Enhancing Rural Economic Sustainability in China Through Agricultural Socialization Services: A Novel Perspective on Spatial-Temporal Dynamics

Ruofan Liao, Zhengtao Chen, Jirakom Sirisrisakulchai () and Jianxu Liu
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Ruofan Liao: College of Economics, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, China
Zhengtao Chen: College of Economics, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, China
Jirakom Sirisrisakulchai: Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Jianxu Liu: School of Economics, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-28

Abstract: Rural economic development faces significant challenges in the context of rapid urbanization and agricultural transformation, particularly in developing countries like China. Agricultural socialization services (ASSs) play a crucial role in promoting rural economic sustainability by enhancing household income and fostering regional development. This study investigates the impact of ASSs on rural economic sustainability in China from both temporal and spatial perspectives, employing the entropy weight method, double fixed effects model, and Spatial Durbin Model. Analyzing panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2021 reveals significant positive effects of ASSs on rural income, along with spatial spillovers to neighboring regions. The results highlight regional heterogeneity in the impact of ASSs, with the eastern region benefiting from local spillovers, while the central and western regions gain from intensification and scale effects. These findings suggest that policymakers should adopt region-specific ASSs strategies, such as facilitating technology transfer in the eastern regions while leveraging intensification and scale advantages in the central and western regions, to optimize the effectiveness of agricultural support measures. Moreover, the relationship between ASSs and rural income exhibits a non-linear trend across various urbanization stages, implying that ASS policies should be tailored to the specific challenges and opportunities associated with different levels of urbanization to maximize their impact on rural economic sustainability. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing ASSs, tailoring policies to local conditions, and harnessing the role of ASSs in the urbanization process to promote inclusive rural development and foster sustainable rural economic growth.

Keywords: agricultural socialization service; rural income; space spillover; threshold effect; urbanization; rural economic sustainability (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: 2025
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