STORY: Arab experts learn from China's experience in desert control in NW China 
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 17, 2024
DATELINE: Nov. 24, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:37
LOCATION: LANZHOU, China
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): XU HAOFU, Xinhua correspondent
2. various of Minqin County
3. various of the tour of experts from Arab
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): NISREEN SAED AL-QADDI, Assistant professor, Palestinian Farmers Union
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): ABDEL RAHMAN AL-THUMAYRI, Senior irrigation networks specialist, Saudi Irrigation Organization
6. file of residents of Minqin County planting trees in deserts
7. file of foreign experts tour in Minqin County 
8. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): MOHAMED A.E. ABDEL RAHMAN, Researcher, Egypt's National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS)
9. SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): ABDEL RAHMAN AL-THUMAYRI, Senior irrigation networks specialist, Saudi Irrigation Organization

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): XU HAOFU, Xinhua correspondent
"Is there knowledge to be found in the desert? Behind me, it's not just weeds and sand. In Minqin Desert Botanical Garden, the land is used to select and preserve sand-fixing plants."

In Minqin, a county between the Badain Jaran and Tengger Deserts in the northwestern province of Gansu, greening methods such as drip irrigation and sand barriers have helped increase local forest coverage from 11.52 percent in 2010 to over 18 percent last year. 

A group of experts from Arab countries and regions is participating in a technical training program hosted by the Gansu Desert Control Research Institute in the county. 

During the hands-on experience program, participants learned about China's innovative approaches to sandstorm prevention, oasis preservation, and ecological restoration.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): NISREEN SAED AL-QADDI, Assistant professor, Palestinian Farmers Union
"I'm particularly impressed by several technologies here. First, the use of biotechnology helps crops better adapt to this environment. Second, sand barriers effectively control desert movement. Additionally, the wind observation towers that measure direction and speed are advanced measures to prevent future environmental impacts."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): ABDEL RAHMAN AL-THUMAYRI, Senior irrigation networks specialist, Saudi Irrigation Organization
"There are many similarities between northwest China and Saudi Arabia in terms of environmental challenges, such as desertification, sparse vegetation, low biodiversity, and limited rainfall. We've adopted China's desertification control techniques in our efforts."

Minqin Desert Control Experimental Station was established in 1959. 

It now attracts experts from around the world to learn from China's experience in desert control. 

SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): MOHAMED A.E. ABDEL RAHMAN, Researcher, Egypt's National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS)
"My expertise is in soil science, particularly desertification. I came here to exchange knowledge with Chinese experts and apply these techniques in Egypt. We face vast areas of moving sand dunes that hinder economic development, especially in agriculture. Many of Egypt's landmarks also suffer from the effects of wind and sand."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): ABDEL RAHMAN AL-THUMAYRI, Senior irrigation networks specialist, Saudi Irrigation Organization
"Saudi Arabia is collaborating with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on a sand barrier project, which uses techniques from China. We've conducted a series of mechanical sand barrier tests to assess their effectiveness in Saudi Arabia."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lanzhou, China.
(XHTV)