Research

28 pages, 2340 KiB

Open AccessArticle

White Clover (Trifolium repens L.) Cultivation as a Means of Soil Regeneration and Pursuit of a Sustainable Food System Model

by Barbara Sawicka, Barbara Krochmal-Marczak, Józef Sawicki, Dominika Skiba, Piotr Pszczółkowski, Piotr Barbaś, Viola Vambol, Mohammed Messaoudi and Alaa K. Farhan

Land 2023, 12(4), 838; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040838 - 06 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1992

Abstract

Background: Currently, in the face of constant climate change and the development of the mining industry, recovering soils degraded by industry for agricultural production and ensuring more food security for the world has become more difficult. Soil contamination is of particular concern as [...] Read more.

Background: Currently, in the face of constant climate change and the development of the mining industry, recovering soils degraded by industry for agricultural production and ensuring more food security for the world has become more difficult. Soil contamination is of particular concern as it affects not only human health but also vegetation growth and the biological environment. The aim: The aim of our research is to develop an appropriate cultivation technology in the area of former and present oil extraction areas and monitor their recovery for agricultural purposes and, thus, for food production. Methods: Experimental, descriptive, laboratory, and comparative methods were used. Results: A significantly decreased content of PAHs in the tested soil under the influence of the “Green technology” was observed just in the third year of the research. Eight years after the introduction of “green technology”, the sum of PAHs in the soil degraded by the oil extraction industry was more than 2-fold reduced. Therefore, there is a need to develop a nature-friendly and cost-effective method of removing and minimizing the effects of soil contamination by oil and its products. Conclusions: T. repens turned out to be a species that significantly prevents the degradation of the agricultural environment and restores soil for agricultural use, consequently encouraging the production of food safe for humans. The immeasurable effect of the use of “Green technology” was to ensure the biodiversity of the grasslands and to return the sources of natural nitrogen bound by bacteria of the genus Rhizobium in coexistence with plants from the Fabaceae family. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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23 pages, 2527 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Land Use and Food Security: The Case of the De La Vega Agrarian Shire in the Southern Spanish Province of Granada

by Francisco-Javier Peña-Rodríguez, Francisco Entrena-Durán, Adrià Ivorra-Cano and Agustín Llorca-Linde

Land 2023, 12(4), 747; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040747 - 26 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1927

Abstract

Changes in land use that are taking place in many parts of the world are having varying effects, depending on the case, on food security in diverse environments. This article analyzes how these changes manifest themselves in the De La Vega territory, an [...] Read more.

Changes in land use that are taking place in many parts of the world are having varying effects, depending on the case, on food security in diverse environments. This article analyzes how these changes manifest themselves in the De La Vega territory, an agrarian shire located in the center of the southern Spanish province of Granada. Over recent decades, this shire has been confronted with deep socioeconomic, demographic, and urban transformations that have led and are leading to significant changes in the role of agriculture, land use, and the position of farmers. The results reveal that, over the last four decades, the population has increased (44%), the agricultural area has decreased (40%) as has the usable agricultural land (25%), olive groves have grown exponentially (144%), farms have decreased (68%), and levels of livestock have grown and become more concentrated. Finally, the actions and demands raised by the main actors and social organizations involved in the defense of farming in this shire are examined. These demands and actions have ocurred especially in the peri-urban areas close to what is known as the Granada urban agglomeration, precisely where the changes have been most intense, according to the data analyzed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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16 pages, 290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does the Rural Land Transfer Promote the Non-Grain Production of Cultivated Land in China?

by Yuanyuan Chen, Mu Li and Zemin Zhang

Land 2023, 12(3), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030688 - 15 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1395

Abstract

In facing the situation of food security, the issue of the non-grain production of cultivated land (NGPOCL) in China has attracted more and more attention. To clarify whether rural land transfer promotes NGPOCL in China, this study collected provincial panel data from 2015 [...] Read more.

In facing the situation of food security, the issue of the non-grain production of cultivated land (NGPOCL) in China has attracted more and more attention. To clarify whether rural land transfer promotes NGPOCL in China, this study collected provincial panel data from 2015 to 2020, and constructed multiple econometric models to explore the impact of land transfer on the planting structure of cultivated land. It is observed that an increase in land transfer area does not promote but significantly inhibits NGPOCL at the national level. The research conclusion is still valid after the robustness test of replacing the explained and core explanatory variables and solving the endogenous problems. The heterogeneity analysis suggests that the inhibitory effect is more pronounced in areas with better topography, economy, or grain production conditions. The analysis of the moderating effect shows that the diversification of land transfer modes and directions can mitigate this inhibitory effect, while the signing of land transfer contracts does not show a significant regulatory effect. This paper reveals the effect of land transfer on grain cultivation from a macro perspective. Its conclusions may provide policy implications for the optimization of rural land transfer and curbing NGPOCL in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

37 pages, 8142 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing the Combined Allocation of Land and Water to Agriculture in the Omo-Gibe River Basin Considering the Water-Energy-Food-Nexus and Environmental Constraints

by Sintayehu Legesse Gebre, Jos Van Orshoven and Dirk Cattrysse

Land 2023, 12(2), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020412 - 03 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1810

Abstract

This study applied the Gebre optimization model to optimize the land and water usage in the Omo-Gibe river basin, Ethiopia, where competition among stakeholders and growing demands pose a challenge. This model was applied through a nexus approach to maximize benefits and minimize [...] Read more.

This study applied the Gebre optimization model to optimize the land and water usage in the Omo-Gibe river basin, Ethiopia, where competition among stakeholders and growing demands pose a challenge. This model was applied through a nexus approach to maximize benefits and minimize conflicting trade-offs. The main objective was to maximize the economic benefit from land and water allocation with the framework of the land-water-food-energy-environment nexus under climate change mitigation and river ecosystem services (LWFEEN). This model takes into account multiple dimensions, including economic, environmental, social, and technical factors, going beyond ordinary optimization models. It also incorporates an innovative crop succession allocation concept not often seen in the literature. This crop succession proposal includes sequences of cropping patterns and fallow land use options that closely resemble real-world farming practices. The results demonstrated that the Gebre optimization model effectively resolves the existing constraint conflicts and maximizes economic benefits by reducing costs, penalties, and environmental impacts, promoting sustainable use of natural resources in the Omo-Gibe river basin and avoiding conflicts among stakeholders. Therefore, this study offered decision-makers a strategic perspective on how to apply the Gebre-model within the context of the land-water-food-energy-environment nexus(LWFEEN) approach in river basins such as the Omo-Gibe, with the ultimate goal of achieving sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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13 pages, 28906 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impacts of Rice Cropping System Changes on Paddy Methane Emissions in Southern China

by Min Jiang, Xiubin Li, Liangjie Xin, Minghong Tan and Wen Zhang

Land 2023, 12(2), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020270 - 17 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1634

Abstract

Rice paddies are one of the main sources of anthropogenic terrestrial CH₄. In recent decades, the substitution of single-cropping rice (SCR) for double-crop rice (DCR) has become more common in southern China. However, the concomitant impacts on CH₄ emissions have [...] Read more.

Rice paddies are one of the main sources of anthropogenic terrestrial CH₄. In recent decades, the substitution of single-cropping rice (SCR) for double-crop rice (DCR) has become more common in southern China. However, the concomitant impacts on CH₄ emissions have not been quantified. We incorporated high-resolution rice cropping system maps into the CH4MOD model to calculate changes in CH₄ emissions in southern China due to DCR conversion to SCR over the period 1990 to 2015. We find that a total planting area of 253.64 ×10⁴ ha was converted from DCR to SCR. This conversion resulted in a 451.94 Gg reduction in CH₄ emissions, accounting for 8.4% of CH4 emissions from paddies in China in 2015. The largest reduction was in the Middle–Lower Yangtze plain with high labor pressures. As urbanization continues, we project that the total CH₄ emissions have the potential to decrease by between 17.1% and 9.2% under DCR conversion to SCR in southern China in the extreme and most likely scenarios, respectively. As farmers voluntarily move to SCR in response to labor scarcity, making full use of the land-use change trend of DCR to SCR may be an opportunity to reduce agricultural methane emissions, which is important for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and should be given more attention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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11 pages, 971 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Conservation Tillage Technologies on the Biological Relevance of Weeds

by Jan Winkler, Jiří Dvořák, Jiří Hosa, Petra Martínez Barroso and Magdalena Daria Vaverková

Land 2023, 12(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010121 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1655

Abstract

Limited tillage provides a number of benefits, but a question remains how it affects weed community and biodiversity evolving from the weed community. Our field experiment was established in the cadastral area of Branišovice (South Moravian Region, Czech Republic). Three different tillage technologies [...] Read more.

Limited tillage provides a number of benefits, but a question remains how it affects weed community and biodiversity evolving from the weed community. Our field experiment was established in the cadastral area of Branišovice (South Moravian Region, Czech Republic). Three different tillage technologies were used in this field experiment: conventional tillage, minimum tillage, and no-tillage technology. In 2001–2004, infestation by weeds was evaluated in the stands of spring barley, winter wheat grown after a dicot pre-crop (rape, soybean), in the stands of wheat grown after wheat, and in stands of maize. The recorded weed species were divided according to the criteria of biological relevance. Based on the results of the four-year field experiment, it is possible to state that tillage technologies have only a limited influence on the intensity of weeding but substantially alter the species spectrum of weeds. Weed vegetation in the no-tillage variant exhibits higher values of biological relevance, which allows a higher occurrence of weed-dependent species of organisms. Weed vegetation in the minimum soil tillage variant has the lowest biological relevance values, which limits the occurrence of weed-dependent organisms. Alterations in weeding caused by different tillage technologies are part of the process of vegetation microevolution in the agricultural landscape. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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15 pages, 1770 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Planting Structure Adjustment and Layout Optimization of Feed Grain and Food Grain in China Based on Productive Potentials

by Tingting Li

Land 2023, 12(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010045 - 23 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1330

Abstract

Increasing feed grain supply, particularly domestic supply, is intended to guarantee feed grain security and, as a result, food security. Based on the Global Agro-Ecological Zones (GAEZ) model, the potential yield and actual yield of feed and food grain in China were estimated. [...] Read more.

Increasing feed grain supply, particularly domestic supply, is intended to guarantee feed grain security and, as a result, food security. Based on the Global Agro-Ecological Zones (GAEZ) model, the potential yield and actual yield of feed and food grain in China were estimated. According to the theory of factor endowment, the yield potential development coefficient and the yield efficiency advantage index were then constructed to determine whether the current spatial layout of feed grain is reasonable and how it could be adjusted. The results showed that: (1) There was an imbalance in feed crops production: yield loss in high-potential regions and excessive development in low-potential regions. The imbalances lead to a mismatch between feed production and resource endowment which causes productivity losses and ecological risks. (2) There was considerable potential for increasing the feed grain yield on the Northeast China Plain, the Loess Plateau and in the northern arid and semiarid region. The soybean yield can be increased by about 25%, and the maize yield can be increased by even more. (3) The feed grain should be planted in regions with sufficient potential yield but insufficient actual yield; 26.42% of China’s soybeans and 34.74% of its maize were planted in these regions. (4) Some 16.69% and 15.65% of wheat and rice planting areas could be adjusted to soybeans, respectively; 20.76% and 21.04% of wheat and rice planting areas could be adjusted to maize, respectively. Through agricultural technology research and development, infrastructure support, comprehensive planning design and policy design, the yield potentials of feed grain can be realized. This will redress the imbalance wherein a food grain surplus and a feed grain shortage coexist. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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24 pages, 5049 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Experimental Study of the Social Dimension of Land Consolidation Using Trust Games and Public Goods Games

by Matsatso Tepnadze, Walter Timo de Vries, Pamela Duran Diaz and Quji Bichia

Land 2022, 11(12), 2322; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122322 - 18 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2124

Abstract

Most land consolidation projects envisage reducing fragmentation and aim at increasing productivity, land use efficiency, and competitiveness of rural areas. However, recent insights suggest that social aspects are crucial as well. Hence, a critical assessment of the conditions under which land consolidation can [...] Read more.

Most land consolidation projects envisage reducing fragmentation and aim at increasing productivity, land use efficiency, and competitiveness of rural areas. However, recent insights suggest that social aspects are crucial as well. Hence, a critical assessment of the conditions under which land consolidation can be socially beneficial is necessary. This article aims to identify values and qualitative indicators to measure social preferences and to assess whether one can optimize decision support tools for land consolidation projects with such indicators. Based on an exploratory and concept-centric qualitative literature review, we propose game applications from experimental economics to measure empirical indicators of social capital. The games help to disclose conflicting social preferences and enable a more accurate response to public policy programs/interventions. This is achieved by assessing commonly shared norms of trust, reciprocity, and cooperation within and across social groups in a targeted area. We posit, however, the disparity among bonding, bridging, and linking dimensions of a social capital could have a differential effect on land consolidation instruments. This experimental method applied in Kakheti, Georgia reveals that 1. the farmer communities have varying combinations of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital; 2. the local farmer societies are the archetype of the collaborative model and sharing economy; 3. only a few municipalities show the highest potential for sustainably managing land consolidation projects. Hence, applying economic games that explore social scenarios helps to derive more favourable solutions for land consolidation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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14 pages, 2205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Farmland Change on Vegetation NPP in the One River and Two Streams Region of Tibet

by Yunxi Liu, Xue Wang, Liangjie Xin and Yahan Lu

Land 2022, 11(12), 2223; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122223 - 07 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1154

Abstract

Studies on the impacts of a particular land use type change are relatively rare, especially in the Tibetan Plateau region (TP). This study focused on the impacts of farmland use change on grain supply and ecosystem stability in the Yarlung Zangbo river and [...] Read more.

Studies on the impacts of a particular land use type change are relatively rare, especially in the Tibetan Plateau region (TP). This study focused on the impacts of farmland use change on grain supply and ecosystem stability in the Yarlung Zangbo river and its two tributaries (also known as One River and Two Streams, ORTS), using net primary productivity (NPP), known as the total amount of organic matter left after removal of carbon absorbed from the atmosphere by vegetation through photosynthesis, as a common proxy for farmland productivity and ecosystem stability. The trend analysis method was applied to measure the inter-annual change of NPP, and an ecological impact index was constructed to quantify the impact of farmland use change on the NPP change in the ORTS region. The results showed that: (1) The total area of farmland decreased by 6.09% from 2000 to 2018. Built-up land occupation and ecological restoration were the main reasons for the decrease of farmland area, while there was also new reclaimed farmland, transferred from ecological land. (2) The NPP in the ORTS region was roughly on an increasing trend, while the trends of NPP in different farmland change areas were not the same. Specifically, the NPP of ecological restoration, newly reclaimed farmland, and unchanged farmland areas all showed a significant increasing trend, while the NPP in the area of farmland occupied by built-up land showed a significant decreasing trend. (3) The impact of farmland changes from 2000 to 2018 contributed 1.22% to the increase of NPP in the ORTS region. This study not only provides a research paradigm in quantifying the production and ecological impacts of a particular land use type change that can be applied in related studies in other regions, but at the same time, the results of the empirical analysis in the ORTS region can also provide suggestions for the rational use and conservation of farmland and the stability and sustainable development of ecosystems for the region and even the TP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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22 pages, 7117 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Climate Change and Grain Planting Structure Change on Irrigation Water Requirement for Main Grain Crops in Mainland China

by Jiayue Wang, Liangjie Xin, Xue Wang and Min Jiang

Land 2022, 11(12), 2174; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122174 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1332

Abstract

To understand the change in irrigation water requirement (IWR) in China under the changing climate conditions and grain planting structures, this paper focused on rice, wheat and maize and analyzed the IWR change in each county under the background of climate change and [...] Read more.

To understand the change in irrigation water requirement (IWR) in China under the changing climate conditions and grain planting structures, this paper focused on rice, wheat and maize and analyzed the IWR change in each county under the background of climate change and the adjustment of planting structure by means of the China Agro-Ecological Zones (China-AEZ) model. The results show that: (1) Climate change causes the increase of IWR. Compared with the 1961–1990 period, the average IWR of counties in China increased by 9.31 mm and 16.50% under the climate conditions of the 1981–2010 period. Regionally, the water consumption effect of climate change is stronger in water-poor areas than in water-rich areas. (2) Planting structure change causes the decrease of IWR. Compared with 1990, under the planting structure in 2014, the average IWR of counties in China decreased by 6.61 mm and 11.41%. Regionally, the water-saving effect of the change in planting structure in the north is stronger than that in the south. (3) With the change in climate conditions and planting structure, the average IWR of counties in China first increased and then decreased, with an overall increase of 2.06 mm and 3.56%. Regionally, the IWR in most parts of the country has shown a decreasing trend, while the IWR in northwestern and north China, where water resources are relatively scarce, has increased significantly. (4) Nationally, the change in IWR is dominated by climate change, and the overall trend is in the direction of water consumption. Therefore, adjusting the crop planting structure is a promising way to save irrigation water. To adapt to the pressures on water resources caused by climate change, the proportion of crops with water-saving advantages should be increased in the corresponding areas to achieve regional water savings. In northwest China, which mainly relies on irrigation water, many crops with low IWR should be planted, such as wheat and maize, while the planting proportion of rice should be reduced; furthermore, the planting proportion of wheat should be reduced, and the planting proportion of maize should be increased in north China. Finally, rice with high IWR should be more localized in central, southern and northeastern China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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29 pages, 472 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Human Rights and Large-Scale Carbon Dioxide Removal: Potential Limits to BECCS and DACCS Deployment

by Philipp Günther and Felix Ekardt

Land 2022, 11(12), 2153; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122153 - 29 Nov 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4088

Abstract

Negative emissions technologies (NETs) approaches are an essential part of virtually any scenario in which global warming is limited to 1.5 °C in accordance with the Paris Agreement. Discussions often focus on two technologies due to their substantial carbon dioxide (CO₂) [...] Read more.

Negative emissions technologies (NETs) approaches are an essential part of virtually any scenario in which global warming is limited to 1.5 °C in accordance with the Paris Agreement. Discussions often focus on two technologies due to their substantial carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration potential: bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS). However, the large-scale deployment of both technologies—especially BECCS—may lead to significant human rights infringements. This paper aims to analyze the impact of both technologies on human rights from the methodological perspective of a legal interpretation of international law. It shows that a large-scale BECCS strategy, which inevitably requires enormous land-use changes, will most likely infringe upon the right to food, the right to water, and the right to a healthy environment. In contrast, large-scale DACCS approaches will likely have a smaller human rights impact, but the energy-intensive process could also infringe upon the right to energy. Balancing these human rights with other freedom rights, e.g., of consumers and enterprises, the paper will further demonstrate that from the perspective of human rights, rapid emission reductions and the minimization of livestock farming—and also less risky nature-based options such as peatland and forest management—should prevail before any large-scale industrial NET strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

16 pages, 2669 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coupling and Coordination Relationship between Livelihood Capital and Livelihood Stability of Farmers in Different Agricultural Regions

by Aoxi Yang, Jingqiao Ye and Yahui Wang

Land 2022, 11(11), 2049; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11112049 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1294

Abstract

Sustainable livelihood of farmers is the key to rural revitalization. The purpose of this study was to establish livelihood capital cultivation models suitable for farmers in different agricultural regions and to enhance the sustainability of farmers’ livelihoods by selecting four agricultural regions (suburban [...] Read more.

Sustainable livelihood of farmers is the key to rural revitalization. The purpose of this study was to establish livelihood capital cultivation models suitable for farmers in different agricultural regions and to enhance the sustainability of farmers’ livelihoods by selecting four agricultural regions (suburban agriculture, intensive agriculture, plain field agriculture, and mountain agriculture) and 1025 rural households and employing Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) to systematically analyze the characteristics of livelihood capital and livelihood stability of farmers in different agricultural regions and the coupling coordination relationship between them based on a Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF). The results show that: (1) The average household livelihood capital is highest in intensive agricultural regions and lowest in mountain agricultural regions. (2) Farmers in suburban agricultural regions have a variety of sources of income; thus, the livelihood stability is the highest. while it is lowest in intensive agricultural regions. (3) The coupling coordination degree of livelihood capital and livelihood stability in suburban agricultural regions and plain field agricultural regions is primary coordination, while in intensive agricultural regions and mountain agricultural regions, livelihood capital and stability are slightly out of balance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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23 pages, 21973 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial–Temporal Evolution Characteristics of Landscape Ecological Risk in the Agro-Pastoral Region in Western China: A Case Study of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

by Hao Liu, Haiguang Hao, Lihui Sun and Tingting Zhou

Land 2022, 11(10), 1829; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101829 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1605

Abstract

Landscape ecological risk assessment can reflect the impact of landscape pattern on ecological processes and functions, and has become an important method for predicting and measuring the quality and dynamic evolution of the ecological environment. Studying the trend of landscape ecological risk evolution [...] Read more.

Landscape ecological risk assessment can reflect the impact of landscape pattern on ecological processes and functions, and has become an important method for predicting and measuring the quality and dynamic evolution of the ecological environment. Studying the trend of landscape ecological risk evolution is important for optimizing the regional landscape pattern and maintaining the sustainable development of the ecological environment in ecologically fragile areas. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is a typical agro-pastoral region in northern China, which is facing prominent ecological and environmental problems such as soil erosion and land desertification. With the environmental problems becoming more and more serious, the ecological risk also poses increasing potential danger, which becomes one of the bottlenecks restricting regional economic development. This paper selects Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region as the study area. Based on land use data in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015, the landscape ecological risk assessment model is built from the perspective of landscape ecology, and combines the spatial statistical analysis method and the gravity shift model to explore the spatial–temporal evolution of the spatial distribution characteristics of landscape ecological risk. The results showed that: (1) During the study period, the area of farmland and grasslands has decreased, and the area of forest, water, and settlement has increased; (2) The transformation of land-use types is mainly distributed in the central northern plain and the south valley, where human activities are intensive. The transfer relationship among different land-use types is mainly between grasslands and farmland; (3) The hotspots and aggregation area of landscape ecological risk are mainly distributed along the city belt and irrigated agricultural areas along the Yellow River in the northern Ningxia Plain; (4) From 2000 to 2005, the landscape ecological risk level decreased, and from 2005 to 2015, the landscape ecological risk index continued to rise. We conclude that the natural environment of Ningxia determines the characteristics of the spatial distribution of landscape ecological risk, while the use and modification of land through human activities are the main driving factors of landscape ecological risk change. The results of landscape ecological risk assessment at different scales based on the landscape index will provide support for regional environmental management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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15 pages, 1669 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatio-Temporal Pattern and Spatial Disequilibrium of Cultivated Land Use Efficiency in China: An Empirical Study Based on 342 Prefecture-Level Cities

by Yajuan Wang, Xi Wu and Hongbo Zhu

Land 2022, 11(10), 1763; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101763 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1408

Abstract

As an important resource for human survival and development, the utilization efficiency of cultivated land is directly related to national food security and social harmony and stability. Based on the stochastic frontier production function, this paper estimated the cultivated land use efficiency of [...] Read more.

As an important resource for human survival and development, the utilization efficiency of cultivated land is directly related to national food security and social harmony and stability. Based on the stochastic frontier production function, this paper estimated the cultivated land use efficiency of 342 prefecture-level administrative regions in China from 2003 to 2019 and used spatial autocorrelation analysis and the Gini coefficient decomposition model to explore the spatial agglomeration and spatial disequilibrium of cultivated land use efficiency in China. The results showed the following: (1) Overall, the efficiency of cultivated land use in China has steadily improved since 2003, but the overall level remains low. The use efficiency of cultivated land decreases in the order of eastern, northeastern, western, and central regions, and the use efficiency of cultivated land in the central region increased the fastest. (2) From the perspective of the spatial dimension, the cultivated land use efficiency in urban areas of China has a multi-core structure of “high in the south and low in the north, high in the east and low in the west” and an obvious spatial differentiation pattern. At the same time, the spatial aggregation characteristics of cultivated land use efficiency have become more prominent with the passage of time. (3) There are obvious regional differences in cultivated land use efficiency in China, showing a downward trend as a whole, and the gap between regions is the main source of spatial non-equilibrium, followed by the super-variable density and the gap within regions. Revealing the temporal and spatial changes in cultivated land use efficiency is helpful to understand the present situation of cultivated land use and to formulating effective land use policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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14 pages, 1084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Inverse Relationship between Farm Size and Rice Harvest Loss: Evidence from China

by Yi Luo, Dong Huang, Xue Qu and Laping Wu

Land 2022, 11(10), 1760; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101760 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1359

Abstract

Reducing food losses has become an important means of conserving resources and protecting food security. Based on nationwide survey data from 1526 households in 17 provinces in China, we evaluated Chinese rice harvest losses and used a fractional logit model to analyze the [...] Read more.

Reducing food losses has become an important means of conserving resources and protecting food security. Based on nationwide survey data from 1526 households in 17 provinces in China, we evaluated Chinese rice harvest losses and used a fractional logit model to analyze the impact of farm size on these losses. The results show that, on average, 3.45% of total rice was lost during the harvest stage, representing a serious waste of resources. In addition, farm size was significantly negatively correlated with rice harvest losses, indicating an inverse relationship between farm size and rice harvest losses. As farms expand in size, farmers are more likely to adopt agricultural machinery services, which have been proven to reduce harvest losses. Our findings show that the government should encourage farm size expansion and promote better agricultural machinery services to reduce harvest losses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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19 pages, 2540 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimating Groundnut Yield in Smallholder Agriculture Systems Using PlanetScope Data

by Daniel Kpienbaareh, Kamaldeen Mohammed, Isaac Luginaah, Jinfei Wang, Rachel Bezner Kerr, Esther Lupafya and Laifolo Dakishoni

Land 2022, 11(10), 1752; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101752 - 09 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2391

Abstract

Crop yield is related to household food security and community resilience, especially in smallholder agricultural systems. As such, it is crucial to accurately estimate within-season yield in order to provide critical information for farm management and decision making. Therefore, the primary objective of [...] Read more.

Crop yield is related to household food security and community resilience, especially in smallholder agricultural systems. As such, it is crucial to accurately estimate within-season yield in order to provide critical information for farm management and decision making. Therefore, the primary objective of this paper is to assess the most appropriate method, indices, and growth stage for predicting the groundnut yield in smallholder agricultural systems in northern Malawi. We have estimated the yield of groundnut in two smallholder farms using the observed yield and vegetation indices (VIs), which were derived from multitemporal PlanetScope satellite data. Simple linear, multiple linear (MLR), and random forest (RF) regressions were applied for the prediction. The leave-one-out cross-validation method was used to validate the models. The results showed that (i) of the modelling approaches, the RF model using the five most important variables (RF5) was the best approach for predicting the groundnut yield, with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.96 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.29 kg/ha, followed by the MLR model (R² = 0.84, RMSE = 0.84 kg/ha); in addition, (ii) the best within-season stage to accurately predict groundnut yield is during the R5/beginning seed stage. The RF5 model was used to estimate the yield for four different farms. The estimated yields were compared with the total reported yields from the farms. The results revealed that the RF5 model generally accurately estimated the groundnut yields, with the margins of error ranging between 0.85% and 11%. The errors are within the post-harvest loss margins in Malawi. The results indicate that the observed yield and VIs, which were derived from open-source remote sensing data, can be applied to estimate yield in order to facilitate farming and food security planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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21 pages, 3946 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of Cultivated Land Fragmentation and Their Influencing Factors in a Rapidly Developing Region: A Case Study in Guangdong Province, China

by Dongjie Wang, Hao Yang, Yueming Hu, A-Xing Zhu and Xiaoyun Mao

Land 2022, 11(10), 1750; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101750 - 09 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1740

Abstract

Cultivated land fragmentation (CLF) is a key obstacle to agricultural development and has a strong relationship with regional food security and global sustainable development. However, few studies have analyzed the spatio-temporal distribution pattern and evolution characteristics of CLF and the complex interactions among [...] Read more.

Cultivated land fragmentation (CLF) is a key obstacle to agricultural development and has a strong relationship with regional food security and global sustainable development. However, few studies have analyzed the spatio-temporal distribution pattern and evolution characteristics of CLF and the complex interactions among their influencing factors in rapidly developing regions. In this study, first, the GlobeLand30 datasets were used to obtain characteristic parameters of cultivated land in counties in Guangdong Province in 2000, 2010, and 2020. Then, the linear weighted comprehensive evaluation model based on the principal component analysis (PCA) was used to measure the extent of CLF. Finally, the exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) was used to analyze the spatio-temporal distribution pattern and evolution characteristics of CLF, and geodetector (GD) and random forest (RF) models were used to explore the factors influencing the spatial difference in CLF. The results showed that the spatial differences in the distribution of cultivated land resources in Guangdong Province are relatively large and the extent of agglomeration is generally low. The extent of CLF on the county scale is mainly medium and higher. The overall spatial distribution shows an increasing trend from the south to the north and from the west to the east, and the spatial distribution pattern with agglomeration and randomness remains relatively stable. From 2000 to 2020, the overall CLF continued to intensify and the evolution of CLF on the county scale mainly increased. The spatial difference in CLF is the result of that based on the natural environment and influenced by factors such as social, economic, and agricultural development. The interaction between influencing factors is very strong, dominated by nonlinear enhancement. The results are of great significance for promoting the intensive and efficient utilization of cultivated land resources and sustainable regional development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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16 pages, 2737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Analysis of Farmland Occupation by Urban Sprawl and Rural Settlement Expansion in China

by Congmou Zhu, Lixia Yang, Qiuyu Xu, Jinwei Fu, Yue Lin, Le Sun, Shan He and Shaofeng Yuan

Land 2022, 11(10), 1738; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101738 - 08 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1714

Abstract

The farmland loss caused by urban–rural land development has exacerbated China’s challenges of using limited farmland to feed more than 1.4 billion people. Earlier studies shed light on the impacts of urban sprawl and rural settlement expansion, separately. However, there is little quantitative [...] Read more.

The farmland loss caused by urban–rural land development has exacerbated China’s challenges of using limited farmland to feed more than 1.4 billion people. Earlier studies shed light on the impacts of urban sprawl and rural settlement expansion, separately. However, there is little quantitative understanding of which one has more severe impacts on farmland and its net primary productivity (NPP). Thus, this study used spatially explicit satellite data including land-use maps and estimated NPP data, as well as spatiotemporal analysis methods to conduct a comparative analysis of farmland loss due to urban sprawl and rural settlement expansion at different scales from 2000 to 2020 in China. The results show that during the study period, urban sprawl resulted in a loss of 49,086.6 km² of farmland area and 8.34 TgC of farmland NPP, while the loss of farmland area and farmland NPP due to rural settlement expansion reached 18,006.8 km² and 3.88 TgC. The largest gap between the total area of farmland loss due to urban sprawl and the total loss area due to rural settlement expansion was 12,983.3 km² in Eastern China, while the smallest gap was 1291.1 km² in Northeastern China. The largest gap between the loss of farmland NPP due to urban sprawl and the total loss due to rural settlement expansion occurred in Eastern China at 1.97 TgC. Spatially, the total loss of farmland and its NPP due to urban sprawl and rural settlement expansion occurred mainly in the eastern and central regions of China; the areas of farmland loss by urban sprawl were more concentrated than that by rural settlement expansion. The negative impacts of urban sprawl on farmland area and its NPP were greater in southern China than that of rural settlement expansion. Noticeably, the loss of NPP per unit of farmland due to rural settlement expansion was higher than that by urban sprawl, especially in the Yangtze River Delta and Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. The results highlight the non-negligible impacts of rural settlement expansion on farmland in China. It is necessary to improve farmland protection policies by optimizing the spatial allocation of urban and rural construction land. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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14 pages, 9342 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing Spatial Mismatch of Cropland-Grain Production-Population in China over the Past Two Decades

by Lanhui Li, Pingshan Jiang, Wenfeng Liu, Yaxin Sun and Zhanhao Dang

Land 2022, 11(10), 1685; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101685 - 29 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1249

Abstract

Identifying the spatiotemporal coupling characteristics of cropland-grain production-population is essential for the rational utilization of cropland and the evaluation of national and regional food security. Based on the grain production statistical data, GlobeLand30, and WorldPop data in the years 2000, 2010, and 2020, [...] Read more.

Identifying the spatiotemporal coupling characteristics of cropland-grain production-population is essential for the rational utilization of cropland and the evaluation of national and regional food security. Based on the grain production statistical data, GlobeLand30, and WorldPop data in the years 2000, 2010, and 2020, the spatiotemporal changes in China’s cropland area, grain production, and population and their coupling characteristics over the past two decades were detected at the grid level using the models of barycenter fitting and coupled dynamic analysis. The results showed that spatial change of cropland area in China was roughly characterized by the increase in the northwest and the decrease in the southeast; while grain production was characterized by an increase in the north and a decrease in the south, and population was roughly characterized by an increase in urban areas of the southeast coastal regions and a decrease in traditional agricultural areas. The barycenter of cropland area and that of grain production moved toward the northwest and the northeast, respectively, which mismatch the spatial pattern of hydro-thermal conditions of cropland resources in China and thus result in the increased risk of the national grain production system. Meanwhile, the barycenter of grain production and that of population continued to move in opposite directions overall, and the distances between their barycenters increased from 119.65 km in 2000 to 455.16 km in 2020, indicating that the phenomenon of ‘north-to-south grain diversion’ is intensifying. Our results highlight that the spatial mismatch of cropland-grain production-population in China has increased over the past two decades. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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18 pages, 1810 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Livestock Raising Alleviate Farmland Abandonment?—Evidence from China

by Hengfei Song, Liangjie Xin, Xiubin Li, Xue Wang, Yufeng He and Wen Song

Land 2022, 11(8), 1142; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081142 - 25 Jul 2022

Viewed by 1178

Abstract

Farmland abandonment is a global phenomenon. Changes in socioeconomic factors in China impact the traditional crop–livestock system; however, studies on the relationship between livestock raising and farmland abandonment are insufficient. This study used the farmer behavior decision-making model to analyze the impact of [...] Read more.

Farmland abandonment is a global phenomenon. Changes in socioeconomic factors in China impact the traditional crop–livestock system; however, studies on the relationship between livestock raising and farmland abandonment are insufficient. This study used the farmer behavior decision-making model to analyze the impact of livestock raising on farmland abandonment and its mechanism. Based on 6707 samples from the 2016 database of the China Labor-force Dynamic Survey, the Logit and Tobit models were used to empirically analyze the relationship between livestock raising and farmland abandonment at the national level and different terrains (plain, hill and mountain) in China. The results showed farmland abandonment in 15.63% of rural households, and a farmland abandonment ratio of 6.24%. The spatial distribution of farmland abandonment was high in the south and low in the north. Livestock raising households accounted for 9.45%, and the influence coefficient of livestock raising on farmland abandonment was negative but not significant. Livestock raising would significantly increase the ratio of rural households with farmland abandonment by 3.9% and 10% in plain areas and hilly areas, respectively, and decrease the ratio in mountain areas by 11.4%. The abandonment ratio due to livestock raising increased by 21.46% in hilly areas and decrease by 41% in mountain areas. For every 1% increase in livestock scale, the ratio of households with farmland abandonment in plain and hilly areas increased by 0.05% and 0.07%, respectively, and in mountain areas decreased by 0.09%. The abandonment ratio in hilly areas increased by 0.02% and in mountain areas decreased by 0.05%. The effects of raising livestock on farmland abandonment differed across terrains and thus require different measures for alleviating. Plain areas and hilly areas could combine livestock raising and crop planting between different households to improve farmland production capacity, and mountain areas could moderately develop livestock raising to alleviate farmland abandonment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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12 pages, 1878 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Efficiency of Cultivated Land Occupied by Urban and Rural Construction Land in China from 1990 to 2020

by Xiaoyu Liu and Liangjie Xin

Land 2022, 11(6), 941; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11060941 - 18 Jun 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 1872

Abstract

The rapid urbanization and economic growth experienced by China in recent years has led to the expansion of construction land. This has resulted in the substantial transformation of cultivated land to construction land. However, the efficiency of cultivated land occupation by construction land, [...] Read more.

The rapid urbanization and economic growth experienced by China in recent years has led to the expansion of construction land. This has resulted in the substantial transformation of cultivated land to construction land. However, the efficiency of cultivated land occupation by construction land, its regional differences, and the urban-rural disparity in China remain unclear. Therefore, using population and land use data, we measured the efficiency of cultivated land occupied by urban and rural construction land in China during 1990–2020 by proposing absolute, differential, and relative efficiency evaluation methods. Our study revealed that the cultivated land area occupied by rural construction land is 22.4% higher than that of urban construction land. The efficiency of cultivated land occupied by construction land in urban areas was higher than that in rural areas. Spatially, the population in the urban and rural construction land-occupied cultivated land area shows a pattern of high in the southeast and low in the northwest. The efficiency of urban and rural construction land-occupied cultivated land increases with increasing urban size. Thus, to improve the efficiency of cultivated land occupied by construction land, the strict control on the urban construction occupation of cultivated land should be loosened, particularly for larger cities, and the control on inefficient construction in rural areas should be tightened. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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22 pages, 1017 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Driving Mechanisms of Cropland Abandonment from the Perspectives of Household and Topography in the Poyang Lake Region, China

by Guohua Ding, Mingjun Ding, Kun Xie and Jingru Li

Land 2022, 11(6), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11060939 - 18 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1691

Abstract

Cropland abandonment is driven by various mechanisms and is best viewed from multiple perspectives to suggest targeted policy changes which may change the status quo of abandonment. Here, we systematically analyze the characteristics of abandonment and its driving mechanisms by different farming households [...] Read more.

Cropland abandonment is driven by various mechanisms and is best viewed from multiple perspectives to suggest targeted policy changes which may change the status quo of abandonment. Here, we systematically analyze the characteristics of abandonment and its driving mechanisms by different farming households (pure, part-time, and non-farm) in three topographic regions of the Poyang Lake region using a binary logistic regression model. Results show that: (1) The overall abandonment probability in the Poyang Lake region is largest for non-farm households, followed by part-time households and pure households. In the mountainous region, abandonment is largest for non-farm households, followed by pure households and part-time households. Both the hilly and plain regions show the largest abandonment probability for pure households, followed by part-time households, and non-farm households. (2) The low agricultural economic benefits and the uneconomical investments of time in plots are the main abandonment determinants for pure households. Economic efficiency, both the time invested in plots and economic efficiency, are key abandonment determinants for pure households in the mountainous and plain regions, respectively. (3) Labor shortage and plots which are time-consuming and unfavorable to cultivation are the main abandonment determinants for part-time households, with different factors in different topographic regions. (4) For non-farm households, many factors can influence the occurrence of abandonment. Non-farm households in the mountainous and hilly regions are more influenced by non-farm work and the number of farming workers, respectively; in addition, the inconvenience of using agricultural machinery has a significant influence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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16 pages, 879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Land Attachment, Intergenerational Differences and Land Transfer: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China

by Guihua Liu, Liping Yang, Shili Guo, Xin Deng, Jiahao Song and Dingde Xu

Land 2022, 11(5), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050695 - 06 May 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2186

Abstract

It is of great significance to explore the influencing factors of land flow to promote moderate-scale agricultural operation. However, few studies have explored the quantitative influences of land attachment and intergenerational difference on land transfer. Based on the survey data of 540 rural [...] Read more.

It is of great significance to explore the influencing factors of land flow to promote moderate-scale agricultural operation. However, few studies have explored the quantitative influences of land attachment and intergenerational difference on land transfer. Based on the survey data of 540 rural households in Sichuan Province, this study uses factor analysis method to divide land attachment into land satisfaction, land rootedness, and land dependence, and further empirically tests the impact mechanism of land attachment and intergenerational difference on land flow by using Probit model and Tobit model. The results are as follow: (1) land attachment is significantly correlated with land flow-out, but not with land flow-in. (2) Different dimensions of land attachment have different impacts on land flow-out. Among them, land rootedness and land dependence have significant negative impacts on farmers’ land flow-out behavior and land flow-out area, while land satisfaction has a significant positive impact on farmers’ land flow-out behavior and has no significant impact on the land flow-out area. (3) Different generations of land attachment have different impacts on land flow-out. Among them, the land attachment of the new-generation farmers has no significant impact on land flow-out. Among middle-aged farmers, land dependence had a significant negative impact on land flow-out behavior and area, and land rootedness had a significant negative impact on land flow-out behavior; however, land satisfaction had a significant positive impact on land flow-out behavior and area. Among the older generation of farmers, land dependence has a significant negative impact on land flow-out behavior and area, while land satisfaction and land rootedness have no significant impact on land flow-out behavior and area. Therefore, in promoting the practice of land flow, we should pay attention to the differences of farmers’ emotional demands, improve the supporting policies of land flow by classification, reduce farmers’ dependence on “land security”, solve farmers’ concerns on land flow, and promote the rational flow of land factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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16 pages, 2982 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Cultivated Land Loss and Landscape Fragmentation in China from 2000 to 2020

by Xue Wang

Land 2022, 11(5), 684; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050684 - 04 May 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2572

Abstract

Cultivated land area and fragmentation are two crucial elements that influence food production in China. However, few studies have analyzed the fine-grained changes in both the area and the fragmentation of cultivated land from a national perspective. Using a 30 m annual land-cover [...] Read more.

Cultivated land area and fragmentation are two crucial elements that influence food production in China. However, few studies have analyzed the fine-grained changes in both the area and the fragmentation of cultivated land from a national perspective. Using a 30 m annual land-cover dataset with the help of cultivated land area (CA) and a newly constructed coupling landscape fragmentation index (CLFI), this research identified the spatial distribution characteristics of both the area and the landscape fragmentation of cultivated land in Chinese counties and simultaneously analyzed the changes in the above two elements since the beginning of the 21st century. The results showed that the distribution pattern of CA in China’s counties was large in the north and small in the south. During the first two decades of the 21st century, the total CA of China decreased, but the decrease rate decreased from 2.91% in 2000–2010 to 0.41% in 2010–2020; in contrast, the CLFI of China showed an increasing trend, but the increase rate also decreased, from 4.06% in 2000–2010 to 0.51% in 2010–2020. Spatially, from 2000 to 2010, there was an obvious reverse distribution pattern between counties with large CA changes and those with large CLFI changes; however, this pattern became less obvious from 2010 to 2020. Urban expansion, sloping land conversion programs and other ecological protection programs, and land development and consolidation programs were major causes of changes in the CA and CLFI across China. The findings of this research provide a data basis and scientific support for the protection and large-scale utilization of cultivated land, where this information is necessary to ensure food security. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Land Use and Food Security)

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