The Balance of Power and Agricultural Land Use Rights Transfers in Shanpotian Village, Yaoan County, Yunnan Province of China

Abstract

The objectives of this research are to (1) understand the power relations and negotiations, and the balance of power relations in the agricultural land use right transfer process over the past 10 years, in Shanpotian village in Yaoan county, Yunnan province, and to (2) recommend an appropriate model for the balance of power relations in agricultural land use rights transfer, for sustainable agricultural land use. A qualitative methodology is utilized.  Thus, documented research, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews with 45 farmers are implemented. The results of the study show that the agricultural land-use rights transfer process is never a neutral nor a peaceful process; powerful groups will attempt to use their social, economic, formal, and informal powers to influence the transfer process, to gain more benefits from the negotiation; and the poorer groups will always be the losers; public interests will always be less well-considered. For balancing power relations, the government must represent the interests of poor farmers and the public, which is a must for controlling market force. Moreover, the third-party monitoring systems should be established in and after the agricultural land use rights transfer process, to be sure that appropriate land use is in practice.