09 Jun 2025

Project

Improving sustainable livelihoods for smallholder rubber farmers in Xishuangbanna

This project aims to promote sustainable land use and improve livelihoods in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, a key region in China's natural rubber industry. The rapid expansion of rubber plantations has led to environmental degradation, including deforestation and biodiversity loss, while rural communities face social and economic challenges.

Through three pillars, Constructing Sustainable Rubber Collection Pool, Sustainable Rubber Plantation Management, and Ecosystem Restoration, the project addresses these issues by providing technical training to smallholder farmers, supporting them in achieving Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, and promoting ecosystem restoration practices. This will improve their capacity to meet international requirements for traceability, increase rubber production efficiency, increase market access, and restore degraded ecosystems.

Key partners, including the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Research Institution Garden of Chinese Academy of Science and Xishuangbanna Weifeng Rubber, will collaborate to ensure successful implementation. Managed by Preferred by Nature, the project will foster long-term sustainability by enhancing livelihoods and environmental resilience.

Challenges

Xishuangbanna faces significant environmental challenges due to the rapid conversion of native tropical forests into monoculture rubber plantations. Between 1988 and 2012, rubber plantations increased from 4.5% to 22.2% of the region's area. This transformation has fragmented habitats, threatened endangered species, and reduced ecosystem services. By 2023, Xishuangbanna had lost 4.69 kha of natural forest, contributing to 4.20 Mt of CO₂ emissions.

Additionally, smallholder communities face substantial social challenges, including vulnerability to market fluctuations, urban migration resulting in labour shortages, and a lack of infrastructure and economic diversification.

Beneficiaries

The primary beneficiaries of this project are smallholder rubber farmers and their communities in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. These farmers manage small plots of land that collectively contribute to over 27% of China's natural rubber plantation area. Many come from diverse ethnic groups who have traditionally relied on rubber cultivation as their primary source of income.

Objectives

The project seeks to promote sustainable land use and improve rural livelihoods in Xishuangbanna by building smallholder farmers' capacity to meet international traceability standards, expanding market access, and supporting ecosystem restoration efforts.

Construction of Rubber Collection Pool

New infrastructure will facilitate better environmental practices and sanitary conditions and reduce transportation costs. This pillar includes developing comprehensive traceability systems, operational protocols for standardised collection processes, and training local villagers to manage daily operations with technical, governance, and sustainability skills.

Sustainable Natural Rubber Plantation Management

The project will organise smallholders into groups to facilitate collective action and resource-sharing, making sustainability certification more accessible. Training sessions will introduce sustainable management practices, followed by technical assistance to implement these practices effectively.

Ecosystem Restoration

To promote ecosystem restoration, the project will develop educational resources on its benefits and conduct training sessions for farm leaders and community members to build local capacity in restoration techniques.

Impact

The project will create multiple positive impacts for both communities and the environment: