An African attendee takes photos of the sand on a field investigation.

Izzy Cole, head of the Department of Natural Resources and Tourism and the Department of Forestry and Bee-keeping of the United Republic of Tanzania, was very interested in the techniques of controlling desertification in Yinkentala. "Although the climate in Inner Mongolia differs from that of Tanzania, I think its sand-control technology provide us an accessible approach,” Cole noted.

Combating desertification doesn't necessarily mean eliminating deserts permanently. Rather, it means preserving ecological balance and realizing harmony between humans and sand. Ecological conditions in Dalad Banner have gone through historic changes since the 1970s. In the recent two years, Dalad Banner has been exploring a new path of balancing ecological development with economic opportunity.