Dynamic Energy Use Efficiency, Carbon Input, and Agricultural Benefits of Multiple Cropping in Southern China—A Case Study from Guangdong Province

Tantan Zhang, Siying Deng, Yanhong Li, Bowen Qing, Wu Li and Zhaowen Mo ()
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Tantan Zhang: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Siying Deng: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Yanhong Li: Institute of Facility Agriculture, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
Bowen Qing: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Wu Li: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Zhaowen Mo: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Background: With the purpose of exploring the development of new quality productive forces in Guangdong, the present study hypothesized that reducing energy and carbon inputs was beneficial for increasing Guangdong’s multi-cropping agricultural energy output and economic returns. Methods: The energy use efficiency of crop production and the corresponding carbon input and agricultural benefit trends from 2011 to 2021 were examined by linear regression analysis for Guangdong Province, China. The corresponding development trends were also predicted using a grey model. Results: The results indicated that the total energy output increased by 12.50%, wherein the energy productivity levels of peanuts, vegetables, mulberry, and fruits increased greatly (51.27–106.17%), while the total energy input and the total carbon input decreased by 12.17% and 6.37%, respectively. Moreover, the energy input per carbon input decreased by 6.19%, while the energy output per carbon input increased by 20.15%. Both energy-related indicators and economic-related indicators all had substantially increased (28.08–44.97% and 83.86–120.91%, respectively). Grey model predictions show that the agricultural output value increased steadily under the current agricultural policy of reducing fossil energy input. Conclusions: The current low-carbon and high-output agricultural model is beneficial for increasing Guangdong’s multi-cropping agricultural economic returns and mitigating greenhouse effects.

Keywords: multiple cropping; energy input; energy output; carbon input; economic return (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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