The development space of and recommendations for ecological farms in China

Ecological farms are the main implementation objects for agricultural environmental policy in developed countries. Ecological farms represent the basic unit of promotion for ecological agriculture in China and have become an effective approach for agricultural green development. Based on a 7-year field investigation and 5 years of experience in the construction of eco-agriculture bases, the economic parameters of four regions of China (Northeast China, North China, the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, and South China) and three types of ecological farms (planting farm, breeding farm, plant-breeding combined farm) were obtained. According to the development plan of China’s new type of agricultural business and the proportion of 3%−5% ecological transformation, the development space of ecological farms at the regional and national scales was evaluated, and the industrial value of the ecological farms in promoting agricultural green development was analyzed. The latest requirements and policy recommendations for China’s recent ecological farm construction were put forward at the strategic level. The results show that: 1) the input-output efficiency of ecological farms in South China is the greatest and that in Northeast China is the lowest. With respect to ecological farm type, ecological farms carrying out planting-breeding have the greatest input-output ratio and average profit margin, but breeding-based ecological farms and planting-based ecological farms have lower input-output ratios and average profit margins. 2) There will be 30 000−50 000 ecological farms in China by 2022, and the scale of industrial value for the ecological farms ranks as North China > the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River > Northeast China > South China, which will effectively drive market investment and provide employment opportunities. 3) Recently, it is necessary to build several ecological farms as the national demonstrations in the Yangtze River Delta region and other key areas, gradually promote the evaluation of ecological farms throughout the country. Meantime, optimizing the compensation policies, building a big data system, cultivating an industrialization platform, creating the investment and financing mechanism, and cultivating talented workforce and market subjects who would be engaged in the operation and management of ecological farms should be conducted.