Analysis of Ecological and Economic Benefits of Rural Land Integration in the Manas River Basin Oasis

Abstract

Land consolidation is an effective means of promoting the regularization of fragmented arable land, optimizing the allocation of land resources and improving the environment in farming areas, as well as an important means of increasing the economic returns of farming households, and it is important to scientifically assess the ecological and economic benefits of agricultural land consolidation. In this study, participatory rural assessment (PRA) was used to investigate, in detail, the meaning, satisfaction and changes in farmland rehabilitation before and after implementation. The accuracy of the remote sensing data was verified through an experiment on the net cultivation coefficient. We used a sample of 447 farmers from nine villages in Manas County to study the differences in plot area, crop unit value, income and irrigation before and after the farmers’ integration. We found that, after the integration of farmland, the cultivated area increased significantly, the crop unit yield increased by at least 42.66%, the average income of farmers increased by a value of RMB 4324/ha and the water savings were all higher than 7.18 m3/ha. At the same time, after the integration of farmland, the number of plots was significantly reduced, the arable land became more regular and the microclimate of the farmland improved significantly. The government and individuals should follow the concept and construction requirements of the “community of life in mountain, water, forest, lake, grass and sand”, consider the economic and ecological benefits of land consolidation, ensure the quality of farmland ecosystems, actively explore new models of land consolidation and stimulate the economic vitality of rural areas.