Analysis of Patterns and Benefits of Cultivated Land Transfer in Rural Areas in the Loess Plateau——A Case Study of Yuanzhou District of Ningxia

Cultivated land transfer is one of hotspots in research on agriculture, rural areas and farmers in China. Based on research achievements related to cultivated land transfer and the field survey of Yuanzhou District in the Loess Plateau, the primary patterns of cultivated land transfer in rural areas in the Loess Plateau were summarized according to the management subjects of cultivated land. According to the analyses of family income and expenses of a peasant household, the benefit of various patterns of cultivated land transfer to increase farmers’ income was analyzed, and the social and ecological benefits of cultivated land transfer were assessed. The results showed that cultivated land transfer had developed rapidly in the Loess Plateau, and 42.5% of the investigated peasant households took part in cultivated land transfer. The benefit of cultivated land transfer to increase farmers’ income was obvious after cultivated land transfer. There were significant differences between various patterns of cultivated land transfer in the increase of farmers’ income. The pattern driven by agricultural cooperatives increased farmers’ income most obviously, and the annual family earnings per peasant household reached 12072.99 yuan/a. The social and ecological benefits of cultivated land transfer conducted by peasant households spontaneously were very remarkable. The pattern led by lending enterprises promoted the large-scale operation of cultivated land greatly, but its benefit to increase farmers’ income was limited. The comprehensive benefit of the pattern guided by the government was the most balanced. Geographic environment had decisive influences on the choose of patterns of cultivated land transfer in the Loess Plateau.