A photo exhibition in Beijing's 798 Art District has put the work of Chinese NGOs in the spotlight, highlighting their support for community efforts to combat climate change.

The exhibition coincided with the International Day for Biological Diversity, which is held annually on May 22.

The event was hosted by the China Association for NGO Cooperation and supported by Oxfam Hong Kong's Beijing office.

The photos highlighted three years of community-led efforts in five areas of northern China, showcasing the innovative approaches and tangible results achieved in the face of extreme climate challenges such as drought, snowstorms and glacial melt.

Hong Liwei, Oxfam project officer, said that the initiative launched in 2023 was firmly aligned with China's National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035.

He added that it has forged a sustainable development path based on "community leadership, ecological restoration and livelihood adaptation" across three critical landscapes: dryland farming areas, grassland pastoral areas and high-altitude ecosystems.

In Wangjinzhuang village in Hebei province, and Aohan Banner in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the project established seed banks for farmers, conserving over 270 varieties of locally sourced seeds, he said.

To address the water scarcity challenges on the 45-degree slopes of the Taihang Mountains in Wangjinzhuang, the project renovated 112 water cellars and ponds, and equipped the village with solar-powered drip irrigation and remote water level monitoring. Villagers can now check water levels on their smartphones, coupled with drone-based field inspections, ensuring complete water coverage for 39 hectares of terraced fields, finally breaking the reliance on rain-fed agriculture.

In Inner Mongolia's Xi Ujimchin Banner, the project has supported the community in establishing a collaborative "fresh grass factory plus pasture bank" model.

The fresh grass factory, utilizing intelligent soilless cultivation technology, is less susceptible to seasonal and weather fluctuations, enabling consistent year-round production of high-quality feed.

The pasture bank implemented a "40 percent guaranteed reserve plus 60 percent revolving operation" mechanism.

Sixty percent of the feed was involved in market circulation to improve utilization efficiency. The introduction of "grass vouchers" and low-interest loans has ensured that herders can purchase feed at 10-20 percent below market prices during disaster years, mitigating fluctuations in grass prices.

In the Jiatang and Nianbaoyuze areas in Qinghai province, the project has supported herders in forming co-management committees, using traditional knowledge like "dung-based seed broadcasting" to restore 173 hectares of degraded black soil land.

The project has also supported women in establishing cooperatives to develop handicrafts, with a turnover exceeding 200,000 yuan ($29,500) in 2025, Hong said.

Photographer and curator of the exhibition in Beijing, Qiubi, shared her experiences in documenting the whole project and curating the exhibition.

More than 80 of her documentary photos captured scenes of Tibetan herders sowing grass seeds on the plateau 4,000 meters above sea level, and elderly farmers repairing field ridges on stone terraced fields in Wangjinzhuang. "The photos showcase these grassroots communities' actual actions in response to climate change," Qiubi said.

chenliang@chinadaily.com.cn