China's Guangxi Faces Severe Challenge from DesertificationSouth China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is now facing a grim situation in controlling desertification, according to a recent survey by experts from the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences.The experts said that 2.3 million hectares, or 9.7 percent of the region's total land area, has suffered from a certain degree of sandy or rocky soil problems -- a kind of desertification that occurs usually in southwestern China, where calcareous sandstone often lead to poor soil conditions. According to the survey result, the area suffering from desertification in Guangxi is expanding by 3 percent to 6 percent a year. Though various measures have been taken to control the desertification, the experts said, few results have been achieved due to the lack of financing. They noted that a series of policies should be worked out so as to channel more funds from all possible aspects. |
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