Assessing the relationship between the spatial distribution of land consolidation projects and farmland resources in China, 2006-2012

China's recent rapid economic development has resulted in rampant urbanization and substantial farmland reduction, which makes food security a great policy concern, not only in China, but around the world. The Chinese government has been implementing large-scale land consolidation programs since 1998 in order to stabilize and improve the quantity and quality of national farmland. During 2006-2012, about 6.8% of total national farmland was renewed by land consolidation programs. A comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the spatial distribution of land consolidation projects and the present status (quality and quantity) of respective farmland is critical for the future national land consolidation strategy. Land use, land consolidation management data, implementation status and spatial-temporal features of such implementation were explored. We found that prioritized implementation was weak at the national level; that is, obvious discrepancies exist between implementation intensity and improvement potential of farmland quality. Furthermore, the national land consolidation plan did not provide effective guidance for land consolidation practices; hence policy implementation differs significantly across the country. We suggest that methods of management and operational strategy in land consolidation should be improved.