Building capacity for climate-proofing

of fruit horticulture development in China

This project is founded by the:

WORLD AGROFORESTY CENTER (ICRAF) Southeast Asia Research Programme and

Robert Bosch Stiftung (Germany).

Aims of the Project:

The main aim of this project is to build the capacity of scientists and stakeholders in China’s climate (NCC, Dr Jiang Tong) and horticulture science sectors (CAAS, Prof Qiao Xiansheng) to develop effective actions for adaptation to climate change impacts in the fruit production sector and to prepare proposals for collaborative research. Joint future research will be focused on climate related damages on fruit trees, possible adaptation strategies for fruit growers and on costs of climate change in the Chinese fruit growing sector. Latest experiences in this field of research from Humboldt-University will be considered, adapted and advanced for the Chinese conditions. In the future long-term joint research initiatives on this topic are planned.

Background for the Study:

China’s fruit horticulture sector is an important part of global fruit production and trade. With more than 11 million ha of fruit trees, China has 17% of world horticultural area. China’s exports of fruit and fruit products account for about 9% of global exports, and about 5% of China’s total agricultural export value. Apples are an important crop: 40% of the world’s apples are grown in China, and China’s apple product exports account for about 14% of global apple product export value. In 2005, a quarter of Germany’s dried fruit imports were from China, and 20% of single strength apple juice imports were from China, accounting for almost 15% of China’s apple juice exports. With several large fruit product importing and processing companies dependent to different degrees on Chinese fruit exports, climate change impacts on China’s fruit production will also have implications for these companies’ value chain management. All these figures attest to huge growth in the horticulture sector in the last 20 years. Since 1990, China’s horticulture area has doubled, and total apple yield has increased more than 5 times. Research shows that most of the increase in supply is being produced by small, relatively poor farmers (Wang et al 2006).

Climate change impacts on fruit production therefore has direct impacts on the incomes of tens of millions of small holders. Between 1996 and 2006 the area under fruit production increased 1.89% p.a. but in SW and NW China the area increased by 7.5% and 4.5% p.a. respectively. Most of the expansion in apple production has been in non-traditional production areas in northwest China, and mostly in hilly and mountainous areas where fruit production does not compete with grain production. Many of these areas are characterized by water scarcity and climate variability.

Project Partners:

1. World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) China Program (Project Coordination)
Dr. Andreas Wilkes, Climate Change Adaptation Specialist
Zhongguancun Nan Dajie
100081 Beijing
E-mail: a.wilkes@cgiar.org

2. Humboldt-University of Berlin (HU)
Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture
Professorship of Agriculural Climatology
Prof. Dr. Frank-M. Chmielewski
Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 5
D-14195 Berlin
E-mail: chmielew@agrar.hu-berlin.de

3. Shaanxi Cash Crop Agrometeorology Service Station (MSS)
Dr. Wang Inghong, Director
Beiguan Xhengstreet 36
710015 Xi'an
E-mail:jh0406@yahoo.cn

4. National Climate Center of the Chinese Meteorological Administration (NCC)
Dr. Jiang Tong, Senior Climate Impact Assessment Scientist
Zhongguancun Nan Dajie
100081 Beijing
E-mail: jiangtong@cma.gov.cn

5. Zhengzhou Fruit Research
Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)
Prof. Dr. Qiao Xiansheng, Director of Research
450009 Zhengzhou, Henan
E-mail: qiaoxsh@163.com

Workshop (22 - 26 March 2010):

Schedule for the Training Workshop 
The study material will be available on the workshop.