Acta Geographica Sinica ›› 2010, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (11): 1401-1410.doi: 10.11821/xb201011010

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Land Use Characters of Farmers of Different Livelihood Strategies: Cases in Three Gorges Reservoir Area

YAN Jianzhong1, ZHUO Rengui1, XIE Deti1, ZHANG Yili2   

  1. 1. College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China;
    2. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China
  • Received:2010-04-26 Revised:2010-08-24 Online:2010-11-20 Published:2010-11-20
  • Supported by:

    National Science and Technology Support Plan, No.2007BAD87B10

Abstract:

This study examines land use types and input level of every plot of sample farmers in three typical villages in Chongqing. Through stratified random sampling survey, participatory rural appraisal and investigation of plots, 227 households and 2250 plots are investigated and sampled. Farmers are divided into four types: pure agriculture households, agriculture-dependent households, off-farm dependent households and off-farm households. The results show: (1) Apart from 6.17% of off-farm households, who leave land uncultivated, abandoned or rent, land use types of pure agriculture households, agriculture-dependent households and off-farm dependent households are mainly intensive. Some 48.95% of arable land of pure agriculture households are relatively extensive due to the aging. The proportions of relatively extensive arable land of agriculture-dependent and off-farm dependent households are 71.08% and 67.20% , respectively. (2) Land inputs are different among the four farmer types. Off-farm household have no land input. Pure agriculture households have low agricultural labor input due to aging, and less agricultural machinery and labor-saving inputs due to lack of funds, so they prefer to choose manure, phosphate fertilizer, ammonium bicarbonate and other cheap fertilizers.

Key words: livelihood strategy, land use intensity, Three Gorges Reservoir area