Diversification of food production in rapidly urbanizing areas of China, evidence from southern Jiangsu

Suburban food production (SFP) is important in meeting urban residents' diversified food needs and contributing to farmers' livelihoods. However, the relationship between food production types and urban growth could be clearer. To better understand whether rapid urbanization promotes diversified SFP, we studied the changes in food production types and driving factors in the suburban areas of southern Jiangsu, a rapidly urbanizing region of China, from 2001-2020. Our results showed that 1) Urbanization contributed to the diversification of SFP in southern Jiangsu, and non-grain production was mostly concentrated in peri-urban areas. 2) All non-grain production exhibited some spatial agglomeration. 3) The conditions of internal transformation of food types are highly correlated with the stage of urbanization and their characteristics. In addition, farmland protection policies such as basic farmland zones have successfully restrained the specific non-grain production type. Our study contributes to a better understanding the multifaceted relationship between SFP and urban expansion from the land-use perspective. It is a reference for formulating urban-rural spatial planning and cultivating land protection in urbanized areas.