Problems Associated with the Transfer of Rural Residential Land in the Poverty-Stricken Mountain Areas of the West of China: A Case Study from Liangdang County, Gansu Province

Rural residential land is vital for the survival of millions of rural residents,and is related to issues of farmland protection and the rational use of land resources.The problem of the transfer of use rights for rural residential land is attracting increased attention and research as a fundamental right of rural residents.In this paper,the situation in Liangdang County in Gansu Province,a poverty-stricken mountain area,is assessed by means of a questionnaire.Our aim was to determine the current situation regarding rural residential land use rights,and to develop an understanding of the issue from the perspective of the farmers.The factors that influence the willingness of farmers to transfer land use rights were analyzed,and approaches to developing and improving policy regarding the transfer of rural residential land use rights were explored.Our conclusions indicate that theoretical guidance and policy advice should be provided to develop and improve the land use policy and system across the whole country for the land management sector.