Phenomenon of Non-Grain Production of Cultivated Land Has Become Increasingly Prominent over the Last 20 Years: Evidence from Guanzhong Plain, China

Abstract

Cultivated land is the carrier of food production. As a populous country that regards cultivated land as the most valuable strategic resource, China has faced the challenge of the phenomenon of non-grain production of cultivated land (NGP) in recent years, which has attracted great attention from the Chinese government. Based on the cultivated land and grain data at the plot scale in 2000, 2010, and 2019, this study explored the evolutionary characteristics and spatial pattern of NGP in the Guanzhong Plain of Shaanxi Province from 2000 to 2019 with the Geographic Information System spatial analysis. The study found a clear trend in the spatial expansion of NGP in the past 20 years. In the 54 counties and districts of Guanzhong, there were different degrees of NGP, showing an annual expansion trend. The spatial agglomeration effect of NGP was significant. This study has important scientific value in understanding the phenomenon and patterns of non-grain production of cultivated land in China and provides a scientific basis for the formulation of cultivated land management policies.