Analysis of factors influencing terrace abandonment based on unmanned aerial photography and farmer surveys: A case study in Jianhe, Guizhou

Abstract Studying the abandonment status of mountain terraces and its determinants, as well as exploring opportunities for the sustainable use of mountain terraces, are of great significance for the protection of regional cultivated land resources. The present study analysed eight typical villages in Jianhe County, Guizhou Province, China, as examples. A combination of high‐resolution remote sensing images and farm household survey data were used to explore the abandonment of terraces in mountainous areas. A multi‐level logistic model was constructed to analyse the determinants of terrace abandonment based on three levels: plot, household and village. The results show that serious terrace abandonment occurred in the study area, with 33.78% of all terraces having been abandoned. The plot and household levels were important in influencing terrace abandonment by farmers. At the plot level, terrace abandonment is more likely to occur on small plots found at a long distance from residences with poor irrigation conditions and collapsed ridges. At the household level, households where the head had a relatively high level of education and households with relatively small agricultural labour forces and lower degrees of mechanisation had a higher probability of their terraces being abandoned. At the village level, a relatively high risk of terrace abandonment was found in villages relatively close to an administrative centre, with a low land transfer rate and a low rate of forest coverage. In conclusion, carrying out land consolidation projects and improving agricultural infrastructure in mountainous areas are important means to achieving the sustainable use of terraces.