ABSTRACT
The experimental region, Shouyang County, is in the central area of Shanxi Province in the hilly areas of the Loess Plateau with an elevation of 1200 meters. This is a rainfed agricultural region in the semihumid area liable to drought. In these areas, agricultural resources,farmland, solar energy and crop residues, are abundant and the production potential of crops is great. The area is suitable for overall development of farming, forest and animal raising. However, the waste of natural resources is serious because of the disposition of resources and farming structure. Agricultural productivity and economic benefits are decreasing. The agricultural environment is worsening. The sustained agricultural development in the region faces a critical challenge. Investigation of the agricultural development and sustained utilization of natural resources for the region has an important theoretical and realistic significance.
