China’s Rural Land Registration and Certification Piloting Project Yang ZHAO Office of Central Leading Group on Rural Affairs Xian XIN and Pei GUO Center for Rural Development Policy

Outline 1.Background of Rural Land Policy 2.Why is rural LR important in China? 3.Objectives of LR piloting project 4.What do we expect through conducting the LR project? 5.Is rural LR feasible in China now?

1.Background of Rural Land Policy Rural Land Institutional Arrangements in China Weak rights: Collective-owned, ambiguous Frequent rural land adjustments Undeveloped rural land market Land takings Imperfect rural land registration system The rural land ownership registered by MLR The rural land contractual right registered by MOA

2. Why is rural LR important in China? Land system is the most important basic property institution in an economy, the establishments of rural LR system will solidify the land system in China and further help the economy run on the basis of full-fledged institutions The rural land registration will provide effective legal protection, help farmers obtain the secure and stable returns from land and promote the food production and income generation

2. Why is rural LR important in China? (cont.) A great number of rural land transfers are conducted without official contracts and accordingly most land disputes hardly be compensated. The rural land registration will offer legal proves for farmers, and help set up the sound rural land transfer market The rural land registration will help pinpoint the land title, reduce the land disputes and empower the farmers in the process of land taking, thus the land return distribution be reasonably adjusted.

2. Why is rural LR important in China? (cont.) The rural land registration will deliver complete rural land information, help government extend and deepen the favorable policies towards agriculture and rural development

3. Objectives of LR piloting project First level Search for the sound scenario concerning the establishment of China’s rural land registration system, and collect the experiences in legal, economic, technical and organizational terms Second level Draw lessons and experiences from international practices and formulate the proper rural land registration system in China Provide trainings for the project staff to help scale up the rural land registration in China

3. Objectives of LR piloting project (cont.) Third Level Issue the rural land certificates to ensure the food security, enhance the economic growth and stabilize the financial system

4.What do we expect through conducting the LR project? Provide the accurate rural land information for related sectors and persons by exactly identifying the rural land tenure and accurately surveying the rural land parcels RL will help improve the stabilization of land title in China increasing farmers’ investments on land Fostering rural financial market and channeling credit access for farmers Providing social security for farmers and protect their rights and interests

4.What do we expect through conducting the LR project? Promote the rural land contractual right transfer, prevent the rural land fragmentation, reduce the rural land disputes and empower the farmers in the process of rural land taking Help farmers obtain the legal land rights, and really identify and stabilize the rural land rights of farmers

5. Is rural LR feasible in China? Policy concern: All rural land policies since 1980 indicated that the GOC attaches great importance to improve the rural land system, protect the rights and interests of farmers; therefore, the rural land registration is consistent with the government policy Legal concern: The draft “Law of Property Rights” has already identified the rural land contractual right as the one of the property rights; therefore, the rural land registration is consistent with legal framework in China

5. Is rural LR feasible in China? Farmers concern: The agricultural tax had been abolished nationwide since 2006; therefore, the farmers have no worries about the land parcel area and will positively participate in the rural land registration; Organizational concern: The MOA, MOLR, MOF and ect. Indicate their attention and interests in the rural land registration; therefore, the project will be actively supported by the abovementioned governmental organizations;

5. Is rural LR feasible in China? Technical concern: The international society provides experiences about the rural land registration; TAs provided by the World Bank and FAO

Thanks! Xian XIN Professor of Agricultural Economics xinxian@cau.edu.cn Center for Rural Development Policy, China Agricultural University