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Analysis of the Balance between Supply and Demand of Arable Land in China Based on Food Security

Author

Listed:
  • Shengqiang Yang

    (School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

  • Donglin Li

    (School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

  • Heping Liao

    (School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

  • Lin Zhu

    (College of Economics and Management, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

  • Miaomiao Zhou

    (School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

  • Zhicong Cai

    (School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

Abstract

Arable land is the natural resource of food production, plays a key role in safe guarding people’s livelihood, maintaining social stability, and ecological balance. In the context of the great challenge of rapid loss of arable land and rapid growth of food demand due to rapid socio-economic development, scientific forecasting of arable land demand and supply, can clarify the conservation pressure of regional arable land, provide a reference for formulating effective arable land policies, and ensuring regional food security and sustainable development. Therefore, with the help of system dynamics model and Gray-Markov model, this study predicts and analyzes the balance of arable land supply and demand in China, and reached the following conclusions. (1) During the projection period, with the continuous development of living standards and agricultural technology, both per capita food demand and food production show an upward trend. However, the combined effects of changes in diet structure and grain yields on changes in arable land demand are smaller than those brought about by population changes. Therefore, the trend of arable land demand is similar to that of population change, and the arable land demand in China reaches a peak of 112.78 million hm 2 in 2026. (2) The amount of arable land possession is always greater than the amount of arable land replenishment, and the arable land supply area shows a continuous decreasing trend, and the arable land supply in China is 127.16 million hm 2 in 2035. (3) China’s supply holdings are all able to meet the demand of China’s arable land, but combined with existing studies, it is insufficient to meet the demand of crop rotation fallow between 2023 and 2030, which is not conducive to sustainable development. In the future, arable land protection policies should be comprehensively improved and strictly implemented to ensure national food security and achieve sustainable use of arable land.

Suggested Citation

  • Shengqiang Yang & Donglin Li & Heping Liao & Lin Zhu & Miaomiao Zhou & Zhicong Cai, 2023. "Analysis of the Balance between Supply and Demand of Arable Land in China Based on Food Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:7:p:5706-:d:1106497
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Huanhuan Zhou & Ning Cao & Lihua Yang & Jianjun Xu, 2024. "Multi-Dimensional Impacts of Climate Change on China’s Food Security during 2002–2021," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-24, March.
    4. Wenjie Li & Guanyu Guo & Huangying Gu & Shuhao Lai & Yuanjie Duan & Chengming Li, 2024. "Digital Economy as a Buffer: Alleviating the Adverse Effects of Land Resource Mismatch on Food Security," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Lei Wang & Rong Zhao & Chun Dong & Chaoying He & Xiaochen Kang & Lina Zhang & Dong Wei & Junsong Zhou & Lihua He & Xiaoding Liu & Yingchun Wang, 2025. "Research on Delineation and Assessment Methods for Cultivated Land Concentration and Contiguity in Southeastern China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-21, August.

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