The conservation of collective-owned farmland via the transfer of development rights (TDR) in China--the case of Ecological Fruit Park in Guangzhou

Abstract

Abstract In tandem with rapid urbanization in China, the loss of farmland has become a critical problem, as farmland is related to food security and urban ecological system. The local governments of Guangzhou have adopted transfer of development rights (TDR) to protect the Ecological Fruit Park (EFP) of Guangzhou city from destruction by local farmers. The TDR programmes in China are often driven by economic development in the name of ecological protection, however lacking attention to individual development demands and benefits leads to respective implementation failure. This paper examines the TDR programme of EFP in Guangzhou and argues that the TDR of EFP have prioritized ecological concerns and social stability, and especially individual benefit is crucial for the implementation. Based on an in-depth study of the EFP, this paper argues that the core principle of the TDR on collective-owned farmland is the realization of landowners' development rights. This paper also finds that there are three main factors leading to the successful implementation of conservation projects: strong public subsidies, core location of the farmland and strong motivation of the government. This paper thus suggests that local governments should seek an alternative approach of TDR to protect farmland lacking the above-mentioned three main factors.