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As China's cities continue to grow and the population sprawls westward, land prices are steadily rising and developers are keen to acquire farmland for their building projects.
With so much quick cash to be made from development, farmers in China are routinely becoming the victims of land grabs at the hands of opportunistic local officials.
A study carried out by Renmin University's School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development and reported on by the state-run Outlook Magazine claims that illegal seizure of farmland is the top cause of social unrest in rural areas.
Riots and violent protests have become commonplace in rural China. It's in reaction to the illegal land deals that routinely under compensate farmers for confiscated land, leaving millions without a means to earn a living.
The Renmin University study was based on poll data collected from 1700 households across six Chinese provinces.
