Abstract: The cultivated land per capita in Jiangxi Province touches the cordon of cultivated land per capita enacted by FAO. The decrease of cultivated land has accelerated over the last a few years. The main components of decreased cultivated land, and were occupied by national building, returned to forests and lakes, and damaged by natural disasters, etc. Different regions in Jiangxi show various characters in change of cultivated land during the last decade. Decreasing rate is lower in regions with higher GDP per capita than with lower GDP per capita because Jiangxi is on the special stage of development. The regions with high GDPPC are on the period of industrial transformation, so they occupy less cultivated land than others. The regions with low GDPPC are on the starting period of industry, and they occupy more cultivated land than others.This paper analyzes the main factors of driving forces in cultivated land change by the Principal Component Analysis. The results show that economic development and population increase, and natural disasters and technological advance in agriculture are the four main factors. This paper proposes some basic strategies for the protection of cultivated land in Jiangxi, such as controlling population, implementing quantity balance of cultivated land, reclaiming land, improving ecological circumstance, etc.

Key words: Jiangxi Province, cultivated land, change, driving force, protection strategy