Consensus on protection of terraces announced in central China

CHANGSHA, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- A consensus on the conservation and sustainable development of the terrace has been announced at a conference in central China's Hunan Province.

Attracting more than 100 participants from China, Britain, the United States, Thailand, Rwanda, Pakistan and other countries, the event, themed "From Ziquejie Terraces to the World: Global Farming Culture Exchange and Mutual Learning Conference," took place on Wednesday.

Discussions were held on the protection and inheritance of agricultural heritage, the development of cultural tourism, and the protection and restoration of ecosystems.

Highlighting the significant role terraces have played in food supply and safeguarding biodiversity, all parties agreed that the protection of the terrace and the sustainable development of surrounding regions should be a common objective.

The Ziquejie Terraces in Xinhua County, where the conference was held, is one of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems and World Heritage Irrigation Structures, designated respectively by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage.

So far, a total of 78 systems have been listed as agricultural heritage sites by the FAO, with China topping the list with 19 such systems.