Grain-for-green policy and its impacts on grain supply in West China

China's grain-for-green policy of converting steep cultivated land to forest and grassland is one of the most important initiatives to develop its western inland regions. Using a multi-objective programming model, this study assessed the impacts of this policy in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River. In addition to the strategic planning of converting cultivated land to forest and grassland and its associated impacts, three other scenarios were simulated. Results showed that impacts on grain supply at the national level were in the range of 2–3%. These results suggest that the proposed policy might not have a major impact on China's future grain supply and the world grain market. At the local level, however, impacts could be significant.