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Reducing land fragmentation to curb cropland abandonment: Evidence from rural China

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  • Linyi Zheng
  • Liufang Su
  • Songqing Jin

Abstract

Reducing land fragmentation can theoretically curb cropland abandonment, thus ensuring food security. However, few studies have quantified this relationship using large‐scale survey data at the household level. This study adopts a two‐way fixed‐effects (TWFE) model to examine the effect of land fragmentation on cropland abandonment using nationally representative panel data from the China Rural Household Panel Survey (CRHPS). The panel data set contains 15,138 households across 29 provinces in 2017 and 2019. We find that land fragmentation has a significant and positive relationship with cropland abandonment. The mechanism analysis reveals that this relationship is due to high labor costs and difficulties in renting out the fragmented land. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that farmers with poor human capital and those living in non‐plain areas are at a higher risk of abandoning their cropland due to land fragmentation. Furthermore, the association between land fragmentation and cropland abandonment tends to vary across different land rent‐in scenarios. For instance, an increase in the number of plots in the case of land rent‐in is not necessarily associated with cropland abandonment. These findings are conducive to correcting the underestimation of the role of land fragmentation in cropland abandonment, and their implications may be extended to various countries. La réduction de la fragmentation des terres peut théoriquement freiner l'abandon des terres cultivées, assurant ainsi la sécurité alimentaire. Cependant, peu d'études ont quantifié cette relation à l'aide de données d'enquêtes à grande échelle au niveau des ménages. Cette étude adopte un modèle bidirectionnel à effets fixes (TWFE) pour examiner l'effet de la fragmentation des terres sur l'abandon des terres cultivées à l'aide de données de panel représentatives au niveau national de l'enquête par panel auprès des ménages ruraux en Chine (CRHPS). L'ensemble de données de panel contient 15 138 ménages dans 29 provinces en 2017 et 2019. Nous constatons que la fragmentation des terres a une relation significative et positive avec l'abandon des terres cultivées. L'analyse des mécanismes révèle que cette relation est due aux coûts de main‐d'œuvre élevés et aux difficultés de location des terres morcelées. L'analyse de l'hétérogénéité indique que les agriculteurs ayant un faible capital humain et ceux ne vivant pas dans des zones de plaines courent un risque plus élevé d'abandonner leurs terres cultivées en raison de la fragmentation des terres. En outre, l'association entre la fragmentation des terres et l'abandon des terres cultivées a tendance à varier selon les différents scénarios de rente foncière. Par exemple, une augmentation du nombre de parcelles en cas de fermage n'est pas nécessairement associée à l'abandon des terres cultivées. Ces résultats sont propices à corriger la sous‐estimation du rôle de la fragmentation des terres dans l'abandon des terres cultivées, et leurs implications peuvent être étendues à divers pays.

Suggested Citation

  • Linyi Zheng & Liufang Su & Songqing Jin, 2023. "Reducing land fragmentation to curb cropland abandonment: Evidence from rural China," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 71(3-4), pages 355-373, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:canjag:v:71:y:2023:i:3-4:p:355-373
    DOI: 10.1111/cjag.12335
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