Estimation of Grain Crop Yields after Returning the Illegal Nurseries and Orchards to Cultivated Land in the Yangtze River Delta Region

Yirui Han, Qinqin Pan, Yuee Cao, Jianhong Zhang, Jiaxuan Yuan, Borui Li, Saiqiang Li, Renfeng Ma, Xu Luo, Longbin Sha and Xiaodong Yang ()
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Yirui Han: Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques/Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance Research, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Qinqin Pan: Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques/Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance Research, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Yuee Cao: School of Environmental and Geographical Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Jianhong Zhang: Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315040, China
Jiaxuan Yuan: Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques/Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance Research, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Borui Li: College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
Saiqiang Li: Institute of East China Sea, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Renfeng Ma: Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques/Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance Research, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Xu Luo: Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques/Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance Research, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Longbin Sha: Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques/Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance Research, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Xiaodong Yang: Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques/Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance Research, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to develop a new remote sensing method to assess the area of cultivated land illegally converted to nurseries and orchards in the Yangtze River Delta region of China over the past 40 years (1980–2020), and then estimate the increase in grain yield based on this area. Our result showed that 2.23 × 10 4 km 2 of cultivated land was reduced by 11.8% over the past 40 years. About 14,521.40 km 2 of cultivated land was converted to nursery and orchard from 1980 to 2020. The conversion area was unevenly distributed among different administrative regions. Zhejiang and Anhui Provinces had higher conversion rate and area than Jiangsu Province and Shanghai Municipalities. After the illegal nurseries and orchards return to cultivated land, if rotation farming mode is adopted, in which each grain crop is planted only once a year, the increased production of rice, wheat, corn, beans and tubers will reach (632.57 ± 13.08) × 10 4 , (0~531.05 ± 33.25) × 10 4 , (0~556.19 ± 30.36) × 10 4 , (0~249.85 ± 13.14) × 10 4 and (0~489.11 ± 28.14) × 10 4 tons at most in each year, respectively. Our results provide theoretical guidance for implementing food security policies and alleviating contradiction between grain production and rural labor shortages in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Keywords: cultivated land protection; grain production; food security; urbanization; illegal conversion of cultivated land (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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