30
lakes through man-made concrete channels, so riparian vegetation cannot get enough
water. Meanwhile, grassland without livestock is facing other problems, such as an
overpopulation of mice.
These policies, which ignored the indigenous Mongolian culture and their expertise in raising livestock, in turn upset the balance of ecological systems in the lower
reaches. On the other hand, in the middle reaches, the government restricted the
intake of river water. However, no-one paid much attention to groundwater management. Han farmers, living in the middle reaches, simply changed from river water
irrigation to groundwater irrigation. As a consequence, declining groundwater discharge into the river resulted in less river discharge in winter (non-irrigation period)
in the lower reaches because of the complex interaction of the systems [ 23 ]. In
short, the results from our research project clearly showed that the environmental
degradation was caused by farmland expansion in the middle reaches, instead of the
overpopulation of livestock in the lower reaches [ 24 – 28 ].
The key environmental problems in the Heihe River basin are how to effectively
distribute water between the middle and lower reaches and how to support the different
styles of subsistence as well as the natural environment. As we have learned, nomadic
pastoralism, as an adaption to the spatial distribution and the temporal variability of arid
regions, exists across the Mongolian steppes and Eurasia. It disperses the burden on the
environment through movement across the grasslands. On the contrary, settled farming
requires more water. The fodder growing promoted by the government actually created
a new need for water, or in other words, a burden on the environment.
2.2.3 Collective Leadership for Finding Solutions
for Environmental Problems: A Personal View
In recent years, environmental issues are attracting substantial attention from
academics, policymakers, businesspeople, and the general public. However, policymakers and their think tanks and academic institutions are often outsiders who do
not have an adequate understanding of indigenous cultures and other information
about the target regions. Thus, the ideal image drawn by policymakers and researchers may not refl ect the needs of local people. Advanced technologies may not be a
good match for the real circumstances in target regions. Good intentions to solve
environmental issues, as a result, can cause disagreement, or even confl icts.
In the Heihe River basin, the author strongly feels the need to build effective communications between the middle and the lower reaches—the Han farmers and the
Mongolian nomads—as well as communications between policymakers and local
people. Consensus building through discussions and mutual understanding might be
the fi rst step in solving this problem. In Fig. 2.6 , the author’s Mongolian friend, born
in the lower reaches, and a Han friend, born in the upper reaches, are shown enjoying
a party together after a day of hard work. The Han friend, due to his diligence and
kindness, was called Jaahandai by the local Mongolian people, a word often used to
describe something small but lovely. This nickname shows their hospitality and
T. Akiyama et al.
lakes through man-made concrete channels, so riparian vegetation cannot get enough
water. Meanwhile, grassland without livestock is facing other problems, such as an
overpopulation of mice.
These policies, which ignored the indigenous Mongolian culture and their expertise in raising livestock, in turn upset the balance of ecological systems in the lower
reaches. On the other hand, in the middle reaches, the government restricted the
intake of river water. However, no-one paid much attention to groundwater management. Han farmers, living in the middle reaches, simply changed from river water
irrigation to groundwater irrigation. As a consequence, declining groundwater discharge into the river resulted in less river discharge in winter (non-irrigation period)
in the lower reaches because of the complex interaction of the systems [ 23 ]. In
short, the results from our research project clearly showed that the environmental
degradation was caused by farmland expansion in the middle reaches, instead of the
overpopulation of livestock in the lower reaches [ 24 – 28 ].
The key environmental problems in the Heihe River basin are how to effectively
distribute water between the middle and lower reaches and how to support the different
styles of subsistence as well as the natural environment. As we have learned, nomadic
pastoralism, as an adaption to the spatial distribution and the temporal variability of arid
regions, exists across the Mongolian steppes and Eurasia. It disperses the burden on the
environment through movement across the grasslands. On the contrary, settled farming
requires more water. The fodder growing promoted by the government actually created
a new need for water, or in other words, a burden on the environment.
2.2.3 Collective Leadership for Finding Solutions
for Environmental Problems: A Personal View
In recent years, environmental issues are attracting substantial attention from
academics, policymakers, businesspeople, and the general public. However, policymakers and their think tanks and academic institutions are often outsiders who do
not have an adequate understanding of indigenous cultures and other information
about the target regions. Thus, the ideal image drawn by policymakers and researchers may not refl ect the needs of local people. Advanced technologies may not be a
good match for the real circumstances in target regions. Good intentions to solve
environmental issues, as a result, can cause disagreement, or even confl icts.
In the Heihe River basin, the author strongly feels the need to build effective communications between the middle and the lower reaches—the Han farmers and the
Mongolian nomads—as well as communications between policymakers and local
people. Consensus building through discussions and mutual understanding might be
the fi rst step in solving this problem. In Fig. 2.6 , the author’s Mongolian friend, born
in the lower reaches, and a Han friend, born in the upper reaches, are shown enjoying
a party together after a day of hard work. The Han friend, due to his diligence and
kindness, was called Jaahandai by the local Mongolian people, a word often used to
describe something small but lovely. This nickname shows their hospitality and
T. Akiyama et al.