Determinants of Farmland Abandonment Among Peasants in Scattered Villages: The Impact of Family Structure and Social Policies in Southern China

With China’s urbanization process and changes in rural family structures, the abandonment of farmland in scattered villages within hilly mountainous regions is becoming an increasingly serious issue, restricting the improvement of land use efficiency. This study analyzes the basic characteristics and variations in abandoned farmland by conducting surveys and interviews with peasants in a scattered village in southern China. Using the Heckman two-stage model, we perform empirical analysis on the factors influencing farmland abandonment, addressing potential sample selection bias. The findings show the following: peasants with better health and higher education levels are more likely to transition to non-agricultural occupations which contributes to an increased abandonment of farmland. However, larger and more integrated land parcels, along with favorable farming conditions, help reduce abandonment. Additionally, rural land transfer and agricultural subsidies are important factors that enhance farmland utilization and mitigate abandonment. These results provide a reference for addressing the abandonment of farmland and improving both the farming environment and social policies in rural villages.