Bold experiment transforms barren desert into green pasture in Xizang

In a remote corner of the Tibetan Plateau, a bold agricultural experiment is turning barren desert into productive pasture — and delivering a financial lifeline to hundreds of herding families.

In Ge'gyai county, Ngari prefecture of Xizang autonomous region, a man-made grassland project is reshaping the rural economy. Villagers, aided by state funding, have carved out more than 200 hectares of irrigated pasture in one of the most inhospitable parts of Xizang, generating both green cover and green income.

Lhakpa Ngodrub, head of Vombudangsang township, said the artificial grassland has significantly eased winter feed shortages, helping reduce pressure on the region's natural pastures.

"It also improves soil quality, curbs desertification, and conserves water resources, contributing to the sustainable development of our local ecosystem," Ngodrub said.

The initiative is part of a broader government-led effort to boost local incomes — especially among nomadic herdsmen — by diversifying income sources. Villagers have transformed once desolate desert into a green oasis through soil improvement, irrigation canal construction, and land leveling.

By 2024, a total of 239 hectares of artificial grassland had been cultivated, generating 2.29 million yuan ($314,000) in revenue. The project has benefited more than 800 residents from nearly 250 households, with an extra income of 2,851.9 yuan per capita.