The World Bank Board of Executive Directors Monday approved a new loan of US$80 million for the People's Republic of China for the Henan Ecological Livestock Project.

The Henan Ecological Livestock Project will help some 600 medium-size livestock farms in Henan Province to adopt environmental health management practices, consequently benefiting 5,000-10,000 farmer households through sustainable development of animal husbandry and contributing to the reduction of environmental pollution from livestock production in the Yellow River Belt.

Henan Province in eastern central China is one of the major producers of livestock products (pork, beef, and dairy) in the country. Expansion of livestock production is an important generator of rural income and employment. But it also causes increasing pollution in the form of nutrient loads in soil and water, particularly in the Yellow River Basin. The enforcement of national standards for nutrient discharge and manure handling and treatment is a challenge especially at the local level.

The project, with a total cost of US$ 160 million, aims to strengthen the ability of government at province, prefecture, city and county levels to manage sustainable development of the livestock industry and improve the enforcement of national standards on livestock waste management. Training, technical and farm management support will be provided to livestock farms, in addition to appropriate infrastructure (civil works and equipment), to minimize, manage and treat their livestock waste.

"We understand that the project will not be able to address all animal waste management issues in the entire province, but we hope that it will have a strong demonstration effect," said Ms. Gayane Minasyan, World Bank Environmental Economist in charge of the project. "While there will be about 600 animal farms and parks involved in the project, it is intended that each beneficiary farm or park will function as a demonstration farm through structured outreach programs for surrounding farms so that the introduced management methods and technologies can be spread. Similarly, we hope that Henan can become a demonstration province for improved waste management methods and technologies, and will attract other provinces of China to learn from its experience, particularly with spatial planning of livestock development in relation to other land use," she added.

(China Development Gateway May 31, 2010)