The abandonment of cropland has become a global socioeconomic issue, and its potential negative impacts on food security and sustainable agricultural development cannot be overlooked. As one of the world’s most populous developing countries, China’s cropland abandonment problem and its governance warrant close attention. In the era of globalization, the economic ties among nations are becoming increasingly intertwined. Effectively addressing China’s cropland abandonment not only benefits its own development but also makes a significant contribution to global food security and sustainable agricultural development. This book employs nationally representative farm-level panel data from the China Rural Household Panel Survey (CRHPS) and the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS). It integrates modern econometric methods to empirically examine the driving factors and governance measures of cropland abandonment by farm households within the “People-Land-Money-Rights” framework. The findings indicate that cropland abandonment by farmers in rural China is ultimately influenced by four key factors: off-farm employment, land fragmentation, agricultural comparative return, and land tenure insecurity. Moreover, the cultivation of new agricultural operating entities, the construction of farmland water conservancy projects, agricultural subsidy system reforms, and land tenure reforms can effectively mitigate the negative impact of these factors on cropland abandonment. However, while this book provides a systematic study of cropland abandonment, future research could be deepened in the following directions: First, utilizing big data and geographic information system (GIS)-based methods to reveal the spatiotemporal patterns of cropland abandonment; second, employing machine learning and system simulation approaches to predict future trends in cropland abandonment; third, using multidimensional long-panel data to comprehensively assess the impacts of cropland abandonment; Fourth, delve deeper into other drivers of cropland abandonment and corresponding governance measures. Fifth, design a comprehensive policy framework that balances food security with sustainable development and encompasses the governance of cropland abandonment.