Work

Agricultural and socioeconomic effects of vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau, China

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Although the vegetation restoration programs (VRPs) on the Loess Plateau, China, have significantly improved the region’s ecology, how the VRPs affected the economy and agriculture remains unclear. Here we used the difference-in-differences analysis to quantify the effects of the VRPs on population, economic, and agricultural aspects. Results suggest that the implementation of the VRPs increased mean county-based Gross Domestic Product by 148 % and per capita grain production by 30 %, but decreased rural labor resources by 11 %. The VRPs promoted the transfer of population to the secondary industry and increased the income of local farmers. We predict that grain production will likely start to decline when the restoration area exceeds approximately 55 % of the total county area in the future. Our study suggests that while VRPs on the Loess Plateau are economically sustainable, their expansion beyond a certain threshold could jeopardize agriculture.

Source: Geography and sustainability

DOI: 10.1016/j.geosus.2025.100326

Authors: Xianlei Fan, Yangjian Zhang, Jing Zhang, Edith Bai

Institutions: Northeast Normal University, Beijing Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Changes in China

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Life on land, No poverty, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,700