Document No. 1 of 2024 mentions the important measures to start the implementation of the second round of land contracts and extend the province-wide pilot for another 30 years after the expiration of the second round of land contracts. This policy aims to maintain the stability of rural land contract relations, to ensure that the original contract land of the vast majority of rural households continues to remain stable, so that the rural land contract relationship will remain stable for 75 years from the first round of contracting. This policy is good news for farmers with large families at the beginning of the land distribution, because they are allocated relatively more land and will still have enough land in the following period. However, for peasants with small family populations at the beginning of land distribution, this policy may lead to a shortage of land and increase the problem of "increasing the number of people without increasing the land, and reducing the number of people without reducing the land". Why is it necessary to implement the practice of "permanent change" of the land? The official answer is that this is conducive to consolidating and improving the basic rural management system, promoting the development of modern agriculture with Chinese characteristics, promoting the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, and maintaining the harmony and stability of rural society.
At present, many provinces have begun to implement the second round of land contract expiration after the expiration of the extension of the 30-year pilot, for the farmers concerned about the land contract right certificate, also gave a solution, that is, in the new contract period will continue to be valid and unchanged, the certificate recorded in the contract period will be uniformly changed. Transfer of Rights and Interests in Contracted Land: How to Adjust Land Contracting Rights The rural land contracting system is an important part of China's agricultural development and an important mechanism to protect the interests of farmers. However, during the second round of land contracting, with the development of the rural economy and the acceleration of urbanization, some problems need to be solved urgently, one of which is the adjustment of land contract rights. During the second round of land contracting, if it is necessary to adjust the land contracting rights, it can be handled through changes in the contract, register and certificates, and the issue of the land contracting rights certificate will not be involved.
Such an adjustment method can not only ensure the legitimacy and stability of land contract rights, but also meet the actual needs of peasant households and collective economic organizations. We can put forward two suggestions on the issue of peasant households settling in cities. One is that peasant households may transfer their land contracting rights within the collective economic organization or return it to the collective economic organization on the basis of compensation in accordance with the law. Such a practice can not only protect the legitimate rights and interests of peasant households, but also ensure the rational use of land resources. Another suggestion is to transfer the management rights of the contracted land to the large farmers, who will pay the rent every year. Such a practice can not only solve the problem of peasant households settling in cities, but also promote the intensive use of rural land resources. In addition, for long-term abandonment of land, the employer may take measures to prevent and correct such behavior. For example, land that has been abandoned for a long time can be replanned and organized, and farmers can be guided to actively participate in agricultural production and improve the utilization rate of land resources.
Recently, the "Decision of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Deepening Rural Reform and Comprehensively Promoting Rural Revitalization" (hereinafter referred to as the "Decision") was released, which further clarified the land contract system. According to the Decision, the second round of land contracts can be extended for another 30 years after expiration. The promulgation of this regulation can not only protect the legitimate rights and interests of farmers, but also promote the sustainable use of rural land resources. In short, with the acceleration of rural economic development and urbanization, the adjustment of land contract rights needs to be solved urgently. It is a proven way to deal with the adjustment of land contracting rights through changes in contracts, registers and certificates. As for the problem of peasant households settling down in urban areas, we can consider transferring land contracting rights or transferring management rights to large farmers to solve the problem. In addition, measures should be taken to prevent and correct such behaviour on land that has been abandoned for a long time.
Finally, according to the Decision, the second round of land contracts can be extended for another 30 years after expiration, and the introduction of this policy will further protect the legitimate rights and interests of farmers and promote the sustainable use of rural land resources. We hope that under the new reform measures, the rural land contract system will be able to better meet the needs of rural economic development and create better development opportunities for farmers.