Evaluation of Agricultural Eco-Efficiency and Its Spatiotemporal Differentiation in China, Considering Green Water Consumption and Carbon Emissions Based on Undesired Dynamic SBM-DEA

Yunfei Feng, Yi Zhang, Zhaodan Wu (), Quanliang Ye and Xinchun Cao
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Yunfei Feng: Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Yi Zhang: Runshi Think Tank Industrial Innovation (Hebei) Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang 050000, China
Zhaodan Wu: Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Quanliang Ye: Department of Planning, Aalborg University, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
Xinchun Cao: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-26

Abstract: Both agricultural output and environmental pollution in China show certain characteristics of spatiotemporal variation due to the evolution and inter-provincial disparities of resource endowment, economic development level, and production mode. This paper considered the green water consumption, carbon emissions in agricultural production, and the persistent role of fixed asset investment, constructed an undesired dynamic SBM-DEA model, and evaluated the agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) of 31 provinces in China from 2007 to 2018, analyzing the spatiotemporal differentiation. The results show that, during 2007–2018, the following can be concluded: (1) The AEE of 31 provinces in China showed the characteristics of an overall stable rise from 0.64 to 0.70 but uneven development among regions from 2007 to 2018. (2) The averages of either the agricultural resource consumption efficiency index or pollution emission efficiency index in 31 provinces slightly increased over time, while the average value of the agricultural fixed asset investment efficiency index showed a decline in volatility. The spatial discrepancy of any index mainly stems from the index disparity between groups with a high AEE and groups with a low one, with contribution rates of more than 85%. (3) It is recommended to emphasize strengthening communication and cooperation between provinces with high and low AEE and implement distinct regional strategies to improve AEE.

Keywords: agricultural eco-efficiency; spatiotemporal differentiation; factor efficiency index; undesired dynamic SBM-DEA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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