A rice field and farmer in China (IMAGE) Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Caption Traditional Chinese smallholder fields are irregularly shaped and separated by areas of hedgerows, wild grass, and flowers. Using large-scale machinery in these farmlands is difficult, so there is low agricultural operation efficiency. As a result, a growing proportion of China's traditional farmlands are rapidly changing as farmers consolidate land to improve efficiency. Credit Markus Raab Usage Restrictions Credit must be given to the creator. Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. License CC BY-SA Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.