Innovative path to realize the ecological economic value of idle rural homesteads through functional transformation in China
发布日期：2026-04-22
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Abstract：The rapid urbanization and rural-to-urban population migration in China have led to a significant increase in idle rural homesteads. Existing research has mainly focused on their economic value, often overlooking their ecological economic value. In response, the Chinese government has launched pilot projects to explore mechanisms for realizing the EEV of idle homesteads and promoting the sustainable use of rural resources. This study focuses on Fei County in China, one of the first pilot areas, employing intelligent identification and classification methods to assess the suitability of idle homesteads for ecological economic value (EEV) realization. The total area of idle homesteads in Fei County is approximately 419.6 hm2, categorized into lost homesteads (48.47%), abandoned homesteads (44.93%), and collapsed homesteads (6.6%). A suitability evaluation based on six indicators revealed several potential pathways for realizing the EEV of idle homesteads through functional transformation, including converting abandoned homesteads into guesthouses, reclaiming homesteads for agricultural or forest use, developing courtyard economies, promoting photovoltaic industries, and exploring innovative models such as “village gardens” and “food forests.” The EEV of each type was calculated using the value equivalent factor method, with photovoltaic development yielding the highest EEV, followed by guesthouse development, forest land, courtyard economy, arable land, and other uses. The study suggests that the selection among market-based, government-based, and hybrid approaches should depend on asset specificity, transaction uncertainty, and transaction frequency. The findings of this study aim to optimize the utilization structure of idle homesteads through functional transformation, promote rural industrial development, provide a reference for achieving the dual goals of rural economic growth and ecological economic value (EEV) enhancement, and offer practical evidence for the synergistic advancement of rural climate resilience building and rural revitalization.
作者：Jintao Li,Jinghao Yang &Lei Chu
来源：Discover Sustainability，09 April 2026
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