Urbanising Tibetan Nomads

The houses seen above are being built high up on the Quinghai plateau in an attempt to urbanize nomad Tibetans, whose Yak herding the Chinese government believes is causing desertification. These houses are a 3 day walk from the nearest town and employment opportunities are limited high up on the Tibetan plateau. Not only does this policy cause a multitude of problems for the displaced Tibetan Nomads, but the causes of Chinese desertification are far greater than nomadic Yak herding.

Each family receives 8,000 Yuan (1,060 dollars) for moving and 100,000 people are expected to move by 2010, resulting in a massive cultural shift in the area.





Tibetan nomadic herding

Sources:
http://environmentdebate.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/chinas-desertification-policy-and-urbanization-of-tibetan-nomads/

http://www.sinodaily.com/reports/100000_Tibetan_nomads_ordered_to_settle_in_towns_999.html

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5guapJRda-NSrCy_q7Qn3W4ONf0yg


Image: jim mcgill photography