Agricultural Water Use Efficiency: Is There Any Spatial Correlation between Different Regions?

Yanling Zhi, Fan Zhang, Huimin Wang, Teng Qin, Jinping Tong, Ting Wang, Zhiqiang Wang, Jinle Kang and Zhou Fang
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Yanling Zhi: State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Fan Zhang: Institute of Management Science, Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Huimin Wang: State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Teng Qin: School of Business, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213159, China
Jinping Tong: School of Business, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213159, China
Ting Wang: Institute of Management Science, Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Zhiqiang Wang: Institute of Management Science, Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jinle Kang: Institute of Management Science, Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Zhou Fang: State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-22

Abstract: Affected by global climate change and water shortages, food security continues to be challenged. Improving agricultural water use efficiency is essential to guarantee food security. China has been suffering from water scarcity for a long time, and insufficient water supply in the agricultural sector has seriously threatened regional food security and sustainable development. This study adopted the super-efficiency slack-based model (SBM) to measure the provincial agricultural water use efficiency (AWUE). Then, we applied the vector autoregression (VAR) Granger causality test and social network analysis (SNA) method to explore the spatial correlation of AWUE between different provinces and reveal the interprovincial transmission mechanism of spillover effects in AWUE. The results show the following: (1) In China, the provincial AWUE was significantly enhanced, and the gaps in provincial AWUE have widened in the past 20 years. (2) There were apparent spatial heterogeneity and correlations of provincial AWUE. The provinces with higher AWUE were mainly located in economically developed and coastal areas. (3) The correlation of AWUE between provinces showed significant network structure characteristics. Fujian, Hebei, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Hubei Qinghai were central to the network, with high centrality. (4) The AWUE spatial correlation network could be divided into four blocks. Each block played a different role in the cross-provincial transmission of spillover effects. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the agricultural water resources and improve water use efficiency from the perspective of the network.

Keywords: agricultural water use efficiency; undesirable super-efficiency SBM model; vector autoregression (VAR) Granger causality test; social network analysis (SNA); spatial correlation network (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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