The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund
Introduction to Grant Projects
Peat-Greening Assocition
Prevention of desertification and improvement of the living environment through wide-scale planting of "shagi" (Sea-buckthorn) in Jinchang city, Gansu Province, China
Activity grant
- Project Description
In Jinchang City, Gansu Province, China, erosion of agricultural land from Badain Jaran and Tengger Deserts is intense and due to the Chinese government policy of restoring agricultural land to forest, it is necessary to secure farmlands for cultivation of cash crops for the farmers who came from the plains to secure an income. The Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China recommends Shagi (Sea-buckthorn) as a shrub for soil erosion control (type of Sabo works). Among Shagi, we have been conducting cultivation experiments on "sub-species 1", which harvests a large quantity of fruit, for three years. We will implement large scale planting based on the results of the experiments. Working in cooperation with local organizations, over the next three years we will raise seedlings on 3 ha of land and go on to plant poplar trees and shrubs on 18 ha of land, promoting evolution into agricultural land. Additionally, the use of fruits to make beverages will contribute to the income of the farmers.
- Fields
- Preservation of surface soil and forests
- Grant year
- FY2008 Activity Grants
- Grant term
- 3 years
October 2008 - September 2011
- Grant amount
- 7,200,000 yen
- Activity region
- Area of Jinchang City, Gansu Province, China between Badain Jaran Desert and Tengger Desert

Overview of the Organization

- Representative
- Takashi Kawakami, Chairperson
- Established
- 2006
- Establishment purpose
- To conserve and improve the natural environment on a large scale and increase the food supply by transforming barren land into agricultural land and green space through utilization of peat, natural organic materials, etc.
- Main Activity Area
- Jinchang City and Wuwei City, Gansu Province, China
- Staff
- 1 full-time member, 17 part-time members, 194 full members
- Annual operating income
- 5,800,000 yen in 2007, 124,750,000 yen in 2008, 137,740,000 yen in 2009
- Main Activities
- The Japan Peat Society, which is the predecessor of our organization, was established in 1990 by Professor Murai Sukenaga (former President of Waseda University). In 2006, we established our organization as the organization in charge of the greening business of the former Japan Peat Society. In 2008, we took over all operations of the Japan Peat Society. In the 1990s, our organization at the time cultivated crops using peat in the Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region and carried out rice cultivation in the shapotou district of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, with each project achieving results. Since 2000, in the arid desert zone of Wuwei City, Gansu Province, we carried out greening through planting shrubs resistant to dry weather. In 2006, we (newly reformed Peat-Greening Society) took over this work. Since 2006 we have taken over and are implementing the operations of Japan Peat Society group including holding lectures, creating bulletins and publishing the technical journal "Journal of Peat Society".