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The dilemma of land expansion and governance in rural China: A comparative study based on three townships in Zhejiang Province

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  • Yu, Zhenning
  • Wu, Cifang
  • Tan, Yongzhong
  • Zhang, Xiaobin

Abstract

Why do Chinese farmers continually utilize high-quality yet scarce cultivated land and extensively construct residences? Why is the Chinese government unable to control the continuous expansion of rural residential land after implementing strict economical and intensive land policies? To answer these questions, we launched a comparative study of three townships in Zhejiang Province. Based on a survey of 576 households and 72 rural government officials, this paper identified the determinants of rural house-building, explored different models of government intervention and provided recommendations for future government efforts. Results showed that (1) children, environment, investment, “mianzi”, and “feng shui” factors were the main driving forces that influence farmers to construct residential structures, although primary and secondary differences in the various townships existed; (2) three problems in the specific governance emerged: the lack of farmers’ unified action, failure to protect the rights of farmers, and the problem of meeting the funds demand of homestead replacement; (3) Actively exploring effective village planning, establishing linkages among stakeholders, effectively promoting farmers’ participation, creating a service-oriented government, and introducing a Public-Private Partnership mechanism may effectively address the problems related to rural residential expansion and governance. The results indicated a need to pay more attention to the motivations of rural house-building, the interests of stakeholders and the funding arrangements of the project in future government intervention.

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  • Yu, Zhenning & Wu, Cifang & Tan, Yongzhong & Zhang, Xiaobin, 2018. "The dilemma of land expansion and governance in rural China: A comparative study based on three townships in Zhejiang Province," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 602-611.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:71:y:2018:i:c:p:602-611
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.09.054
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    10. Libang Ma & Shichun Liu & Yiwen Niu & Meimei Chen, 2018. "Village-Scale Livelihood Change and the Response of Rural Settlement Land Use: Sihe Village of Tongwei County in Mid-Gansu Loess Hilly Region as an Example," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-25, August.
    11. Yang Wang & Chengchao Zuo & Mengke Zhu, 2024. "How Semi-Urbanisation Drives Expansion of Rural Construction Land in China: A Rural-Urban Interaction Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Peng Tang & Jing Chen & Jinlong Gao & Min Li & Jinshuo Wang, 2020. "What Role(s) Do Village Committees Play in the Withdrawal from Rural Homesteads? Evidence from Sichuan Province in Western China," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-15, November.
    13. Suxia Zhao & Mengmeng Yin, 2023. "Research on Rural Population/Arable Land/Rural Settlements Association Model and Coordinated Development Path: A Case Analysis of the Yellow River Basin (Henan Section)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-15, February.
    14. Zhaoxia Guo & Qinqin Guo & Yujie Cai & Ge Wang, 2021. "Unraveling Risk Networks of Cultivated Land Protection: An Exploratory Stakeholder-Oriented Case Study in Xiliuhe Town, Hubei Province, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-26, November.
    15. Liu, Runqiu & Jiang, Jian & Yu, Chao & Rodenbiker, Jesse & Jiang, Yongmu, 2021. "The endowment effect accompanying villagers' withdrawal from rural homesteads: Field evidence from Chengdu, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    16. Zijuan Zhao & Beilei Fan & Qingbo Zhou & Shihao Xu, 2022. "Simulating the Coupling of Rural Settlement Expansion and Population Growth in Deqing, Zhejiang Province, Based on MCCA Modeling," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, November.
    17. Yongzhong Tan & Ju He & Zhenning Yu & Yonghua Tan, 2018. "Can Arable Land Alone Ensure Food Security? The Concept of Arable Land Equivalent Unit and Its Implications in Zhoushan City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-13, March.
    18. Yunxian Yan & Lingqing Wang & Jun Yang, 2022. "The Willingness and Technology Preferences of Farmers and Their Influencing Factors for Soil Remediation," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-15, October.

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