Abstract

This book focuses on three topics policy review on farmland resource protection, empirical study on the relationship between farmland resource and economic growth, and measure and case study on sustainable farmland resource utilization. It attempts to illustrate the variations and characteristics of farmland resource, interpret the relationship between economic growth and sustainable farmland resource utilization, explore measurement methods and determining factors of sustainable farmland resource utilization, and provide evidence for improving policies and actions. The book includes 13 chapters, which can be divided into four parts.

The first part is the review on policies. This part sorts and evaluates farmland resource protection and management policy in China, and introduces policies and methods of farmland protection and management in typical foreign countries and regions.

The second part is empirical analysis. As a supporting factor of economic growth, farmland has an effect on macro-economic growth and social development. This book uses panel data on provincial level and country level to conduct empirical test in China and international countries, respectively.

The third part is research on sustainability. As an agricultural resource variable, farmland does not differ significantly among farmer households in the same village, but natural endowment of farmland differs significantly in different villages. This character means that farmland changes can be studied on a micro level using a village as a unit. Using data on villages designated for study by Ministry of Agriculture, this book assesses the degree of sustainability for farmland quantity, farmland utilization and grain production. Based on this result, the book analyzes determining factors of farmland sustainability using data from villages and econometric models.

The fourth part is case studies. Through field survey in Shandong, Sichuan and Heilongjiang provinces, the book illustrates the internal relationship between sustainable farmland resource utilization and industrialization, balancing urban and rural areas, development in poor regions and main grain producing corporations.