Grazing system and its timeliness in the Gannan Tibetan regions

Grazing system is one of important production relations in the Gannan Tibetan regions, and determines the rational degree of grassland use. The grazing system and its timeliness in the Gannan Tibetan regions was discussed in this study by combining documents from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CKIN) and questionnaires from herders. This study showed that the grazing system in Tibetan region of China went through three stages, including nomadic system of feudal serfdom, nomadic system of socialism and household contract system of socialism, and their replacement was regulated by responding of grazing system to production relations. The questionnaires results showed that over 50% of herders were dissatisfactory with current grazing system due to low income, in which 50% of herders was in the state of poverty. Over 71% of herders thought that the current grazing system should be improved to increase their income and life condition, in which over 50% of herders selected the classification management for grazing grassland as future pattern of grazing system.