IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v13y2024i8p1300-d1457814.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spillover Impacts of the Utilization of Winter Fallow Fields on Grain Production and Carbon Emissions

Author

Listed:
  • Lanping Tang

    (College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China)

  • Ge Shen

    (College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China)

  • Min Cheng

    (College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China)

  • Chengchao Zuo

    (College of Public Administration, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China)

  • Feiyang Li

    (Dongfang College, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Jiaxing 314408, China)

  • Hang Liu

    (Dongfang College, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Jiaxing 314408, China)

  • Shaohua Wu

    (College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China)

Abstract

Abandoned cropland is a widespread issue globally, with the impacts of utilizing abandoned cropland, such as grain production and carbon emissions, raising increasing concern. However, existing studies have largely overlooked the potential spillover effects on other regions through grain flows when increasing grain production in one region by utilizing abandoned cropland. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively estimate the impacts of using winter fallow fields (a typical seasonal abandoned cropland) on grain production and carbon emissions, particularly its neglected spillover impact. Focusing on Zhejiang province, this study used remote sensing techniques to identify winter fallow fields in 2018 and then assessed the impact of using those winter fallow fields on grain production based on grain yield data from the FAO, as well as its local and spillover impacts on carbon emissions based on the Greenhouse Gas Emission Factor method and a transportation carbon emission model. The results indicate the following: (1) The winter fallow fields in Zhejiang cover 5,161,000 hectares, accounting for 40.8% of the total cropland, with a notable prevalence in Jiaxing, Huzhou, Jinhua, and Quzhou. (2) Using winter fallow fields would increase grain production by 1,870,000 tons. (3) At the same time, local carbon emissions would rise by 261,000 tons if using winter fallow fields, but this would be paired with a reduction of 668,000 tons of carbon emissions from other regions (that is, a spillover impact), reflecting a net reduction (−447,000 tons) in overall emissions. In conclusion, using winter fallow fields can achieve a ‘win–win’ effect, increasing grain production while reducing carbon emissions. This study highlights that the spillover effects of using winter fallow fields on carbon emissions significantly surpass the localized impact, underscoring a critical aspect that has been traditionally undervalued, which should be paid more attention when policymakers formulate and implement cropland use policies. This study not only contributes to the academic discourse on sustainable land management but also serves as a practical guide for policymakers seeking to optimize agricultural productivity while curtailing the carbon footprint, thereby advancing towards a more secure and environmentally responsible food system.

Suggested Citation

  • Lanping Tang & Ge Shen & Min Cheng & Chengchao Zuo & Feiyang Li & Hang Liu & Shaohua Wu, 2024. "Spillover Impacts of the Utilization of Winter Fallow Fields on Grain Production and Carbon Emissions," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:8:p:1300-:d:1457814
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/8/1300/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/8/1300/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wu, Wenbin & Yu, Qiangyi & You, Liangzhi & Chen, Kevin & Tang, Huajun & Liu, Jianguo, 2018. "Global cropping intensity gaps: Increasing food production without cropland expansion," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 515-525.
    2. He, Yafen & Xie, Hualin & Peng, Chaozhong, 2020. "Analyzing the behavioural mechanism of farmland abandonment in the hilly mountainous areas in China from the perspective of farming household diversity," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    3. Ojha, Roshan Babu & Atreya, Kishor & Kristiansen, Paul & Devkota, Deepa & Wilson, Brian, 2022. "A systematic review and gap analysis of drivers, impacts, and restoration options for abandoned croplands in Nepal," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carlos Durán Gabela & Bernardo Trejos & Pablo Lamiño Jaramillo & Amy Boren-Alpízar, 2022. "Sustainable Agriculture: Relationship between Knowledge and Attitude among University Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-11, November.
    2. Zhongen Niu & Huimin Yan & Fang Liu, 2020. "Decreasing Cropping Intensity Dominated the Negative Trend of Cropland Productivity in Southern China in 2000–2015," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Qiaowen Lin & Peter Sammonds & Mengxin Xu & Zhe Zhu & Yu Cao, 2024. "The Current Scenario of Farmland Abandonment in China: A Systematic Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, October.
    4. Kotir, Julius H. & Bell, Lindsay W. & Kirkegaard, John A. & Whish, Jeremy & Aikins, Kojo Atta, 2022. "Labour demand – The forgotten input influencing the execution and adoptability of alternative cropping systems in Eastern Australia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    5. Amit Kumar Srivastava & Suranjana Bhaswati Borah & Payel Ghosh Dastidar & Archita Sharma & Debabrat Gogoi & Priyanuz Goswami & Giti Deka & Suryakanta Khandai & Rupam Borgohain & Sudhanshu Singh & Asho, 2023. "Rice-Fallow Targeting for Cropping Intensification through Geospatial Technologies in the Rice Belt of Northeast India," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-18, July.
    6. Junna Liu & Siyan Zeng & Jing Ma & Yuanyuan Chang & Yan Sun & Fu Chen, 2022. "The Impacts of Rapid Urbanization on Farmland Marginalization: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta, China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, August.
    7. Yue Zhang & Guihua Liu & Zhixing Ma & Xin Deng & Jiahao Song & Dingde Xu, 2022. "The Influence of Land Attachment on Land Abandonment from the Perspective of Generational Difference: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-15, September.
    8. Guohua Ding & Mingjun Ding & Kun Xie & Jingru Li, 2022. "Driving Mechanisms of Cropland Abandonment from the Perspectives of Household and Topography in the Poyang Lake Region, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-22, June.
    9. Shen, Ge & Yu, Qiangyi & Zhou, Qingbo & Wang, Cong & Wu, Wenbin, 2023. "From multiple cropping frequency to multiple cropping system: A new perspective for the characterization of cropland use intensity," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    10. Jingjing Sun & Jie Li & Yue Cui, 2024. "Does Non-Farm Employment Promote Farmland Abandonment of Resettled Households? Evidence from Shaanxi, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-20, January.
    11. Hodjo, Manzamasso & Dalton, Timothy & Nakelse, Tebila, 2021. "Cereal Land Allocation Under Weather and Price Uncertainties in West Africa," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315177, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Han, Jichong & Zhang, Zhao & Luo, Yuchuan & Cao, Juan & Zhang, Liangliang & Zhuang, Huimin & Cheng, Fei & Zhang, Jing & Tao, Fulu, 2022. "Annual paddy rice planting area and cropping intensity datasets and their dynamics in the Asian monsoon region from 2000 to 2020," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    13. Prishchepov, Alexander V. & Ponkina, Elena V. & Sun, Zhanli & Bavorova, Miroslava & Yekimovskaja, Olga A., 2021. "Revealing the intentions of farmers to recultivate abandoned farmland: A case study of the Buryat Republic in Russia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    14. Widanage, Rupananda & Chan, Catherine & Tsanga, Yin-Phan & Sipes, Brent & Melakeberhan, Haddish & Sanchez-Perez, Amílcar & Mejía-Coroy, Alfredo, 2022. "Enhancing Technical Efficiency and Economic Welfare: A Case Study of Smallholder Potato Farming in the Western Highlands of Guatemala," Economia agro-alimentare / Food Economy, Italian Society of Agri-food Economics/Società Italiana di Economia Agro-Alimentare (SIEA), vol. 24(01), February.
    15. Chuangjuan Zhang & Hongming He & Ali Mokhtar, 2019. "The Impact of Climate Change and Human Activity on Spatiotemporal Patterns of Multiple Cropping Index in South West China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-21, September.
    16. Yu, Qiangyi & Xiang, Mingtao & Sun, Zhanli & Wu, Wenbin, 2021. "The complexity of measuring cropland use intensity: An empirical study," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 192.
    17. Hong, Changqiao & Prishchepov, Alexander V. & Bavorova, Miroslava, 2024. "Cropland abandonment in mountainous China: Patterns and determinants at multiple scales and policy implications," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    18. Qianru Chen, 2022. "Analyzing Farmers’ Cultivated-Land-Abandonment Behavior: Integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior and a Structural Equation Model," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, October.
    19. Tingting Li, 2022. "Planting Structure Adjustment and Layout Optimization of Feed Grain and Food Grain in China Based on Productive Potentials," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    20. Zhaoxia Guo & Qinqin Guo & Yujie Cai & Ge Wang, 2021. "Unraveling Risk Networks of Cultivated Land Protection: An Exploratory Stakeholder-Oriented Case Study in Xiliuhe Town, Hubei Province, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-26, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:8:p:1300-:d:1457814. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.