A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experience

The growing severity of farmland abandonment in rural areas has sparked concerns about the lack of people willing to cultivate the land. This study attempts to find the endogenous factors of farmland land abandonment among Chinese farmers and to curb land degradation to stabilize food security. Base...

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Main Authors: Linling Geng, Yifeng Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1409066/full
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author Linling Geng
Yifeng Zhang
author_facet Linling Geng
Yifeng Zhang
author_sort Linling Geng
collection DOAJ
description The growing severity of farmland abandonment in rural areas has sparked concerns about the lack of people willing to cultivate the land. This study attempts to find the endogenous factors of farmland land abandonment among Chinese farmers and to curb land degradation to stabilize food security. Based on the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (2016–2018), this paper explores the effect of famine experience on farmland abandonment using logit and DID models. We find that famine experience does increase the probability and extent of farmland abandonment, and undergo a series of robustness tests. We also find that the famine stigma effect increases the likelihood and extent of farmland abandonment by increasing risk aversion and reducing social trust and investment in agriculture. The growth of urbanization in China worsens the effects of famine, whereas local communal production services remove the effects of famine. The overall findings of this study provide useful insights for the government to protect land quality and food security and to carefully consider the role played by communities.
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spelling doaj-art-86cd03fb5cdc4628b0f6d407cb4665a62025-08-20T02:11:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems2571-581X2024-10-01810.3389/fsufs.2024.14090661409066A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experienceLinling GengYifeng ZhangThe growing severity of farmland abandonment in rural areas has sparked concerns about the lack of people willing to cultivate the land. This study attempts to find the endogenous factors of farmland land abandonment among Chinese farmers and to curb land degradation to stabilize food security. Based on the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (2016–2018), this paper explores the effect of famine experience on farmland abandonment using logit and DID models. We find that famine experience does increase the probability and extent of farmland abandonment, and undergo a series of robustness tests. We also find that the famine stigma effect increases the likelihood and extent of farmland abandonment by increasing risk aversion and reducing social trust and investment in agriculture. The growth of urbanization in China worsens the effects of famine, whereas local communal production services remove the effects of famine. The overall findings of this study provide useful insights for the government to protect land quality and food security and to carefully consider the role played by communities.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1409066/fullfarmland abandonmentfamine experiencerisk aversiontrustfood security
spellingShingle Linling Geng
Yifeng Zhang
A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experience
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
farmland abandonment
famine experience
risk aversion
trust
food security
title A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experience
title_full A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experience
title_fullStr A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experience
title_full_unstemmed A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experience
title_short A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experience
title_sort novel interpretation of farmland abandonment evidence from the famine experience
topic farmland abandonment
famine experience
risk aversion
trust
food security
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1409066/full
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AT yifengzhang novelinterpretationoffarmlandabandonmentevidencefromthefamineexperience