Hosted by the Program on Chinese Cities （PCC）
02/20/2025 3:00 PM-4:00 PM EST
Presenter: Zixin Zhou
MA, majoring in Land resource management, Beijing Normal University
Visiting scholar, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Supervisor: Prof. Yan Song
Abstract:
China’s strict arable land protection policy ensures food security, yet the low economic returns in protection become a big issue. This not only dampens the enthusiasm of farmers and local governments, but also risks the sustainable use of arable land. Taking the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River as an example, this paper innovatively adds accessibility to the evaluation system, optimizing the traditional assessment model of arable land’s non – productive functions. By using relevant data and methods like the Landscape Pattern Index and GIS analysis, it studies the spatio – temporal evolution of these functions in seven provinces there from 2010 – 2020. The study reveals that from 2010 – 2020, non – productive functions of arable land in this area have been increasing. The spatial distribution has changed from a scattered state with higher values in the north to a pattern where low – value areas are more concentrated. Based on these, the paper proposes a differentiated protection and governance mechanism for arable land. In the future, optimizing arable land functions and tapping non – productive economic value are crucial for protecting arable land, promoting local development, and revitalizing rural areas.