Potential measures for sustainable agricultural development in Karst regions of Southwest China

The present review article emphasizes the necessity and basis of implementing the action plans reflecting the basic ideas and principles pertaining to sustainable agricultural development. The possible and adequate development of the ecological and sustainable models and measures that could be an appropriate outreach for the geographical features of ecologically fragile Karst regions of Southwest (SW) China have also been highlighted in this review. The analysis exhibited that the sustainable agricultural development in this area means the exploitation of agro-ecosystems on sustainable basis with an aim to maintain healthy and sustainable balance between the supply and demand of needs of inhabitants, via the process of agricultural production; ecological construction and agricultural sustainable development. Sustainable agricultural development can also promote the sustainable development of the ecological environment. Ecological construction can be achieved by adopting such measures as returning farmlands to forests and soil erosion control, adjusting land use structure and developing stereo agriculture and mixed farming, increasing the investment in agriculture, developing eco-agriculture and adopting the sustainable population policies. Sustainable agricultural development needs the economic support and preferential policies of government; therefore, in the process of returning farmlands to forests and multi dimensional cultivation schemes, there is dire need to ensure that the farmlands returned to forests will not be destroyed again and multi cultivation schemes will be fostered to increase livelihood of locals and it will be considered first step to combat desertification in Karst region of China.