Identifying the Spatial-Temporal Pattern of Cropland's Non-Grain Production and Its Effects on Food Security in China

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Economics
• Urban Studies
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Rapid urbanization drives non-grain production of cropland (NGPCL) to meet diverse food demands and boost rural economies.
• Excessive NGPCL poses a significant threat to national food security.
• Balancing NGPCL development with food security and rural prosperity is a critical policy challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a framework for measuring NGPCL.
• To analyze the spatial-temporal patterns of NGPCL in China.
• To investigate the human-land relationship factors influencing NGPCL.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a measurement framework for NGPCL.
• Spatial-temporal pattern analysis of NGPCL.
• Factor analysis of NGPCL based on human-land interactions.

Main Results:

• China's overall NGPCL increased from 0.44 to 0.51, with widening urban disparities.
• NGPCL is high in the northwest and southeast, low in the northeast and central regions, with notable regional trends.
• Spatial agglomeration of NGPCL intensified, showing distinct patterns in desert plateaus, coastal belts, and traditional agricultural areas.

Conclusions:

• NGPCL is positively correlated with urbanization, land fragmentation, landscape diversity, land price, and grain policy.
• NGPCL is negatively linked to agricultural employment, mechanization, and per capita cultivated land.
• Findings offer insights for targeted policy interventions to manage NGPCL and ensure sustainable development.