Abstract: In the vast rural areas, the problem triggered by the land acquisition system that needs to be solved at the grassroots level is the problem of compensation income from farmers’ land acquisition. The inadequate compensation for land-lost farmers and income decline are mainly reflected in the distribution of farmers’ compensation income from acquisition of arable land as well as the acquisition of collective assets. In the acquisition of homestead, the interests of many farmers receive the highest degree of satisfaction, even get more extra income. The state has provided rather sufficient protection for the interests of land-lost farmers, while the cause for the damage to the rights and interests of farmers during compensation for land acquisition lies in the implementation by the local grass-roots governments, especially the power subject at township and village level would trample on the rights and interests of farmers. Its deep root in the system is the unclear subject to receive compensation income, lacking of power supervision mechanism, and lacking of judicial relief mechanism. The key to safeguarding the interests of land-lost farmers is to improve land property rights system, establish an effective regulatory system, rationalize the distribution of compensation for land acquisition, and construct a special relief mechanism for compensation disputes in land acquisition, so that the statutory compensation for land acquisition can really be implemented in full in the hands of land-lost farmers.

Key words: compensation for land acquisition; land-lost farmers; legitimate rights and interests