Multidimensional assessment of cultivated land under the land requisition compensation balance policy in Neijiang, Sichuan

Abstract Understanding the synergies and trade-offs of cultivated land in quantity, quality, and ecology under the Land Requisition-Compensation Balance (LR-CB) policy is crucial for territorial spatial governance. Focusing on Neijiang, a representative hilly agricultural area in the southern Sichuan Basin, this study develops a multidimensional assessment framework integrating data from 1,718 village-level units, including land use surveys (2019–2023), remote sensing imagery. Methods such as dynamic change rate, landscape pattern indices, and ecosystem service value (ESV) evaluation are employed to analyze the spatial synergy and differentiation of cultivated land under the LR-CB policy. Results show that: (1) Quantity dimension: Cultivated land shows a clear spatial pattern of ‘large-scale occupation and small-scale compensation.’ Large patches of occupied cultivated land are concentrated in western Neijiang, whereas compensated patches are mainly clustered in the central and southwestern areas, forming a ‘high-density, small-area’ configuration. In total, 63.62% of administrative villages experience net losses of cultivated land. (2) Quality dimension: A distinct spatial mismatch between occupation and compensation is observed. Cultivated land is shifting toward lower elevations and gentler slopes, and 58.85% of villages have a contiguity occupation-compensation ratio below 1, suggesting that contiguous compensation has partially alleviated fragmentation. (3) Ecological dimension: The ESV of cultivated land in Neijiang shows an overall upward trend, with a cumulative increase of about 347 million yuan. A total of 88.42% of villages exhibit ESV enhancement, 71.20% of which is attributable to dryland, indicating strengthened ecological functions. However, most compensated land falls within ESV classes with only modest gains and has a weaker ecological foundation than the occupied land, implying that ecological equivalence under the LR-CB policy has yet to be achieved. This study offers a new perspective on how the LR-CB policy shapes cultivated land systems at the village scale, supporting the sustainable optimization of cultivated land resources in hilly regions.