Land Use Policy and Food Security

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Water, Energy, Land and Food (WELF) Nexus".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 November 2024) | Viewed by 18195

Special Issue Editors

Sichuan Center for Rural Development Research, College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, 211 Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: land use policy; sustainable livelihoods and poverty; emergency management; rural sustainable development; climate change and behavioral response; resources and environment policy; policy evaluation; rural revitalization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Economics, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 610074, China
Interests: farmers’ livelihood; ecological protection; green and low carbon; disaster economy; sustainable development; resource and environmental carrying capacity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Mountain Development Research Center, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Interests: land use policy; sustainable development of mountain areas; sustainable livelihoods for farmers; resources and environment policy; rural sustainable development; land use transformation; rural revitalization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food security is the foundation of the stable development of human society and economy, and the land use policy of a country is closely related to food security. For example, in recent years, China has implemented a large number of land use policies (such as high-standard farmland construction, one household and one field, and the separation of three rights, etc.), which have profoundly affected the development of related markets (non-agricultural employment market, land transfer market, and socialized service market), changed the pattern of land use by farmers (self-support, transfer and abandon land), and contributed to the food security and sustainable development of China and even the world. However, we still lack systematic research and understanding on how these useful land use policies systematically affect market development, how to reshape farmers' land use patterns, how to change farmers’ planting structure, and how to ensure farmers’ food security and sustainable development. Based on this background, this Special Issue is dedicated to building a theoretical and practical research platform for studies systematically assessing the direct and indirect impacts of land use policies on food security and sustainable development. Original research and review articles in this research field are welcome. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Evolution of logic and enlightenment of land use policy;
  • Land use policy and market development;
  • Land use policy and food security;
  • Land use policy and sustainable development.

Dr. Dingde Xu
Dr. Shili Guo
Dr. Shaoquan Liu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • land use policy
  • food security
  • moderate scale management
  • social service scale management
  • sustainable rural development
  • agricultural systems

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 795 KiB  
Article
Digital Economy, Factor Allocation, and Resilience of Food Production
by Yue Xie, Ruikuan Yao, Haitao Wu and Mengding Li
Land 2025, 14(1), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14010139 - 10 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1117
Abstract
This paper systematically explores the impact of the digital economy on the resilience of food production and its mechanism of action based on panel data from 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China from 2011 to 2022. This study shows that the digital economy [...] Read more.
This paper systematically explores the impact of the digital economy on the resilience of food production and its mechanism of action based on panel data from 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China from 2011 to 2022. This study shows that the digital economy significantly enhances the ability of the food production system to cope with external shocks by improving resource allocation efficiency and mitigating factor mismatch. Specifically, the digital economy directly improves the stability and resilience of food production through the widespread application of digital technology; at the same time, it indirectly contributes to the enhancement of food production resilience by alleviating the mismatch of labor and capital factors. Heterogeneity analyses show that there are regional differences in the impact of the digital economy, in which the main food-producing regions benefit more significantly due to their agricultural resource advantages and policy support, and the improvement of food production resilience in the central region is particularly prominent. This study provides an important theoretical basis and practical reference for exploring the potential of the application of digital economy in agriculture and formulating policies to enhance food production resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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21 pages, 1486 KiB  
Article
Harnessing the Power of Mechanization: A Multivalued Treatment Effect Analysis on Productivity for Chinese Smallholders
by Zhenbang Ma and Huichun Sun
Land 2024, 13(12), 2211; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13122211 - 17 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1074
Abstract
Developing countries, in their pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals, are intensifying their efforts to promote agricultural mechanization, with China at the forefront, through comprehensive policy revisions aimed at enhancing mechanization levels. This study employs multivalued treatment effect (MVTE) and quantile treatment effect [...] Read more.
Developing countries, in their pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals, are intensifying their efforts to promote agricultural mechanization, with China at the forefront, through comprehensive policy revisions aimed at enhancing mechanization levels. This study employs multivalued treatment effect (MVTE) and quantile treatment effect (QTE) methodologies to assess the impact of agricultural mechanization on labor and land productivity while also examining the seffects across different farm sizes and moderating influences. Leveraging data from the 2016 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey, the findings indicate that semi-mechanized and full-mechanized farming, compared to no-mechanized farming, significantly boost labor and land productivity for both average and lower-to-mid-level productivity farmers. Disaggregated analysis by farm size shows that larger farms benefit significantly from semi-mechanized and full-mechanized farming in terms of increased labor and land productivity. However, the incremental benefits of varying levels of mechanization on productivity are observed only in labor productivity for farmers with mid- and upper-level productivity and for those in the largest farm size group. Additionally, land transfer status, government subsidies, and the intensity of clan culture are found to significantly influence the productivity effects of agricultural mechanization in China. Consequently, it is imperative to reorient agricultural policies towards enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of mechanization, especially considering the constraints on labor and land availability and the need to minimize the environmental impact of agricultural production. In light of these discussions, this paper presents policy implications for sustainable agricultural mechanization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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26 pages, 5559 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Change or Qualitative Change: The Impact of Whole-Region Comprehensive Land Consolidation on Cultivated Land Security—Based on Panel Data from Townships in Zhejiang Province
by Jin Li, Yongpeng Ding, Ming Jing, Xiangyu Dong, Jiaxi Zheng and Luoyu Gu
Land 2024, 13(12), 2158; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13122158 - 11 Dec 2024
Viewed by 944
Abstract
Land consolidation is a crucial strategy for optimizing land use structure and ensuring cultivated land security and food safety. Since 2019, Zhejiang Province has been piloting and exploring Whole-Region Comprehensive Land Consolidation (WRCLC). However, there remains an insufficient understanding of the feasibility of [...] Read more.
Land consolidation is a crucial strategy for optimizing land use structure and ensuring cultivated land security and food safety. Since 2019, Zhejiang Province has been piloting and exploring Whole-Region Comprehensive Land Consolidation (WRCLC). However, there remains an insufficient understanding of the feasibility of WRCLC in ensuring cultivated land security and its potential for synergy with other policies. This study utilizes panel data from 707 townships in Zhejiang Province spanning from 2013 to 2022. By categorizing cultivated land security into two dimensions—quantity and quality—this study employs a double machine learning approach to evaluate the impact of WRCLC policies on township cultivated land security. The results indicate that implementing WRCLC significantly enhances both the quantity and quality of cultivated land. A heterogeneity analysis reveals that WRCLC is particularly effective in improving the quality of cultivated land in non-major grain-producing areas and low economic development areas. Furthermore, examining policy synergies indicates that agricultural mechanization and agricultural industry integration policies work well in conjunction with WRCLC, thereby enhancing both the quantity and quality of cultivated land. However, the synergy with rural tourism policies improves cultivated land quality without effectively increasing cultivated land quantity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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15 pages, 604 KiB  
Article
How Does China’s Agricultural Subsidy Policy Drive More Commercially Productive Small Farmers? The Role of Farmland Scale, Labor Supply, and Cropping Structural Change
by Jian Zhang, Awais Jabbar and Xin Li
Land 2024, 13(12), 2058; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13122058 - 30 Nov 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1744
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of China’s agricultural subsidy policy on farmers’ commercial production, indicated by sales market participation. A nationally representative survey data, panel Tobit model, IV Tobit model, and the Correlated Random Effects (CRE) approach were used. The findings reveal that [...] Read more.
This study investigated the impact of China’s agricultural subsidy policy on farmers’ commercial production, indicated by sales market participation. A nationally representative survey data, panel Tobit model, IV Tobit model, and the Correlated Random Effects (CRE) approach were used. The findings reveal that farmers receiving agricultural subsidies have improved crop sales’ share of total output value. Mechanism analysis reveals that agricultural subsidies have driven up farmland scale and increased agricultural labor supply in production, incentivizing the motive for profit maximization among farmers. Meanwhile, agricultural subsidies also encourage farmers to cultivate more grain crops. Policymakers should continue deepening the reform of agricultural subsidies and promoting farmer specialization and commercial production. Moderate-scale operation of farmland should be one of the targets of agricultural subsidies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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24 pages, 433 KiB  
Article
Can Land Transfer Alleviate Multidimensional Relative Poverty in Rural Areas?
by Benjian Wu, Yiyuan Rong, Xinyu Liang, Haibo Zhu and Xue Shi
Land 2024, 13(11), 1743; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111743 - 24 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1020
Abstract
After eliminating absolute poverty, China’s anti-poverty efforts have shifted towards multidimensional relative poverty. This study uses microdata from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) from 2012 to 2021, applies the Kakwani index to construct a multidimensional relative poverty indicator, and uses an [...] Read more.
After eliminating absolute poverty, China’s anti-poverty efforts have shifted towards multidimensional relative poverty. This study uses microdata from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) from 2012 to 2021, applies the Kakwani index to construct a multidimensional relative poverty indicator, and uses an endogenous transformation model to analyze the impact of land transfer on multidimensional relative poverty in rural areas. The study found that (1) land transfer can effectively reduce the multidimensional relative poverty of farm households. (2) Land transfer has a better mitigating effect on young farmers, farmers with higher literacy levels, and farmers who have not acute poverty. (3) Land transfer alleviates multidimensional relative poverty by increasing agricultural mechanization, business income, off-farm employment, and wage income. (4) The effects of land transfer out and land transfer in on the dimensions of multidimensional relative poverty are heterogeneous. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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21 pages, 2320 KiB  
Article
Digital Economy as a Buffer: Alleviating the Adverse Effects of Land Resource Mismatch on Food Security
by Wenjie Li, Guanyu Guo, Huangying Gu, Shuhao Lai, Yuanjie Duan and Chengming Li
Land 2024, 13(11), 1742; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111742 - 24 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1296
Abstract
In the era of the digital economy (DE), technology factors and data factors, like a two-wheel drive, have not only redefined the mode of production but also innovatively reshaped production relations. To examine how the DE can ensure food security (FS) in China, [...] Read more.
In the era of the digital economy (DE), technology factors and data factors, like a two-wheel drive, have not only redefined the mode of production but also innovatively reshaped production relations. To examine how the DE can ensure food security (FS) in China, this study explores the negative impacts of land resource mismatch (LRM) on FS, the mechanisms of the impacts, and the critical role played by the DE in mitigating its negative impacts, based on China’s provincial-level panel data from 2011 to 2022. This study finds that, first, LRM leads to a reduction in food production, which, in turn, threatens FS, and this conclusion remains robust after a series of robustness tests. Second, the heterogeneity analysis finds that LRM has a greater negative impact on FS in regions with high urbanization levels, regions with a short tenure of officials, and regions that are not major food-producing regions. Finally, in a further analysis, the specific channels and solution paths of the negative impact of LRM on FS are explored in depth. LRM negatively affects the material base and production capacity of food production, including reducing the supply of land, labor, and capital factors for food production; the DE reduces the negative impact of LRM on FS through the use of digital technology and open government data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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21 pages, 1768 KiB  
Article
Influencing Factors of Peasant Households’ Willingness to Relocate to Concentrated Residences in Mountainous Areas: Evidence from Rural Southwest China
by Jia Zhong, Qian Cao, Ruiyin Chen, Shaoquan Liu, Zhaoyang Lian, Hui Yu and Ningchuan Zhou
Land 2024, 13(10), 1705; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101705 - 18 Oct 2024
Viewed by 951
Abstract
Relocating poor people in mountainous areas to centralized settlement sites is an important poverty alleviation policy implemented by China and a key measure to promote stable poverty alleviation and sustainable rural development for the poor. Based on the survey data of 405 peasant [...] Read more.
Relocating poor people in mountainous areas to centralized settlement sites is an important poverty alleviation policy implemented by China and a key measure to promote stable poverty alleviation and sustainable rural development for the poor. Based on the survey data of 405 peasant households in the Panxi Area in 2021, this study constructed a structural equation model (SEM) to explore the influencing factors of peasant households’ willingness to relocate to a concentrated residence. The results showed the following: (1) Of the 405 peasant households surveyed, 20.98% were unwilling to move to centralized resettlement sites, making it more difficult to carry out the relocation policy for poverty alleviation. (2) Living environment, living conditions, important social groups, the economic benefits, living benefits, and survival benefits brought by concentrated residences, governments, and the village committees significantly influenced the willingness to relocate to a concentrated residence. In contrast, agricultural income, ecological benefits, and value benefits brought by the concentrated residence had little effect on the willingness to relocate to a concentrated residence. (3) Land force, human force, cognitive force, and national force significantly positively affected the peasant households’ willingness to relocate to a concentrated residence. This study is of great significance in promoting the implementation of poverty alleviation and relocation policy, improving the efficiency of relocation and promoting the wellbeing of peasant households. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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23 pages, 504 KiB  
Article
Effects of Conservation Tillage on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity in Black Soil Region: Evidence from Heilongjiang Province, China
by Mei Zhang, Hanye Zhang, Yun Deng and Chuanqi Yi
Land 2024, 13(8), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081212 - 6 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1593
Abstract
The implementation of conservation tillage is crucial for the preservation and utilization of black soil. This study examined 297 new agricultural management entities in five pilot counties in the black soil region of northeast China. Using the SBM-Undesirable model, this study measured and [...] Read more.
The implementation of conservation tillage is crucial for the preservation and utilization of black soil. This study examined 297 new agricultural management entities in five pilot counties in the black soil region of northeast China. Using the SBM-Undesirable model, this study measured and evaluated the agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) of these entities. We further employed the Tobit model to explore the impact of conservation tillage on the AGTFP. The findings revealed that the average AGTFP value of the sample entities was 0.4364, indicating a generally low degree of AGTFP that exhibited significant variation. Improvement in input indicators (such as machinery) and undesirable output indicators (such as net carbon emissions) was particularly needed. Additionally, conservation tillage had a significant positive impact on AGTFP, with a higher number of applied technologies correlating with increased productivity. Material subsidies for conservation tillage offered greater direct cost relief and had a stronger positive effect on AGTFP in comparison with cash subsidies. Furthermore, apart from policy factors, key production and operation characteristics—such as access to agricultural materials—also significantly influenced AGTFP. The results of this study offer a valuable decision-making framework and scientific reference for countries in black soil regions worldwide, enabling them to enhance the conservation and sustainable utilization of this vital resource. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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17 pages, 823 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Farmers’ E-Commerce Adoption on Land Transfer: Evidence from Ten Provinces across China
by Yitao Wang, Weidong Wang, Xuemei Jiang and Hui Wang
Land 2024, 13(7), 1066; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071066 - 16 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1266
Abstract
Rural e-commerce is rapidly expanding in rural China, profoundly affecting the agricultural and rural development of China. This paper focuses on the impact of farmers’ e-commerce adoption on land transfer, aiming to reveal the role of farmers’ e-commerce adoption in promoting rural transformation. [...] Read more.
Rural e-commerce is rapidly expanding in rural China, profoundly affecting the agricultural and rural development of China. This paper focuses on the impact of farmers’ e-commerce adoption on land transfer, aiming to reveal the role of farmers’ e-commerce adoption in promoting rural transformation. Based on the 2020 Comprehensive Survey of Rural Revitalization in China conducted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, this study employs the method of least squares and propensity score matching to evaluate the impact of farmers’ e-commerce adoption on land-transfer behaviors in China. The results indicate that farmers’ e-commerce adoption promotes farmers’ participation in land transfer, significantly facilitating farmers’ land transfer in and increasing the area of land acquired. Additionally, farmers’ e-commerce adoption also promotes the trend of standardization and contractualization in land transfer, significantly increasing the probability of farmers signing formal agreements, clarifying lease terms, and renting land to strangers when acquiring land. This study can provide some theoretical inputs for policies to promote the development of agricultural land markets in developing countries and for policy formulation to promote e-commerce development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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24 pages, 663 KiB  
Article
Study on the Spatial Effects of Grain Change on Food Security of Feed from the Perspective of Big Food
by Qiang Chen, Zhiming Yu, Hua Deng and Haitao Wu
Land 2024, 13(7), 1063; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071063 - 16 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1499
Abstract
Using panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2005 to 2020, this paper uses a spatial double difference model to evaluate the policy impact of the “grain-to-feed” policy on feed grain production in pilot areas and adjacent spatial areas. Research has found [...] Read more.
Using panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2005 to 2020, this paper uses a spatial double difference model to evaluate the policy impact of the “grain-to-feed” policy on feed grain production in pilot areas and adjacent spatial areas. Research has found that the “grain-to-feed” policy has a significant impact on the feed grain production in pilot areas and can significantly increase the feed grain production in pilot areas by about 2.71 million tons. The “grain-to-feed” policy has strengthened the positive connection between pilot areas and adjacent pilot areas, increased feed grain production, and has a significant spatial spillover effect. Robustness analysis shows that whether using different methods to measure spatial adjacency or using different standards to distribute subsidies, the “grain-to-feed” policy can significantly increase feed grain production, narrow the supply and demand gap of feed grain, and ensure feed grain security. Further analysis shows that the “grain-to-feed” policy can not only ensure the security of feed grain for the current and next periods but also promote the increase in farmers’ income, which is long-term and sustainable. Compared with non-pilot areas, the “grain-to-feed” policy can mitigate the negative impact of wage–price signals on feed grain production in pilot areas. It is recommended that government departments accelerate the transformation of food security concepts, establish a “Big Food Perspective”, gradually promote the pilot of the “grain-to-feed” policy nationwide, increase the subsidy amount of the “grain-to-feed” policy, increase financial support for scientific and technological research and achievement transformation in the field of feed grain, prevent the impact of economic price signal fluctuations on feed grain production, and effectively ensure the security of feed grain in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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17 pages, 58512 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Distribution and Driving Mechanisms of Cropland Long-Term Stability in China from 1990 to 2018
by Yuchen Zhong, Jun Sun, Qi Wang, Dinghua Ou, Zhaonan Tian, Wuhaomiao Yu, Peixin Li and Xuesong Gao
Land 2024, 13(7), 1016; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071016 - 8 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1213
Abstract
Long-term stability is crucial in cropland for maintaining stable agricultural production and ensuring national food security. However, relatively few studies have been conducted on the long-term stability of cropland at the national level. This study assessed the long-term stability of cropland in China [...] Read more.
Long-term stability is crucial in cropland for maintaining stable agricultural production and ensuring national food security. However, relatively few studies have been conducted on the long-term stability of cropland at the national level. This study assessed the long-term stability of cropland in China from 1990 to 2018 using a fine-resolution land use dataset. The experimental results indicated that the average area of unstable cropland in China from 1990 to 2018 amounted to 2.08 × 106 km2, 47.31% of the total. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau exhibited the highest average proportion of unstable cropland at 65.9%, followed by the northern arid and semiarid region, Southern China, and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau. The quantity of unstable cropland in China initially declined before increasing, reaching a final growth rate of 5.09%. Furthermore, this study explored the relevant driving factors of cropland’s long-term stability from both natural factors and human activities based on artificial neural networks. The relative importance of distance to vegetation reached a value of 0.30, indicating that it had the most significant influence on the long-term stability of cropland, followed by relief amplitude and soil type. This phenomenon may be attributed to the inadequate execution of the Grain for Green Policy and the requisition–compensation balance of cropland policy, along with the depletion of young and middle-aged laborers due to urban migration from rural areas. Local governments should focus on addressing the unsustainable exploitation of sloped land in rural mountainous or hilly regions while preventing urban developers from appropriating fertile cropland to compensate for less fertile areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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23 pages, 6276 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Evaluation and Evolution Characteristics of Consistency Level of Black Soil Conservation Policy, Taking China’s Black Soil Protection Policy as an Example
by Fan Zhang, Peng Han, Ling Wu and Zhanwei Tian
Land 2024, 13(6), 800; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060800 - 5 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1291
Abstract
Scientifically evaluating China’s black soil protection policy and exploring its evolution characteristics are crucial for promoting high-quality and efficient black soil protection projects worldwide. Utilizing the Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index model, the effectiveness of China’s black soil protection policy system is assessed. [...] Read more.
Scientifically evaluating China’s black soil protection policy and exploring its evolution characteristics are crucial for promoting high-quality and efficient black soil protection projects worldwide. Utilizing the Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index model, the effectiveness of China’s black soil protection policy system is assessed. Building upon this evaluation, the research delves into the evolution process of the black soil protection policy system, examining its dynamic characteristics across different government levels. Through the application of text mining technology and visual analysis techniques, the study explores four dimensions: keyword co-occurrence, vertical synergy calculation, policy theme identification, and policy tool analysis. The results show the following: (1) The PMC index showed a phased growth trend, and various indicators gradually improved and tended to be stable. (2) Government policies at the same level exhibit progressive evolution patterns in terms of policy keywords and themes. (3) Across different levels of government, there are hierarchical lag evolution rules observed in policy keywords and provincial policy tools. Additionally, policy keywords display vertical synergy evolution patterns. In conclusion, future black soil conservation policies need to reduce hierarchical delays, enhance the coverage and comprehensiveness of policy content, and establish a sound policy feedback mechanism. The conclusions of the study are significant for improving management approaches throughout the black soil zones of the world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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23 pages, 1925 KiB  
Article
Farmland Rental Market, Outsourcing Services Market and Agricultural Green Productivity: Implications for Multiple Forms of Large-Scale Management
by Heng Zhang and Xiangyu Guo
Land 2024, 13(5), 676; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050676 - 13 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1338
Abstract
Large-scale management is the key to realizing long-term agricultural growth in smallholder countries. Land-scale management and service-scale management are two forms of agricultural large-scale management. The former is committed to changing the small-scale management pattern, but the latter tends to maintain it. There [...] Read more.
Large-scale management is the key to realizing long-term agricultural growth in smallholder countries. Land-scale management and service-scale management are two forms of agricultural large-scale management. The former is committed to changing the small-scale management pattern, but the latter tends to maintain it. There has been a lack of discussion and controversy about the relationship between the two. From the perspective of market maturity, this paper explores whether the two are complementary or mutually exclusive and how their complementary or mutually exclusive relationship affects agricultural green productivity. The results show the following: Land-scale management and service-scale management are complementary, not superficially contradictory. The benign interaction between the two has a consistent improvement effect on green productivity in both the short and long term, which has spatial spillovers appearing in the long term. The reasons are as follows: The farmland rental market can reverse the inhibitory effect of the current low-maturity outsourcing services market on green productivity. The outsourcing services market can delay the arrival of the inflection point beyond which expansion of farmland rental transactions reduces green productivity, and amplify the positive effect of farmland rental on it. Although the degree of benign interaction between the two forms of large-scale management has gradually increased in recent years, it is still low overall. Agricultural large-scale management in China is still in the stage driven by land-scale management. Smallholder countries such as China need not worry prematurely about which large-scale management path to take, and they should treat both forms of large-scale management with an equal perspective to accelerate the high-level interaction between them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use Policy and Food Security)
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