NO.304JUNEADB BRIEFS2024KEY POINTSHybrid Paper Mulberry:Hybrid paper mulberry(HPM)is a perennial woodyA Climate-Resilient Option forfodder tree witha life spanof15-20 years.There isEcological Agriculture and Pasturageevidence it can provide highlynutritious and low-costin the Yellow River Basinfodder for livestock.HPM is environmentallyfriendly and economicallybeneficial,with highLan LeJianjun Jinbenefit-cost ratiosEnvironmental EconomistConsultant,SG-AFNR,ADBand a life cycle that fitsAgriculture,Food,Nature,and RuralProfessor,Beijing Normal Universitywell into the circularDevelopment Sector Officeeconomy framework(SG-AFNR)Dil RahutDespite subsidies andAsian Development Bank (ADB)Vice Chair,Research Departmentpolicy support from theand Senior Research FellowGovernment of the People'sRatna V.ReddyAsian Development Bank InstituteRepublic of China(PRC),theConsultant.SG-AFNR.ADBexpansion of areas plantedProfessor,Livelihoods and Naturalwith HPM declined between2015 and 2020.Not manyResources Management Instituteit,even with high subsidysupport.Noneconomicfactors are critical in farmers'decision to plant HPM.BACKGROUNDBridging the gap betweenlab (scientific)and landGlobally,woody forage is a commonly used livestock feed.Different varieties of woody(practical),on the one hand,forage,depending on the native natural environment,are being developed and used asand policy and practicelivestock fodder.Hybrid paper mulberry (HPM)has been developed indigenously in the(implementation),on thePeople's Republic of China(PRC)and promoted and used within the country.HPM isother,is critical to increasea perennial woody tree crop with a life span of 15-20 years.It can be grown in variedthe areas under HPMclimatic conditions and soils,including degraded and barren lands.It also reduces soil andcultivation,particularly in thewater erosion and improves soil quality over time.HPM is a fast-growing plant and can bePRC's Yellow River Basin.harvested 2-4 times a year in temperate regions,3-6 times in the subtropics,and 5-8 timesin the tropics.Depending on the geographical and climatic conditions,annual yields of HPMrange between 6 tons per mu'(in temperate regions)and10 tons per mu (in the tropics).2Notes:In this publication,"refers to United States dollars.This briefwas peer-reviewed byDevelopment Department,Asian Development Bank (ADB)1A mu is a Chinese unit of measure (1 mu 0.067 hectares).2 ADB.2023.Strategic Research on Environmentally Sustainable Development of Paper MulberryEcological Agriculture and Pasturage in the Yellow River Basin:A Policy Strategy Report.Consultant'sreport (TA 6777-PRC).1SBN978-92-9270-780-4(print)1SBN978-92-9270-781-1(PDF)1SSN2218-2675PDF)Publication Stock No.BRF240331-2DO:http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/BRF240331-2ADBADB BRIEFS NO.304HPM is used as livestock feed as it contains nutrients beneficialThe policy and promotional interventions to expand areas underto livestock.3 HPM silage has a dry weight crude protein contentHPM cultivation in the Yellow River Basin have had differentialof 19%,crude fiber content of 63%,and crude fat of 5%.Theseimpacts over the past years.HPM's economic and environmentalcontent values are,in most cases,higher than those of alfalfa.benefits have been observed in rural areas,including its contributionto improving household livelihoods and alleviating poverty.DrawingGiven its environmental and nutritional benefits,planting HPM ison the available narratives from surveys of three selected pilota good land-use option to address competing demands on land tocounties (Table 1),this policy brief identifies the potential benefitsprovide food for both human and livestock populations in the PRC.of HPM at the household,industry,and end-user levels.In this regard,the Institute of Botany at the Chinese Academy ofSciences has focused on studying native plant resources to developpaper mulberry.Using hybrid vigor (outbreeding enhancement)Table 1:Survey Details of Selected Pilot Countiesand space-carrying capacity methods,the institute successfullybred a woody,high-protein,and functional variety of HPM.ThisHouseholdinnovation is a substitute for grain as feed.HPM also fits into theCounty Province(Farmer)IndustryEnd Usercircular economy system of production,fodder,processing,andfeed.In other words,HPM promotes an integrated ecologicalLankao County,16615Henan Provinceagriculture technology system for forage-tree-based livestockproduction,known as the "paper mulberry-feed-livestock system."Pu County,16110Shanxi ProvinceHPM is also known to provide economic benefits through improvedFuping County,15813quality of poultry products(translating into greater quantity andShaanxi Provincehigher selling price),reduced cost of livestock feed,and increasedfarm income.s Given its environmental and economic gains,inTotal485438addition to its resilience to grow on degraded lands,HPMwasSource:Asian Development Bank estimatespromoted by the Government of the PRC in the Yellow River Basinregion between 2015 and 2020 through farm subsidies,marketsupport,and industry promotion.The government providedBased on the economic and environmental interlinkages of thepoor households with subsidies for land-use shifts from grains toHPM life cycle,this policy brief offers a rationale for promotingfeed cultivation.Through the agriculture and poverty alleviationHPM in the Yellow River Basin,with the help of the circularfunds,an HPM industry value chain was developed,focusing oneconomy framework.The objective is to examine and understand(i)promoting the economic,ecological,and poverty alleviationthe reasons for the subdued response of farmers to expandingbenefits from the links between HPM and animal husbandry;andareas under HPM cultivation using a detailed field study.The brief(ii)strengthening the mechanism for improving the sustainablealso provides insights into the possible constraints and policydevelopment capabilities of poor households.options for the sustained promotion of HPM.These insights mayhelp guide the various line departments and agencies involved inThe Asian Development Bank(ADB)technical assistance projectpromoting HPM in the Yellow River Basin.on paper mulberry production in the Yellow River Basins prepareda policy strategy(footnote 2),which demonstrates the benefits ofHPM through piloting in selected counties,alongside householdCIRCULAR ECONOMY ANDsubsidies,technology transfer,and market support systems.After being implemented for 5 years,the subsidy program wasCLIMATE CHANGE:POTENTIAL USEdiscontinued.The processing industry took up HPM farmingandOF HYBRID PAPER MULBERRYprocessed raw fodder into feed (e.g.,pellets,powder).Despitemultiple benefits and advantages,including strong support fromCircular Economy Framework of Hybrid Paper Mulberrythe government,farmers'response to the expansion of the HPMareas has beenlukewarm.In fact,areas planted with HPM drasticallyThe life cycle of HPM reflects an integrated system of the circulardeclined in most counties as soon as the government supporteconomy approach,which ensures environmental sustainabilityprograms ended.Given the value of sustaining HPM in the contextwithout compromising economic sustainability.Adopting thecircular economy is fundamental for achieving climate changeunderstand the process of adoption and nonadoption by farmers.targets.While the agriculture sector contributes substantiallytoR.Du et al.2020.Available Evidence in Applicationof Paper Mulberry in Animals Breeding.IOP Conference Series:Earth and Environmental Science.440.022100.ADB.2023.Strategic Research on Environmentally Sustainable Development of Paper Mulberry Ecological Agriculture and Pasturage in the Yellow River Basin:HybridPaper Mulberry Industry Skills Training Manual.Consultant's report (TA 6777-PRC).5A.Ghosh,D.Gangopadhyay,and T.Chowdhury.2017.Economical and Environmental Importance of Mulberry:A Review.International Journalof Plant andADB.People's Republic of China:Strategic Research on Environmentally Sustainable Development of Paper Mulberry Ecological Agriculture and Pasturage inthe Yellow River Basin.