Cost–benefit analysis of China's farming system

Abstract In addition to providing food, farming systems provide ecosystem services such as flood control, water quality control, carbon storage, and waste treatment, as well as cultural services such as scenic beauty, education, recreation, and tourism. However, the value of these services may conceal large costs that have been ignored by scholars. In this study, our goals were to perform a more complete cost–benefit analysis of farmland than has been done in previous research, thereby providing an improved estimate of the net benefits of that land use, and to explore the variation in the net benefits among regions. We used a novel method of quantifying costs and benefits that accounts for more of the associated costs than in previous research, and used China as an example. The annual net benefits of farmland totaled 11. 8×10 12 RMB (Renminbi: 1 RMB = US0. 15) in 2017, which amounts to 35. 3% of the total national net benefit. However, due to the adverse effects of pesticide pollution and biodiversity reduction, agriculture has a potentially negative impact on sustainable development. The annual cost of farmland in China was 5. 0×10 12 RMB, which decreased the total benefit by 29. 8%, and the annual cost of ecological protection was 1. 1×10 12 RMB. These results demonstrate the importance of a complete assessment of the costs and benefits of farmland to support more sustainable and economically efficient land‐use planning. This will both improve the benefits and support sustainable development of farmland, while also improving the enthusiasm of farmers for their occupation.