Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has stressed that herdsmens' living standards should not be lowered as the nation strives to conserve the grasslands.

Wen made the remarks during a two-day tour to Xilingol, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, that ended Sunday.

From the beginning of this year, China is giving financial assistance to herders for their efforts to conserve grasslands and to compensate them for their losses.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao spent the New Year holiday visiting local people in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region in the first two days of 2011, conveying New Year greetings to the locals. [Xinhua]

China's pastoral regions are vast and have great development potential. The development of animal husbandry not only helps herders improve their living standards but also concerns cities' non-staple food supply, the Premier said.

"Periodic bans are an important step to restore the grasslands. They should be implemented gradually. Herders' living standards should not be lowered and pastoral regions' supply of beef and mutton should not be reduced during the process," he said.

Officials should visit yurts to discuss the policy with affected herders, Wen said while inside a yurt, a traditional Mongolian tent.

He called on authorities to devise policies for the sound and fast development of pastoral regions, on the basis of the new reward-compensation mechanism.

He urged local governments to make more efforts to improve grass seeds, livestock and irrigation systems, to provide vocational training for herders and to facilitate the modernization of stock breeding and pasture areas.

In 25 degrees Celsius below zero temperatures, Wen visited the heart of the Xilingol pasture to greet herders in their homes.

He also inspected commodity supplies and prices at a local supermarket before visiting seniors and orphans at local welfare houses.

Wen conveyed New Year greetings to local residents.

Wen made the trip less than two months after the Chinese government announced financial assistance for herders in eight provincial-level regions including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet.

The government will give 90 yuan (about 13 U.S. dollars) per year per hectare to herders living in severely damaged grassland areas where herding has been banned.

Outside of these herding-banned regions, residents will receive 22.5 yuan per hectare per year if they keep a herd of sustainable size.

The government will also give 150 yuan per hectare to farmers to grow grass of better quality. It will also give 500 yuan per year as general assistance to each of 2 million herder households.

More money will also be spent on the education and training of herders.

The central government will allocate 13.4 billion yuan every year for the measures.

"Due to excessive herding and low investment in grassland conservation, grasslands areas in China have shrunk dramatically and their environment has deteriorated. However, local herders lack new ways to make a living," said a State Council circular in October.

The policy is designed to conserve the natural environment and improve locals' livelihoods.