Factors affecting forestland production efficiency in collective forest areas: A case study of 703 forestland plots and 290 rural households in Liaoning, China

Abstract

Facing the challenge of huge population and prominent contradiction between land supply and demand in China, improving the land use efficiency will be a crucial way to solve this contradiction. Based on microscopic sampling data for 703 forestland plots, maintained by 290 rural households, in 30 villages in Liaoning province, and using forestland plots as the decision making unit, the influencing factors of forestland production efficiency were analysed by means of econometric analysis. The results show that increasing household labour and mechanical services helps to improve the production efficiency of forestland. Rural households' willingness to transfer forestland is weak and the frequency of forestland transfers is relatively low; without action, forestland transfers can be expected to continue to fail to fulfil their potential in stimulating production efficiency. Collective forestland (predominantly public welfare forest) made a limited contribution to forestry production efficiency. From the perspective of property security, although the certification work has more or less been implemented, the factors of property rights certificates, management duration and forestland rights exerted no significant effect on forestland production efficiency. The security and stability of households' forest property rights urgently need to be consolidated. Moreover, although forest insurance has an important effect on forestland production efficiency, the proportion of households purchasing forest insurance is still low and needs to be improved. The development of forest rights mortgage loans is blocked, and these have not played a significant role in forestland production efficiency to date. Forestry subsidy mechanisms were not sound, and non-subsidized forestland production efficiency was far higher than that of subsidized forest. As such, we conclude that forestry subsidies have failed to play a positive role in increasing efficiency. In order to promote forestland production efficiency and the sustainable growth of forestry, it is essential that emphasis be placed on forestland inputs, plot characteristics, property security and policy subsidies for micro-plots.