Land fragmentation (LF) is widespread worldwide and affects farmers’ decision-making and, thus, farm performance. We used detailed household survey data at the crop level from ten provinces in China to construct four LF indicators and six farm performance indicators. We ran a set of regression models using OLS methods to analyse the relationship between LF and farm performance. The results showed that (1) LF increased the input of production material and labour costs; (2) LF reduced farmers’ purchasing of mechanical services and the efficiency of ploughing; and (3) LF may increase technical efficiency (this result, however, was not sufficiently robust and had no effect on yield). Generally speaking, LF was negatively related to farm performance. To improve farm performance, it is recommended that decision-makers speed up land transfer and land consolidation, stabilise land property rights, establish land-transfer intermediary organisations and promote large-scale production.

The multiple cropping index of farmland is a significant characterization of land use intensity. Based on the NDVI data, this paper calculated the multiple cropping index of farmland in China using the S-G filtering method, and proposed an optimized regionalization scheme for the farmland use. The findings reveal that from 2000 to 2018, the multiple cropping index of farmland in China underwent the fluctuation of rising first, then falling and rising continuously, which was closely associated with the agricultural support policies enforced in China. Counties whose multiple cropping indexes decreased from 2009 to 2018 were mainly located in areas primarily producing grain, which exerted a greater influence on food security. The gap between the multiple cropping index and potential multiple cropping index of farmland is increasingly widening from north to south in China. Accordingly, four types of grain producing zones were delineated: key development zone, potential growth zone, appropriate development zone, and restricted development zone. Some suggestions, such as rotation, fallow, determination of yield by water and offsetting the quantity balance of farmland by increasing the multiple cropping index, are put forward based on different zones.

The Grain-to-Fodder Crop Conversion Program (GCCP) in China mainly promotes the green and sustainable development of grain crops, economic crops, and silage crops by subsidizing livestock farms to encourage farmers to plant silage crops, such as corn silage and alfalfa silage. In this context, this study assesses the impact of planting silage crops on farm household income. Based on a survey of 495 households in Henan and Hebei Provinces, China, we first constructed a theoretical model of the program’s effect on farmers’ income, and then used an ordinary least squares (OLS) method to estimate the magnitude of the GCCP on farmers’ income. To identify endogeneity and further test the stability of the results, we adopted instrumental variable estimation, subsample estimation, and matching methods. The GCCP significantly increased smallholder farm income. Compared with growing corn grain, corn silage increased income by approximately CNY 101/mu. Meanwhile, corn silage reduced the capital input cost of farmers by 10.71% per mu and labor input by 26.6% per mu. Heterogeneity analysis revealed that farmers who plant corn silage on a large scale, closer to dairy farms, have higher incomes. Few scholars have empirically analyzed the impact of GCCP on farm household income from a micro-farm household perspective. This study enriches the empirical literature on the effects of the GCCP on farmers in China, which can help policymakers understand policy implementation.

Farmland abandonment poses a significant threat to China’s food security by contributing to inefficient land use. Utilizing remote sensing data and the multiple cropping index extraction method, this study extracts abandonment cropland information and analyzes its spatiotemporal patterns across China, with its findings validated against the “China Rural Revitalization Survey” (CRRS) data. The results indicate that since the 21st century, China’s cropland abandonment rate has fluctuated around 5.86%, affecting an average of 7.6 million hectares annually. Spatially, cropland abandonment is more severe in southern China, with hotspots clustered around 25° N and 30° N latitudes. This southward shift exacerbates the spatial mismatch between water resources and cropland. Furthermore, abandonment is particularly pronounced in grain production—marketing balance areas and main marketing areas, intensifying pressure on national food self-sufficiency. Slope and fragmentation also drive abandonment, with steeper (>15°) and more fragmented plots showing higher susceptibility. These complex patterns are uncovered through the study’s systematic innovations—a dual-indicator quantification method, a multi-source validation framework, a dynamic spatiotemporal atlas, and a novel interpretation of abandonment multifunctionality, which also positions farmland reuse as a buffer against unemployment risks. We thus recommend addressing land fragmentation as a core strategy, through high-standard farmland construction, innovative contract rights certification, and expanded agricultural socialized services to promote moderate-scale farming. Finally, we urge the adoption of region-specific and category-based recultivation approaches, supported by clear governance priorities.