HOHHOT, China (Xinhua) — The per capita disposable income of herdsmen and farmers in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region soared from 131 yuan (about US$19) in 1978 to around 12,600 yuan today, increasing by 95 times, local authorities have said.

China abolished taxes on animal husbandry and agriculture in 2004 and 2005, respectively, to ease the tax burden on herdsmen and farmers. Then, the region implemented a series of policies to offer subsidies to herdsmen and farmers in order to further increase their incomes, said Sun Zhenyun, director of the regional agricultural and animal husbandry department.

Since 2011, China has allocated a fund of 45.56 billion yuan to farmers and herdsmen in Inner Mongolia who have contributed to prairie protection, which has also assisted the restoration of the prairie ecosystem in the region. Each year, over 4.9 million farmers and herdsmen from more than 1.4 million households could benefit from the fund, according to Sun.

The region has also made plans for future development, including the cultivation of specialised farmers and herdsmen cooperatives, helping to establish leading enterprises, improving agricultural and animal husbandry technology, and continuing to increase farmers and herdsmen’s incomes, Sun said.

As one of China’s most important production bases for agricultural and animal products, Inner Mongolia steadily provides 12.5 million tonnes of grain, five million tonnes of milk, as well as 1.5 million tonnes of meat to other parts of the country each year.