Sustainable Farmland Transfer and Food Production: Economic and Policy Perspectives in Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

Farmland transfer, as a critical mechanism for optimizing agricultural resource allocation, has garnered increasing attention in the context of global food security, rural revitalization, and sustainable development. However, the rapid urbanization, climate pressures, and food security imperatives demand sustainable transfer models that can balance productivity, equity, and ecological resilience. This Special Issue aims to explore the multifaceted relationships between sustainable farmland transfer, food production, and the underlying economic dynamics and policy frameworks, with a focus on generating evidence-based insights for scholars and policymakers. From an economic perspective, this issue will examine how market mechanisms, transaction costs, and incentive structures influence farmers’ decisions in land transfer, as well as the impacts of transfer patterns (e.g., rental, sharecropping, or collective management) on agricultural productivity, farm efficiency, and farmers’ income. It will also explore the role of factor endowments (e.g., labor, capital, and technology) in mediating the effects of farmland transfer on food production, including crop yield, quality, and diversification. Policy perspectives are equally central, as government interventions—such as land tenure reforms, subsidy policies, and regulatory frameworks—play a pivotal role in shaping the direction and outcomes of farmland transfer. Contributions are encouraged to analyze the design, implementation, and effectiveness of policies aimed at promoting sustainable transfer practices, addressing potential risks, and aligning transfer activities with national and global food security goals.

Key themes to be covered include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The impact of farmland transfer on food production efficiency, stability, and sustainability (e.g., through scale economies, adoption of modern technologies, or sustainable farming practices).
• Economic incentives and constraints for farmers engaging in sustainable land transfer, including income effects and risk mitigation.
• Policy tools for balancing farmland commercialization with food security, such as land use planning, tenure security, and ecological compensation mechanisms.
• Regional and international comparisons of farmland transfer models, highlighting context-specific challenges and best practices in diverse agricultural systems (e.g., smallholder-dominated vs. large-scale farming regions).
• The role of digitalization, financial innovation, and institutional arrangements in facilitating transparent, inclusive, and sustainable farmland transfer.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and policy analyses that employ quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches, including case studies, econometric modeling, and participatory research. By synthesizing cutting-edge research on these topics, this Special Issue seeks to advance theoretical and empirical understanding of how sustainable farmland transfer can be leveraged to enhance food production capacity while fostering equitable and environmentally sound agricultural development.

Dr. Qian Wang
Dr. Bangbang Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.