures 3,046 km, making it the largest desert in China and the second-largest drifting desert in the world.

The project to fully enclose the desert with a green belt spanned over 40 years, and its completion was achieved at the end of 2024.

On the northern edge of the Taklimakan Desert lies the Aiximan Lake area, located in Awat County, Aksu Prefecture.

Previously plagued by desertification, soil erosion and wetland degradation, this lake area in the western part of the Aksu River basin was once a major source of windblown sand in the basin's oasis.

Today, it is a lush landscape, with expansive forests standing tall and lucid rivers meandering along the forest's perimeter.

This transformation began in 2021 with the implementation of Aksu's ecological restoration and desertification control project. Harnessing recycled water resources from Aksu and Wensu County, the project utilized artificial irrigation as its central strategy to establish an ecological protection forest. This was complemented by the cultivation of economic and timber forests.

The region regenerates approximately 50 million cubic meters of water annually, supporting the irrigation needs of around 500,000 mu (about 33,333 hectares) of ecological restoration forests.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Aiximan achieved ecological restoration across 788,500 mu (approximately 52,567 hectares). The forest coverage rate in the region jumped from 4.5 percent to 45 percent, and the wetland vegetation coverage rate rose to 82 percent.

Qiemo County on the southeastern edge of the Taklimakan Desert also undertook a desert control project at the same time, including the planting of 150,000 suosuo tree saplings across 800 hectares of previously desertified land.

Moving farther south to the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, one can witness a burgeoning green energy sector.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, photovoltaic stations were constructed along the desert's southern edge, and large plantations of vegetation such as Alfalfa emerged on the outskirts of this vast desert, effectively halting the desert's expansion.

Satellite imagery shows China's achievements in combating desertification in Xinjiang

China has made full preparations for the upcoming autumn grain procurement as the summer procurement approaches its end, according to the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration.

For now, the country's total amount of wheat procurement has exceeded 100 million tons.

To protect grain farmers' interests, the government has promptly activated the minimum purchase price program for wheat. Sinograin has opened 164 purchasing sites across two major producing provinces of Henan and Anhui, offering to buy wheat at prices supported by the policy without any volume cap.

"The payment for my grain came through quickly today, and I feel much more at ease now that the minimum purchase price policy has been put into effect," said Hou Erwei, a local farmer.

As the autumn grain crop gradually ripens across the coutry, the autumn grain purchasing season is about to begin, expected to run from late September through the end of April next year.

The Autumn season accounts for approximately three-quarters of the country’s total annual grain purchases, making it the most significant grain procurement and storage period of the year.

This year, grain dryers and smart grain-handling equipment have been included into subsidy, helping ensure that the autumn harvest can be purchased, stored, and transported smoothly.

"At present, grain storage capacity, purchasing funds, personnel, equipment, and other resources are all in place. It is expected that grain purchases during this year's peak autumn harvest season will reach approximately 350 million tons. We will strengthen market monitoring and information dissemination, as well as make effective use of the drying and other services provided by post-harvest grain service centers to help farmers reduce losses and increase their incomes," said Luo Shouquan, director of Grain Reserves Department, National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration.

China ready for autumn grain procurement as summer purchase draws to close