Title: An insight into the implementation of land use right transfer policy in China: a case study in the City of Zhangye

Authors: Haibo Fan; Tomohiro Akiyama; Ali Kharrazi

Addresses: Graduate Program in Sustainability Science - Global Leadership Initiative, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Environmental Studies Building 334, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa City, Chiba 277-8563, Japan ' Graduate Program in Sustainability Science - Global Leadership Initiative, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Environmental Studies Building 334, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa City, Chiba 277-8563, Japan ' Advanced Systems Analysis Group, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria; Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract: Land use right transfer (LURT) has been viewed to have significant potential in advancing farmland management in China. However, the implementation of LURT policy and more specifically its effects on the local society and economy is an under-researched area. This paper provides insights into the implementation of LURT carried out in the City of Zhangye, Gansu Province. Eight villages were visited for this study and data were gathered through key informant interviews, statistical datasets and official legal documents. Our results reveal the socio-economic performance and complicated influence of LURT policy in the region. The promotion of farmers' income was confirmed in some villages and more farmers have been involved into non-agricultural sectors. However, not all farmers were satisfied with their income and contract management was somehow unsatisfying. For future improvement, policy-makers need to better tackle the ambiguous public awareness and poor management of LURT contracts.

Keywords: China; City of Zhangye; land use right transfer; policy implementation; socio-economic influence.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2018.093961

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2018 Vol.14 No.2, pp.105 - 121

Accepted: 31 Mar 2017
Published online: 10 Aug 2018 *

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