noun
agricultural land; farmland
Refers to land used for farming, including fields, pastures, and other cultivated areas. Often used in legal, administrative, or planning contexts.
この地域の農用地は年々減少している。
The agricultural land in this area is decreasing year by year.
農用地を宅地に転用するには許可が必要だ。
Permission is required to convert agricultural land into residential land.
田畑 refers to rice paddies and fields collectively, emphasizing the physical cultivated land, whereas 農用地 is a broader category that may include pastures and facilities.
Compound of 農 (のう, 'agriculture') + 用 (よう, 'use') + 地 (ち, 'land'). The term is a modern coinage used in legal and administrative contexts.