Subsidies turn desert control into moneymaker

Hotan's "first-build-then-subsidize" policy has proved popular. According to the prefecture's forestry and grassland administration, 69,900 residents from 18,600 households across 814 villages in the prefecture have participated in the initiative so far. The desertified areas they've volunteered to treat exceed 60,300 hectares.

Ablikim Sawur, head of the administration, said about 13 million yuan in "first-build-then-subsidize" funds have already been distributed for 660 hectares of desertified area planted in the fall of 2024.

Residents are expected to benefit from the trees and shrubs they've planted very soon, he said.

The financial viability hinges on clever agricultural engineering. On Sudiomar's plot, a high-yielding, large-fruited oleaster variety is grafted onto native wild oleaster rootstock.

"Wild oleaster is incredibly tolerant of poor soil and harsh winds," said Li Zhijun, a professor of plant diversity conservation in arid regions at Tarim University. "Its ease of establishment is the primary reason it was chosen."

Li said that by grafting a commercial variety onto the oleaster, they achieve an eco-friendly windbreak that produces marketable fruit for the beverage processing industry.

Interplanted alfalfa acts as a nitrogen-fixing crop, gradually enriching the desert sand with organic matter so it can eventually support delicate food crops like wheat. Starting in the third year, the grafted oleasters are projected to generate 22,500 to 30,000 yuan per hectare, with the harvested alfalfa bringing in an additional 30,000 yuan per hectare.

"This approach captures the essence of green development: protecting the ecology while ensuring economic prosperity for the people," she said.