Farmland abandonment has become a global issue of significant concern since the beginning of the 21st century, severely impacting food security and grain production. To objectively reveal the characteristics of current research in this field, this study systematically selected research and review papers on farmland abandonment published between 2009 and 2023 from the core collection of the Web of Science database. [Methods] Bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny software packages. [Results] The results indicate that: (1) The number of publications in the field of farmland abandonment increased continuously from 2009 to 2023. Based on the growth trend, the period can be roughly divided into three stages: an embryonic stage (2009-2012) , a growth stage (2013-2017) , and a high-output stage (2018- 2023) . (2) The journal Land had the highest number of publications, citations, and influence, followed by Sustainability. Furthermore, Land began publishing papers on abandonment in 2016 and has the fastest growth rate among all journals. (3) During this period, 88 countries contributed papers to this field. The top ten countries by publication volume were: China, Spain, Italy, Germany, the USA, Poland, the Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, and France. Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands were at the center of collaborative networks. Collaboration between China and the USA, and between Switzerland and Germany, was relatively close. China's total number of collaborative publications was not particularly prominent, while German scholars placed greater emphasis on research collaboration. (4) Keywords in farmland abandonment research can be categorized into four groups: the first relates to farmland abandonment concerning soil erosion; the second focuses on exploring the influencing mechanisms and driving forces of abandonment; the third primarily analyzes research methods and techniques, along with interdisciplinary studies; and the fourth concentrates on vegetation cover and land degradation. [Conclusions] The study analyzes current and future research trends in farmland abandonment. Impact and driving mechanisms remain research hotspots. The application of remote sensing technologies, such as spatial identification, information extraction, and multi-scale simulation and monitoring, should be further strengthened. It is essential to propose effective coping strategies based on enhanced research collaboration to ensure food security and promote the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.