Comparative Study on Farmland Circulation between Plains and Mountainous Areas in an Arid Region: A Case Study of Zhangye City in Northwest China

Farmland circulation is essential for agricultural scale management. Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, a large number of rural laborers have migrated to cities, resulting in accelerated farmland circulation. Revealing the farmland circulation in different geographical environments is conducive to efficient farmland management but remain largely unknown. To this end, based on the questionnaire survey data and statistical data of Zhangye City, we compared the features of farmland circulation between plains and mountainous areas, and used the binary logistic regression model and other methods to analyze the main factors affecting differentiated farmland circulation at the plot level. The main circulation modes and proportions in the plains were leasing (54.4%), exchange (22.4%), and subcontracting (16.2%), while the single leasing mode in mountainous areas accounted for 89.5%. The scale management units of more than 33.33 ha accounted for 6.48% and 30.72% in plains and mountainous areas, respectively. The proportion of circulation periods exceeding 5 years were 28.13% and 2.23% in plains and mountainous areas, respectively. The factor of "degree of farmland fragmentation" positively affected (p < 0.01) the farmland circulation in plains areas but negatively affected (p < 0.01) that in mountainous areas. The "farmland circulation price" promoted (p < 0.01) farmland circulation in both plains and mountainous areas. Whereas the "actual water diversion" (p < 0.01) and "river source water" (p < 0.05) only had varying degrees of negative impacts on farmland circulation in plains areas. Decision makers should practice management measures such as regulating farmland circulation behavior, formulating reasonable farmland circulation pricing models, and integrating farmland to promote the circulation and efficient use of farmland.