Talking about Returning Farmland to Forest in Rural Areas

The contradiction between population and development in returning farmland to forest and its solution

In order to curb the deterioration of China's ecological environment, solve the serious problem of soil erosion in the central and western regions, and reverse the floods in the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins, the State Council decided to implement returning farmland to forests (grass) nationwide, which was piloted in 1999 and fully rolled out in 2002.

Judging from the current ecological situation and the overall situation of social and economic development in China, it is very necessary and feasible to implement returning farmland to forests. However, people should fully note that the contradiction between population and development is still very acute in the implementation of returning farmland to forests. If these contradictions cannot be properly handled, it will be difficult to maintain the achievements of returning farmland to forests for a long time. In order to find out this problem, the author investigated two cities (Luliang and Xinzhou) and four counties (Liulin, fangshan county, Shenchi and Wuzhai) with the biggest task of returning farmland to forests in Shanxi Province. Based on the survey data, this paper discusses this problem.

First, the living conditions of the population in the returning farmland to forest area (hereinafter referred to as the returning farmland area)

The living conditions of the population are the basic conditions for population development, mainly including natural environment and economic conditions. Since the founding of New China, with the care and help of the Party and the government, conditions in all aspects have been greatly improved, and people's living standards have also been greatly improved. However, due to the limitation of natural conditions and excessive population growth, the living conditions of the population in most areas are still very poor.

1. Natural conditions in the area of returning farmland

Most of the farmland belongs to mountainous or semi-mountainous areas, with harsh natural environment, inconvenient transportation and few Pingchuan valleys. Most of the cities and counties we investigated are below 10%, and mountainous and hilly areas account for more than 90%. The biggest problem facing this natural environment is soil erosion. Taking Shenchi County as an example, the soil erosion area of the county is 127740 hectares, accounting for 88.6% of the total land area. The annual erosion modulus is 89,000 ~ 22,000 tons/km2, and the fertile soil is lost every year19.573 million tons. The total nitrogen content is about 46,000 tons of ammonium bicarbonate, and the rapid phosphorus content is 858 tons of calcium superphosphate [65,438+]. Soil erosion makes the cultivated land in the returning farmland more barren, and the average grain yield per mu in the city is only about 150 kg.

Another common phenomenon that has a great impact on the survival of the population in the areas of returning farmland is drought. Take Xinzhou City as an example. In most areas, the spring drought occurs once every 2 to 3 years, and the summer drought occurs once every 3 to 5 years. Moreover, the frequency of drought changes from low to high, increasing year by year. During the hundred years from 157 1 to 1670, * * has 29 dry years with a probability of 29%, of which 10 has a probability of10%; During the hundred years from 187 1 to 1970, * * has 33 dry years, of which 13 has a probability of 13%. During the 24 years from 195 1 to 1974, there were1drought years, with a probability of 45.8%, including 4 drought years, with a probability of 16.7%. According to relevant historical records, it is common for Xinzhou to suffer from continuous drought for three or four years or even four or five years [2]. In recent ten years, droughts have occurred frequently. During the period of 200 1 year 1990- 12, * * * has six dry years, with a probability of 50%. During the three-year drought from 1999 to 20 1, the grain yield was reduced by more than 50%, and many rural areas had almost no grain harvest. The severe drought in 1999 made all 8 1000 people in fangshan county return to poverty, and the rate of returning to poverty was 100%.

Due to successive years of drought, the phenomenon of water shortage in returning farmland is very serious, and many mountain villages have dried up their water sources, making it very difficult for people and animals to drink water. In Fengzitou Village, Wuzhai County, the deep-ditch spring water has been dried up for two years due to drought, and the draught of people and animals depends on the county town 10 km away, with 6.5 tons per vehicle 120 yuan. If you have cattle and sheep at home, you need about 10 car water a year. Many families cannot afford it.

2. The economic situation of returning farmland to areas

Generally speaking, the economic situation in the areas of returning farmland is poor. The four cities (states) involved in this paper are one of China's 15 contiguous poverty-stricken areas, and the local fiscal revenue and expenditure have been in deficit for many years. Take fangshan county as an example. In 200 1 year, the fiscal revenue was 84 1 10,000 yuan, the expenditure reached 85.85 million yuan, and the balance of payments reached 77.44 million yuan. Especially the severe drought for three consecutive years since 1999 has further deepened the poverty level in these areas. In the four counties we investigated, the per capita net income of farmers in 200 1 year was less than 1000 yuan. Liulin County is 675.4 yuan, fangshan county is 598 yuan, Shenchi County is 365 yuan, and Wuzhai County is 448 yuan. The poverty-stricken counties approved by the province in the 200 1 annual report of Zhangzhou City are 1 1 key counties, accounting for 78.6% of the city's 14 counties (cities, districts) and 3 1.43% of the 35 key counties in the province. There are 986,800 poor people, accounting for 33.33% of the city's population and 28% of the province's poor population of 35 1.86 million. Due to the unstable economic development, 77,500 people in Xinzhou returned to poverty in 20001year (note: Xinzhou Poverty Alleviation Office. )。

In the poverty-stricken counties in the area of returning farmland to forests, the proportion of poor people is relatively large. For example, the total population of Liulin County in 200 1 year is 285,400, and the poor population is 16 1800, accounting for 567,438+0% and 70.96% of the agricultural population of 228,000 respectively. The total population of fangshan county is 136900, and the poor population is 1 14700, accounting for 83.79%, accounting for 99.48% of the agricultural population 1 15300; The total population of Shenchi County is 104700, and there are 73300 poor people, accounting for 70%, accounting for 83.68% of the agricultural population of 87600. The total population of Wuzhai County is 10.94 million, and the poor population is 77,600, accounting for 70.89%, accounting for 86.22% of the 90,000 agricultural population. (Note: 200 1 Summary of poverty alleviation work in relevant counties. The agricultural population figures are quoted from the main data of Shanxi Population Sampling Survey Office 200 1 Shanxi Population Change Sampling Survey. )。

3. Changes in the relationship between population, cultivated land and grain in the area of returning farmland.

(1) Cultivated land change characteristics

In most parts of China, with the development of economy and society, the construction land is increasing and the cultivated land area is decreasing. In the areas we investigated, most of them showed the opposite situation, that is, the area of cultivated land increased. For example, in 200 1 year, there were 572 1 13 hectares of cultivated land in Luliang area, which were 954 13 hectares and15 more than/kloc-0 and 1949 respectively. In 200 1 year, the cultivated land area in Liulin county was 46 153 hectares, which was 7626 hectares and 1086 hectares higher than that in 1980 and 1949 respectively. In 20001year, the cultivated land in fangshan county was 25,500 hectares, which was 8,200 hectares and 2,047 hectares more than that in 1980 and 1949 respectively. In 200 1 year, the cultivated land area of Shenchi County was 59,520 hectares, which was 8,587 hectares and 15553 hectares higher than that of 1980 and 1949 respectively (see table 1). It is understood that the main reasons for the increase in cultivated land are deforestation (grass) and land reclamation. Although the total cultivated land area in these areas has increased, the per capita cultivated land area is the same as that in other places, that is, the per capita cultivated land is decreasing. This is due to the increase of population.

Returning farmland to forests reduces cultivated land, and the population increase increases the demand for cultivated land. The change of the ratio of population to cultivated land makes the cultivated land more tense. In the past three years, the task of returning farmland to forests in Luliang area was 2727 hectares, with a per capita decrease of 0.008 hectares, while the task in Xinzhou city was 3007 hectares, with a per capita decrease of 0.0 1 hectare. According to the Tenth Five-Year Plan, by 2005, the population of Lvliang will reach 3,544,400, Xinzhou 3 10.39, Liulin 290,200, fangshan county140,600, Shenchi 10.74 million and Wuzhai 65,438+. By then, if the total cultivated land area in 200 1 year remains unchanged, the per capita cultivated land will be reduced to 0. 16 hectares, 0.22 hectares, 0. 16 hectares, 0. 18 hectares, 0.55 hectares and 0.33 hectares respectively. According to this population growth rate and cultivated land occupation, in 20 15 years, the per capita cultivated land in Luliang area will probably fall below 0. 14 hectares.

(2) the changing characteristics of grain

Most areas of returning farmland to forests in the north belong to arid or semi-arid areas, and droughts occur frequently and seriously, which have a great impact on local grain production. The biggest feature of such areas is that the grain output fluctuates greatly from year to year. Take Luliang area as an example. From 1990, the grain output exceeded 1 10,000 tons in three years, with the highest being 1996 and107500 tons [3]. There are also three years with an output of more than 500,000 tons or less, and its output is less than 50% of the highest year. The minimum output of 200 1 is only 402,400 tons, which is only 36.33% of the highest year. In Liulin County, the annual grain output has fluctuated greatly since 1990. The minimum grain output in 20001year was only 5.436 million kilograms, only 7.6 1% of the highest year 1996, and the per capita grain was only 19.05 kilograms. The per capita grain in several counties surveyed in 200 1 year was less than 100 kg (see table 1).

The above situation shows that the living conditions of the population in the returning farmland areas are relatively poor. Due to the limitation of natural environmental conditions, many disaster-stricken years have a great impact on the survival of the population. The formation of natural conditions in the area of returning farmland is closely related to historical population growth and activities, and also closely related to future population development.

Secondly, the dynamic analysis of population reclamation in the returning farmland area.

The basic contradiction between population and development in returning farmland to forest is the contradiction between population and cultivated land, and the core problem is the motive force of population reclamation in returning farmland to forest. If farmers returning farmland to forests have a strong motivation to reclaim wasteland, the achievements of returning farmland to forests will be threatened from time to time. The motivation of reclamation refers to various subjective and objective conditions that can urge farmers to reclaim wasteland, mainly including the following three aspects:

1. Dependence of population on land in returning farmland areas

Table 1 Changes of population, cultivated land and grain in some cities (states) of Shanxi Province (1949 ~ 200 1)

Annual Projects Wuzhai County, Shenchi County, fangshan county, Liulin County, Xinzhou City and Lvliang District

Total population (people)13490001498393192258013 ① 53543 52998.

Cultivated land area (hectare) 556500 626740 45067 23453 43967 40313

1949 cultivated land per capita (hectare) 0.4 1.420.38 0.400.820.76

Grain output (ten thousand kilograms) 33290.042817.0② 2349.01798.01625.81822.8.

Per capita grain (kg) 246.8 285.8197.0 309.9 303.6 343.9

Total population (population) 2506000 2432115 205215102017 83053 87507.

Cultivated land area (hectare) 476700 556413 3852717300 50933 47180

1980 cultivated land per capita (hectare) 0.190.230.190.170.61.54.

Grain output (ten thousand kilograms) 71067.5 80003.0 ③ 6039.0 2626.5 ④ 3202.52811.

Per capita grain (kg) 283.6 328.9 294.3 257.5.6338+0.2103638337

Total population (population) 3413809 2960359 285352136882104715109438.

Cultivated land area (hectare) 572113 697933 46153 25500 59520 38080

200 1 cultivated land per capita (hectare) 0.170.240.160.190.570.35

Grain output (ten thousand kilograms) 40240.0 50553.9 543.61045.6 650.0 378.0

Per capita grain (kg)117.9170.819.05 76.4 62.5438+0 34.5

Source: 1. Shanxi fifty years editorial board. Fifty years in Shanxi. China Statistics Publishing House,1999;

2. Local chronicles, county chronicles and related statistical department information.

Note: ① The data is1950; ② the average value of1953 ~1957; ③ the average value of1979 ~1988; ④ Data of1981year.

The urbanization level in the area of returning farmland is low, the proportion of secondary and tertiary industries is very small, and the population engaged in agriculture accounts for the vast majority. In 200 1 year, the proportion of rural population in Shanxi Province was 64.9 1%, and the proportion of rural population in Liulin County, fangshan county County, Shenchi County and Wuzhai County was 79.89%, 84.22%, 83.66% and 82. 19% respectively, which was significantly higher than the provincial average. The greater the proportion of rural population, the stronger the overall dependence on land. From the perspective of farmers' natural motivation, cultivated land is the most basic means of production and the most important source of income for farmers to survive. Therefore, owning as much land as possible is the unremitting pursuit of every farmer. The unstoppable behavior is to keep reclaiming wasteland. This is the fundamental reason why some people reclaim wasteland while returning farmland to forest in the area of returning farmland. Objectively speaking, the grain output of rural areas returning farmland is extremely unstable. In order to ensure survival, there is enough surplus grain to cope with the disaster year. Only when people have more cultivated land can they survive in the mode of extensive planting and thin harvest. From time to time, farmers who are reclaiming land on steep slopes can be seen in rural areas in the returning farmland area. The sloping farmland with a slope of more than 25 degrees stipulated by the state is not suitable for farming because of serious soil erosion. In Shanxi, Shaanxi, along the Yellow River and in mountainous and hilly areas hundreds of kilometers deep, almost all places where people can live have been reclaimed. This powerful force of returning farmland to forests is a great threat to the maintenance of the achievements of returning farmland to forests.

According to the current policy of returning farmland to forests, the state gives grain and cash subsidies to farmers who return farmland for free, which has a direct role in promoting the smooth development of returning farmland to forests. However, the state will certainly not make up for it indefinitely. If the income of cultivated land and economic forests can't meet the growth of farmers' income and food demand when subsidies are stopped, they will inevitably ask barren hills for food. At present, more than 80% of returning farmland to forests must be ecological forests, which have little economic benefits for farmers and their enthusiasm for building ecological forests is not high. On the other hand, the nature of farmers owning more land will always threaten ecological forests with no economic benefits.

2. The demand power of population growth on cultivated land

The increase or decrease of population is directly related to the demand for cultivated land. It can also be said that the motive force of population growth is also the motive force of reclamation in the rural areas where farmland has been converted.

After years of family planning work and economic and social development, the fertility level of women in China has dropped below the replacement level, and the population growth has shown an inertial growth. However, in the rural areas of returning farmland, the fertility level of women is still very high. Although the momentum of population growth has slowed down, the growth beyond inertia still exists.

Compared with areas with good natural conditions, the fertility level of women in the areas of returning farmland presents two situations. First, under natural fertility conditions, due to the restrictive effect of poor natural conditions on fertility activities, women's fertility level is relatively low, and the natural population growth level is lower than that in areas with good natural conditions; Secondly, under the condition of family planning, due to the poor natural conditions, the lag of the demand for labor and the change of people's ideas, and the constraints of poor natural conditions on family planning work, the fertility level of women is relatively high and the natural population growth level is also relatively high for a long period of time. Therefore, the population pressure in the areas of returning farmland is still relatively large. According to the four counties in two cities (states), the total fertility rate of 1989 is 3. 147, 2.733, 3.788, 3.303, 2.504 and 2.858, respectively (Note: The Fourth Census Office of Shanxi Province. The fourth population of Shanxi Province 10%, 199 1. ), both higher than the level of 2.46 1 in Shanxi province. Because the data of women's fertility rate has not come out yet, we can roughly infer the population growth in recent years from the proportion of the population aged 0-5 in the fifth general plan to the total population. According to the data of the Fifth General Plan, the proportion of population aged 0-5 in Shanxi Province is 8.39%, while the four cities (regions) surveyed are 9.58%, 8.4 1%, 10.83%, 9.40%, 6.86% and 8.52% respectively (Note: Shanxi Province in 2000 ), except Shenchi County, are higher than the provincial average. In addition, the sex ratio of the total population in the cities and counties surveyed is also significantly higher than the provincial level. It shows that the demand for boys in these places is very strong.

Another situation obtained from the survey further shows the driving force of population growth in rural areas where farmland has been returned. It is understood that the main reason why farmers in poverty-stricken areas consciously have more children is the pursuit of having boys. In order to illustrate this problem and understand the real situation, our survey only conducted statistics and analysis on two-child families, as shown in Table 2.

Table 2 Children of two-child families in four villages in Shanxi Province

General Project: Wuzhai County, Shenchi County, fangshan county County and Liulin County.

Cao Jia y Niu Jia ling Xiao Gou er crazy head

N① Dicun Jiancun

Total: number of families/children 74/148 23/4618/3618/3615/30.

Total: male/female 87/6128/1822/14211516/14.

The sex ratio is142.6155.6157.1140.0114.3.

Number of two male families/children 22/448/166/125/103/6

Proportion of households (%)

Number of two female families/children 9/ 18 3/6 2/4 2/4 2/4

Household specific gravity (%)12.1613.0411.1.

The number of families/children of one man and one woman is 43/8612/2410/2012210/20.

Family proportion (%) 58.1152.17 55.56 61.166.67.

According to the Family Planning Regulations of Shanxi Province, most villages in Shanxi Province can have two children in the task of returning farmland to forests. Therefore, multiple births are the main factor of population growth. In the survey, local cadres and villagers all reported that as far as the fertility willingness of farmers in mountainous areas is concerned, those who have two boys generally do not have a third child; It's even harder to have a man and a woman. But if you have two girls, you must have another boy. Obviously, the fundamental driving force of multiple births or population growth is the multiple births of two female families. However, according to the survey of four villages, the actual fertility situation promoted by the birth of boys is that the proportion of two male families is roughly within the normal probability range, that is to say, after the birth of boys, couples generally no longer choose the sex of the second child artificially. One male and one female household is obviously higher than the natural birth probability, which may be caused by three situations: first, sex selection activities for fertility; Second, if 1' s children and the second child are girls, and the second child is secretly given away, then the public second child born later is actually the third child or even the fourth child; The third type is infant drowning. The ratio of two female households is obviously less than the natural birth probability, which is caused by many reasons, such as adapting to nature, making mistakes in sex selection, and preparing for giving birth to a third child. In real life, it seems that there are not many double-female households, but it shows the root of the population growth momentum in the areas of returning farmland or poverty-stricken areas.

3. Labor farming capacity

The cultivation ability of labor force is the objective basis of rural reclamation power in the area of returning farmland. The arable land capacity of labor force refers to the maximum amount of arable land that an ordinary labor force can cultivate in a year under certain conditions. Due to different crop types and farming methods, this number will be different in different regions. It is understood that in the rural areas in Luliang area of Shanxi Province and mountainous and hilly areas of Xinzhou City, the arable land of an ordinary male labor force is about 1.6 hectares a year, and that of a female labor force is about 1 hectare, with an average of about 1.3 hectares. In four villages in four counties of two cities (states) we investigated, the villagers' answers were the same. It takes a total of four to six months for a labor force to farm so much land every year. In other words, it will take at least half a year for a laborer to cultivate 1.3 hectares of land. In these mountainous areas, the average cultivated land per worker is generally less than 0.7 hectares. The average cultivated land in the four villages we investigated is 0.55 hectares, and the lowest is only 0.38 hectares, which is less than 50% of the cultivated land capacity of a labor force. In this way, in these rural areas, there are at least 50% surplus labor force, while the other 50% labor force has at least 50% surplus labor time. Apart from leisure, the whereabouts of these surplus labors and the use of surplus labor time are: first, working; second, engaging in farming; third, operating economic forests (most areas that have been abandoned for farmland have not yet been established); and fourth, reclaiming land. According to the survey, going out to work is a helpless move. In recent years, there have been more migrant workers here, mainly because of drought and low agricultural income. If there is enough rain, there will be more land. In this way, if the economic forest is planted successfully in the future, 80% of the ecological forest will either be difficult to complete now or will become the object of reclamation.

Third, policy recommendations.

1. Increase investment, improve conditions, and improve the population control ability of the areas returning farmland.

Due to the underdeveloped economy and poor basic conditions of population control, the returning farmland areas are not suitable for population control tasks. Especially in the 2 1 century, great changes have taken place in China's population management mechanism, and quality service and informed choice have become the main methods to carry out family planning work in the new period. To do these jobs well, we must have enough investment as a guarantee. Therefore, the state should make a unified plan for population development and returning farmland to forests in areas with the task of returning farmland to forests, increase investment in family planning, improve the ability of population control, and adapt the population and family planning work in areas returning farmland to forests to the purpose and requirements of the work.

2. Take effective measures to effectively solve the problem of providing for the aged in the areas of returning farmland.

According to the survey, at present, the important motivation for families to have more children in the area of returning farmland is the problem of providing for the aged, and the most difficult problem on this issue is the purely female family. Therefore, when returning farmland to forests, the state should arrange special funds to buy old-age insurance for parents of pure female families with two or less children in the returning farmland areas, or set up daughter nursing homes in cities and towns. Eligible couples can live in a nursing home when they are old, or they can receive a pension at home every month according to their own wishes, or they can go to their daughter's home to support the elderly. In order to achieve the effect of family planning, this fund can be managed and operated by the family planning administrative department. At the same time, due to the economic poverty in most areas of returning farmland, ecological protection is a national plan, and this cost should be solved by the central budget.

3. Adjust the industrial structure and establish new economic growth points.

The economy in the area of returning farmland is underdeveloped and the industrial structure is single. Farmers' livelihood and income mainly depend on land. The government should fully tap and utilize local resources, or introduce production projects to support the development of non-agricultural industries, establish new economic growth points, shift farmers' income channels from cultivated land, and reduce farmers' dependence on cultivated land.

4. Gather strength, guide and promote population transfer between urban and rural areas, and accelerate the process of population urbanization.

Population urbanization is the process of rural population transferring to cities and towns. Population urbanization and controlling population growth are important measures to alleviate the contradiction between population and development, which can effectively promote the ecological environment protection in the areas of returning farmland and also an important way to promote rapid economic development. The government should make full use of the motive force of population movement in the current areas of returning farmland and take measures to promote the development of population urbanization. The government should combine the construction of small towns to carry out ecological migration to key ecological protection areas and villages with poor living conditions.

5. Advocate and support large-scale contracting and optimize the management form of returning farmland to forests.

At present, the practice of returning farmland to forests is individual contract, "whoever afforestation, who management, who benefits." There are two forms of specific operations, most of which are small-scale contracting of responsible fields, and they will still be managed after returning farmland. Another situation is large-scale contracting. In contrast, although the latter case is a minority, it has obvious advantages. Small-scale household contract is often unsustainable because of its small scale, low income and difficult management and protection. Large-scale contracting has avoided this drawback and increased farmers' income by hiring a large number of local laborers. The most important thing is that large-scale management has high income as the basis, which is more effective in the management and protection of forests and grasslands, so that the achievements of returning farmland to forests can be effectively protected. Therefore, large-scale contracting is of special significance for protecting the achievements of returning farmland to forests and reflecting its comprehensive benefits. The government should vigorously advocate and support large-scale contracting, take effective measures, implement preferential policies, and attract qualified individuals, companies and enterprises from all walks of life to contract afforestation and grass planting in returning farmland areas and implement large-scale operation. This is an effective way to change the ecological environment and promote the economic development in the areas of returning farmland.