Rural Land Consolidation in the Context of Rural Revitalization

Cong LI, Xiaoyun LI, Wenkang DAI

College of City Construction, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China

Abstract In accordance with the general requirements of "building rural areas with thriving businesses, pleasant living environments, social etiquette and civility, effective governance, and prosperity" in the basic policy of rural revitalization strategy, based on the analysis of domestic and foreign rural land policies and other research, through research on the problems that still exist in China’s rural land consolidation at the current stage, this paper came up with reasonable consolidation measures and recommendations. Besides, it made a reasonable and elastic boundary determination of rural production, living, and ecological spaces, while undertaking the determination of the red line of the production, living, and ecological space in the land and space planning, while leaving a certain adjustment space for the land and space planning, and promoting the resolution of "agriculture, rural areas, farmers", and improve the utilization structure of rural land and other resources, and promote the overall development of agricultural and rural revitalization.

Key words Rural revitalization, Rural areas, Land consolidation, Elastic boundary

1 Connotation of rural land consolidation in the context of rural revitalization

In the context of the strategic planning of rural revitalization, the land use of rural production, ecology, and living space is an extremely important part, it is required to make adjustment of the determination of the red line of permanent capital farmland that guarantees basic production, the determination of the ecological red line of forest land and the determination of the red line of village construction land with strict restrictions. The types of rural land consolidation include the consolidation of permanent capital farmland, reserve areas and arable land, the adjustment of village construction land, and the reuse of four types of wasteland and unused land[1].

The determination of production, living, and ecological space in rural areas will directly affect the prosperity of industries and ecological livability. The red line of permanent capital farmland protection areas involves the issue of food production capacity. It is required to strictly control and prohibit breaking through the determined permanent capital farmland protection red line. For construction projects that have to occupy the capital farmland red line, it is required to ensure that there are permanent capital farmland reserve areas of equal quality and area, and the permanent capital farmland must be supplemented in time to ensure the rural grain production capacity.

In terms of rural construction land, it is necessary to actively implement zero growth in construction land, efficiently use wasteland and other land resources for development and construction, and adopt the "one household, one homestead" principle to ensure the utilization rate of construction land. Determining the elastic boundary of the ecological red line is of great significance for ensuring the holding of rural woodland, grassland and other ecological spaces and creating ecologically livable rural spaces.

2 Existing problems in rural land consolidation

Actively implementing the rural land consolidation, improving the management mechanism of rural land, and ensuring the efficient use of land resources and the organic distribution of land composition are the goals of land consolidation planning. China has made great achievements in carrying out rural land improvement plans, but there are still some urgent land issues in the process of rural land consolidation.

2.1 Unclear property rights of land in the integrated management of rural landAs to whether the land property rights in the resettlement area constructed due to village relocation are owned by the village collective or the individual farmers, and whether the newly reclaimed wasteland is owned by the collective or farmers, the relevant policies are not clearly stipulated in the land contract management system. And as to whether the new agricultural land is collectively owned or contracted by farmers, there is still no clear stipulation.

In the rural land management system, there is a widespread phenomenon that farmers voluntarily determine homesteads for housing construction. The change of homestead will have a huge impact on land management, and the expansion of construction space may encroach upon the ecological space or production space, accordingly leading to greater problems. Regarding the ownership of rural homesteads and land rights, the integrated management system of rural land still lacks systematic and complete standards.

2.2 Lack of farmers’ public participation and market-oriented operation, contrary to the wishes of the societyFarmers are the main body of the rural revitalization strategy. The ultimate goal of solving the three rural issues is to make farmers happier. The integrated land consolidation in rural areas is still a government-led model. However, a single consolidation system cannot satisfy the demands of farmers and the needs of the market.

A single land consolidation system is not suitable for every village in the rural areas. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a land management model that conforms to local characteristics according to local conditions. The model should be still led by the government, actively attracting public participation, coordinating farmers’ opinions and suggestions, attracting investment and operation, multi-party adjustment of management and operating mechanisms, so as to establish an integrated land consolidation system.

2.3 Lack of awareness of ecological protection, destroying rural social etiquette and civilityProduction, ecology, and living spaces in rural land consolidation, including land consolidation management in rural areas, mountains, water, forests, farmland, roads,etc., every aspect of the process of land consolidation may have a negative impact on the ecological environment and break the ecological red line.

In terms of rural road land, relatively convenient road adjustments will cause unreasonable division of the ecological environment and farmland, causing environmental damage, and unused roads will increase the area of wasteland.

In addition, there is a lack of scientific protection mechanisms and utilization methods for environmental resources such as mountains, water and woodland. Improper irrigation methods and tree felling have caused mountain and soil erosion, breaking the ecological red line and causing waste of environmental resources.

2.4 Lack of a perfect market and system for land circulationIn the rural land use control system, there are many uncertain factors in the land circulation, and the comprehensive factors are the problems of "non-grain" and "non-agricultural" production[2]. The massive loss of rural population and labor has reduced the actual utilization rate of rural land and reduced the benefits of farmland. It also caused farmers to shift the use of farmland to higher-yield uses, resulting in a decline in grain production capacity and lack of systematic supervision and control systems for land circulation.

3 Scientific significance of rural land consolidation in the context of rural revitalization

Village land mainly includes capital farmland protection area, village construction land, woodland, wasteland, natural reserve and water area. In the context of the rural revitalization plan, rural land is suitable for constructing capital farmland reserve areas in accordance with high-standard farmland construction standards, and reserves the same amount of capital farmland for construction projects involving the occupation of permanent capital farmland. Guidance on land use should be based on strict protection of the arable land area of capital farmland, actively explore zero growth in construction land, continue to promote land circulation, make intensive land circulation adjustment and other important tourism development projects, to achieve priority adjustment of land use in important development areas.

A sound land consolidation management system can lay a solid foundation for the rural revitalization strategy.

3.1 "Rural land consolidation+rural tourism" to promote the prosperity of rural industriesRelying on resources of the rural core industry, the tourism industry is used for characteristic packaging, forming a special tourism attraction core, creating a tertiary industry that focuses on consumption, and building a project that integrates the tertiary industry and the primary and secondary industries to guide the modernization, innovation and upgrading development of the primary and secondary industries. Comprehensively integrating resources to promote the deep integration of the tourism industry with related industries such as landscape tourism, research, health care, experience, vacation, real estate,etc.; establishing an extended industry and product system covering multiple fields; (i) Strengthening the primary industry: vigorously promoting and training new types of professional farmers with a variety of new business entities, focusing on large-scale agricultural industrial bases, vigorously developing modern agricultural parks, and providing green and high-quality agricultural products. (ii) Optimizing the secondary industry: establishing agricultural and sideline product processing, modern cold chain logistics and other platforms, promoting the deep processing of agricultural products and the processing of folk cultural tourism products, building the entire industrial chain of agricultural products, increasing the added value of products, and providing specialty tourism products to promote green technology upgrades of industry and mining and ecological restoration of mine pits, and develop industrial tourism. (iii) Promoting vitality of tertiary industry: creating a diversified tourism service system, rely on Xuzhuang’s rich characteristic resources, promoting the "Internet+modern agriculture" e-commerce platform, and creating a rural leisure tourism brand.

3.2 "Rural land consolidation+beautiful countryside" to promote the pleasant living environmentReinforcing the management, restoration and protection of rural mountains, forests, water systems, and farmland ecosystems, continuing to strengthen the protective development of ecological resources, and maintaining the mountain ecological resources and biodiversity.

Taking a strict control of construction projects, and only allowing the construction of necessary supporting facilities and the construction of small-scale high-end cultural tourism projects that are compatible with the ecosystem after evaluation. Protecting current timber forests and shelter forests and gradually replacing them into economic forests with high ecological benefits.

Reinforcing the management, restoration and protection of ecosystems such as mountains, waters and forests, strengthening the protection of rural ancient trees, forest belt resources, and wild animal and plant resources, and maintaining the biodiversity of landscapes and forests.

3.3 "Rural land consolidation+cultural construction" to promote the development of rural social etiquette and civility

As an important part of the rural revitalization strategy, the rural social etiquette and civility development is to promote the development of rural cultural construction and at the same time boost the overall implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. The development of folk culture should take many forms, such as handicraft process display and experience, traditional folk art performance, folk culture participation, rural tourism, the creation of wheat field landscape, traditional farming event demonstration and experience,etc. At the same time, cultural and creative means should be added to recreate and re-display the traditional culture and art[3].

Accelerating the construction of rural cultural systems and cultural facilities, adjusting the land for cultural facilities, focusing on the cultivation and inheritance of cultural talents, to promote the development of cultural industries.

3.4 "Rural land consolidation+and linkage from top to bottom" to promote the effective rural governanceIn the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, it proposed a sound rural governance system that integrates autonomy, rule of virtue and rule of law for the first time, which clearly points out the path to implement good governance in rural areas, and is the guiding ideology and basic guideline for achieving good governance in rural areas. From the perspective of governance system, autonomy, rule of virtue and rule of law constitute a complete modern rural good governance pluralistic compound governance system[4], which has strong institutional tolerance and practical feasibility. The pluralistic compound governance system composed of autonomy, rule of virtue and rule of law not only absorbs the experience of traditional Chinese rural governance, but also pays attention to the status and role of state power in rural governance, it is a modern governance subject norm and method system that conforms to China’s rural social governance practice[5].

3.5 "Rural land consolidation+new type of farmers" to promote the rural prosperityEstablishing a new talent system for rural revitalization, creating a new modern farmer new talent system for original residents, emerging professional farmers, returning young migrants, innovative and entrepreneurial farmers and villagers, and building a good policy" to provide more convenient conditions for returning home to start a business and attract returning makers[6].

Relying on the agricultural professional skills they have mastered, and through the basic productive operation of agriculture, innovative professional farmers obtain profit, at the same time, develop large-scale agriculture, innovate to become a large professional or family farmer in agriculture, and a new type of farmer with innovative agricultural knowledge, so as to become the main operating body of agricultural cooperatives and agricultural enterprises, and lead the new direction of modern agricultural development. The new professional agricultural field brings new jobs and directly drives farmers to get rich.

Through the implementation of rural land consolidation, key elements for the development of new type of farmers’ occupations can be activated, so as to encourage farmers to increase their incomes and promote prosperity of rural areas[7].

4 Recommendations for rural land consolidation

4.1 Establishing a unified organization and management form to ensure capital investmentIt is recommended to improve the working mechanism system of "departmental cooperation and public participation", and implement the joint responsibility of rural land consolidation[8]. At the same time, it is necessary to guarantee the investment of funds for the integrated management of the mountains, fields, water, roads, and forests in rural land consolidation.

Besides, it is recommended to actively adjust the land structure and land relations, and establish a sound funding system led by government investment and supplemented by enterprise capital investment[9]. All government departments need to form a unified and coordinated work management mechanism, broaden the source channels of remediation management funds, ensure the investment of land management funds, and promote the smooth development of land consolidation projects[11].

4.2 Increasing the public participation and respecting farmers’ willingnessThe main body of rural land consolidation and rural revitalization should be the farmers. The current problem in the work of rural land consolidation[12]is that it does not reflect the farmers’ right to know, participate, and supervise, and ignores the land management willingness of the farmer group[13]. For the smooth development and effective completion of rural land consolidation management, it is necessary to increase the participation of farmers, strengthen the publicity of land consolidation, popularize training, and enhance the public’s awareness and ability to participate. In the preparation of the preliminary planning of the land consolidation work, it is necessary to make an announcement to the public, hold the village committee meeting, and cooperate with the village committee to inform the farmers of all the details of the land consolidation, actively listen to and absorb the opinions of the farmers, consider the interests of the farmers, and adapt measures to local conditions, combine the actual situation to formulate a reasonable and operable consolidation management plan[14]. The increased public participation in the land adjustment and consolidation work can enable smooth implementation of the work. The extensive participation of farmers and the exercise of farmers’ supervision rights can effectively guarantee the quality of work. In the later stage of management, protection and operation, there is no vacancy of management and protection subjects, accordingly realizing efficient operation and improving the efficiency of land consolidation management.

4.3 Strengthening the awareness of ecological protection and creating an ecologically livable environmentIt is recommended to vigorously carry out ecological management and protection in towns, continue to implement agricultural ecological projects, consolidate and improve the achievements of returning farmland to forests and afforestation in barren hills, continue to strengthen rural infrastructure construction, and complete garbage transfer stations, garbage treatment plants, sewage treatment facilities, and sewage pipe networks, electric power communication and other infrastructure construction. Besides, it is recommended to vigorously promote the upgrading and reconstruction of the existing road network, and implement projects such as hardened roads connected to natural villages, reconstruction of rural roads, and rural road maintenance.

In addition, it is recommended to continue to consolidate the achievements in the construction of beautiful villages, upgrade and innovate on the basis of existing new communities, combine environmental remediation with the construction of beautiful villages, and carry out continuous environmental remediation work, strengthen domestic sewage and domestic waste, and promote coordinated development of rural production, living, and ecology[15].

5 Conclusions

The rural revitalization plan is a carrier and supplement of the land and space planning, while the land and space planning injects a conceptual foundation into the rural revitalization plan. At the present stage, the rural land consolidation is closely related to national land and space planning. The division of rural land production, living, and ecological space in national land and space planning, as well as the formulation and perfection of rural land circulation, land property rights, and "one household, one house" land management system, which will provide a practical and effective guarantee for further improvements of the rural revitalization strategy.