Implementation effects of the grazing withdrawal project in national key ecological function zones: A case study of Yanchi County in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

In this study, we selected the national key ecological function zones, Yanchi County in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, as the research area. Based on the sampling survey data of 221 farmers in 16 villages of 4 towns, we established a comprehensive evaluation index system, which included 18 indices such as the characteristics of the project, ecological, social, and economic benefits, as well as sustainability of the grazing withdrawal project. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP), R-type clustering analysis, and variation coefficient were used to evaluate the comprehensive implementation effects of the grazing withdrawal project. The results showed that the comprehensive implementation effect of the grazing withdrawal project is generally good, with a score of 0.627. In terms of the specific effects ranked from high to low, these are the ecological, economic, and social benefits, as well as the sustainability and characteristics of the grazing withdrawal project. This indicates that the implementation of the grazing withdrawal project has resulted in good ecological, economic, and social benefits, but the sustainability of the project is still at a low level. Owing to the fact that farmers pay less attention to the characteristics of the grazing withdrawal project, the evaluation result of the characteristics is also at a low level.