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

Abstract

Non-grain production of cropland (NGPCL) is a common phenomenon in the process of rapid urbanization in order to meet the diversified food demand and prosperity of the rural economy. However, excessive NGPCL will threaten grain production. How to control the moderate development of NGPCL in order to achieve the balance between food security and rural development has become a salient issue. In this study, we constructed a framework to measure NGPCL, revealed the spatial–temporal pattern of NGPCL, and then analyzed its influencing factors from the perspective of the human–land relationship. The results indicate that, firstly, the overall degree of NGPCL in China experienced an increase from 0.44 to 0.51, while the gap among cities was consistently enlarging, with the range value increasing from 0.74 to 0.91. Secondly, the spatial pattern of NGPCL was high in the northwest and southeast, and low in the northeast and central regions. The southern economic developed area exhibited the highest increase, while the Inner Mongolia, northwest China, and traditional agricultural areas experienced a decreasing trend in NGPCL. Thirdly, the spatial agglomeration of NGPCL has been intensified, with the Gansu–Xinjiang Desert plateau, southeast coastal economic belt, and urban agglomeration areas exhibiting a “high–high” agglomeration, while the traditional agricultural areas exhibited “low–low” agglomeration. Fourthly, NGPCL is positively correlated with the urbanization rate, land fragmentation, landscape diversity, land price, and grain production policy, while it is negatively linked with the agricultural employment rate, agricultural machinery level, and cultivated land per capita. The findings of this research are not only deepen the understanding of NGPCL, but are also of great significance for policy makers in order to propose targeted control measures.

A non‐grain production on cropland spatiotemporal change detection method based on Landsat time‐series data

“…Conflicts, extreme weather events, diseases, and economic shocks are exacerbating the main driving factors of food insecurity, and stable food production is crucial for global food security and sustainable development (Liang et al, 2023). There are two types of production methods on arable land: grain production and non‐grain production (NGP) (Su et al, 2020; Wang & Dai, 2022). In cases where cultivated land is utilized for NGP, agricultural behaviors still take place, but staple food crops are not cultivated.…”

“…In China, over the past decade, the phenomenon of NGP driven by comparative advantages has become increasingly serious. The hidden loss of grain productivity caused by NGP has far exceeded the explicit loss caused by non‐agriculturalization (Ren et al, 2023; Wang & Dai, 2022). In addition, NGP can also lead to issues such as soil erosion (El Kateb et al, 2013; Hu et al, 2017) and non‐point source pollution (Chatvijitkul et al, 2017), posing challenges to ecological security (Foley et al, 2005).…”

“…Most studies quantitatively measure NGP using statistical data collected by provincial, municipal, and county‐level statistical agencies. Some studies have used indicators such as “non‐grain sown area to crop sown area” (Guo & Wang, 2021; Li, 2017; Ren et al, 2023; Yu et al, 2015; Zhang et al, 2022) and “the ratio of the grain‐sowing area to cultivated land and the multiple cropping index” (Sun et al, 2021; Wang & Dai, 2022) to describe the rate of NGP. These methods have gaps in temporal coverage, and cannot fully capture the spatial characteristics of NGP.…”

Analysis of Characteristics and Driving Mechanisms of Non-Grain Production of Cropland in Mountainous Areas at the Plot Scale—A Case Study of Lechang City

“…Although the incidence of food shortages in developing countries has decreased from 23.3% in 1990 to 8.3% in 2015, there are still 265 million people suffering from severe hunger globally, indicating that the issue of food insecurity remains severe [4,5]. In recent years, factors such as extreme weather and the Ukraine crisis have further worsened the food security situation, and the continuous growth of the global population has brought ever greater pressure on the provision of food for all humanity [6,7].…”

Analysis of the Spatial–Temporal Pattern of the Newly Increased Cultivated Land and Its Vulnerability in Northeast China

“…China, with only 10% of the world's cultivated land, feeds approximately 22% of the global population. To enhance its food production capacity, the Chinese government has implemented several policies aimed at preserving cultivated land [2,3]. Although these policies have helped to stabilize the overall quantity of cultivated land in China, significant regional differences persist [4].…”