Three sites in China have been recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization upon review on Nov. 10, 2023. To date, 22 sites in China have been inscribed into the GIAHS list, making China the largest single contributor to the list.   

The three newly acknowledged sites are the Kuancheng Traditional Chestnut Eco-Planting System in Hebei Province, the Tongling White Ginger Plantation System in Anhui Province, and the Xianju Ancient Chinese Waxberry Composite System in Zhejiang Province.     

The Kuancheng Traditional Chestnut Eco-Planting System in Hebei Province boasts a history of over 3,000 years, featuring an integrated system with chestnut cultivation as the core together with crops, medicinal herbs, and poultry farming. Adapting to local conditions, local residents have developed integrated planting-poultry production,   tree pruning management, and the rational utilization of water and soil resources, thus effectively preserving local agricultural species and biodiversity.     

The Tongling White Ginger Plantation System in Anhui has a history of over 2,000 years. White ginger from Tongling is renowned for its large size, thin skin, abundant juice, and less residue, tasting crisp and tender while smelling fragrant. Local residents have developed three unique production techniques, i.e., ginger pavilions for seed preservation and germination acceleration, elevated fields and ridges for cultivation, and shade growth provided by sheds.                  

The Xianju Ancient Chinese Waxberry Composite System is an integrated agricultural system for mountainous regions featuring waxberry cultivation, tea cultivation, poultry, and apiculture. Xianju is one of the homes of waxberry cultivation, boasting a cultivation history of 1,600 years. After thousands of years of selection, breeding, and cultivation, Xianju has accumulated abundant waxberry germplasm with diverse types, rich varieties, and complete taxonomic lineages. The system currently comprises 13,425 century-old waxberry trees.