IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v15y2025i16p1729-d1722495.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can Agricultural Sustainable Development and Rural Industrialization Be Achieved Simultaneously? The Practice of Rural Industrial Integration from China

Author

Listed:
  • Yang Peng

    (College of Economics and Management, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China)

  • Yiwei Liu

    (College of Cultural Tourism and Public Administration, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350002, China)

  • Liyu Mao

    (College of Rural Revitalization, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China)

  • Jiahong Zhang

    (College of Rural Revitalization, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China)

  • Jieru Zhu

    (College of Rural Revitalization, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China)

  • Shuisheng Fan

    (College of Rural Revitalization, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China)

Abstract

Improving agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) plays a critical role in fulfilling agriculture sustainable development goals (SDGs). China’s agriculture-led Rural Industrial Integration (RII) seeks to synergize rural industrialization with agricultural sustainability, yet its impact on AEE remains underexplored. Using a 2008–2022 panel of 285 prefecture-level cities in China, this study uses a series of econometric methods to empirically verify the impact of RII on AEE. The coefficient of RII under the fixed effect model is 0.366, indicating that it has a significant positive impact on AEE, which remains valid after robustness tests such as the instrumental variable method and the use of the “Rural Industrial Integration Development Demonstration County” pilot as a quasi-natural experiment. Mechanism tests show that rural labor transfer, agricultural technology innovation, and agricultural carbon emissions play an important role in mediating the impact of RII on AEE. RII has a negative spatial spillover effect on AEE, with a coefficient of −2.280. In addition, the impact of RII on AEE also varies under the heterogeneity of regions and development models. This study provides new evidence that China’s RII practices can promote sustainable agricultural development, deepens theoretical understanding of the impact of RII on AEE, and provides a reference for future policy implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang Peng & Yiwei Liu & Liyu Mao & Jiahong Zhang & Jieru Zhu & Shuisheng Fan, 2025. "Can Agricultural Sustainable Development and Rural Industrialization Be Achieved Simultaneously? The Practice of Rural Industrial Integration from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-25, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:16:p:1729-:d:1722495
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/16/1729/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/16/1729/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Iammarino, Simona & McCann, Philip, 2006. "The structure and evolution of industrial clusters: Transactions, technology and knowledge spillovers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1018-1036, September.
    2. Małgorzata Holka & Jolanta Kowalska & Magdalena Jakubowska, 2022. "Reducing Carbon Footprint of Agriculture—Can Organic Farming Help to Mitigate Climate Change?," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-21, September.
    3. Gambardella, Alfonso & Torrisi, Salvatore, 1998. "Does technological convergence imply convergence in markets? Evidence from the electronics industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 445-463, September.
    4. Gong, Binlei, 2018. "Agricultural reforms and production in China: Changes in provincial production function and productivity in 1978–2015," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 18-31.
    5. Xie, Hualin & Lu, Hua, 2017. "Impact of land fragmentation and non-agricultural labor supply on circulation of agricultural land management rights," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 355-364.
    6. Luis Orea & Alan Wall, 2017. "A Parametric Approach to Estimating Eco-Efficiency," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(3), pages 901-907, September.
    7. Tone, Kaoru, 2002. "A slacks-based measure of super-efficiency in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 143(1), pages 32-41, November.
    8. Wang, Jingyu & Peng, Lu & Chen, Jiancheng & Deng, Xiangzheng, 2024. "Impact of rural industrial integration on farmers' income: Evidence from agricultural counties in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    9. Zhang, Yingnan & Long, Hualou & Li, Yurui & Ge, Dazhuan & Tu, Shuangshuang, 2020. "How does off-farm work affect chemical fertilizer application? Evidence from China’s mountainous and plain areas," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    10. Liu, Yansui & Zou, Lilin & Wang, Yongsheng, 2020. "Spatial-temporal characteristics and influencing factors of agricultural eco-efficiency in China in recent 40 years," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    11. Xiujuan Tian & Manhua Wu & Lin Ma & Ning Wang, 2020. "Rural finance, scale management and rural industrial integration," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(2), pages 349-365, January.
    12. Han Zhang & Dongli Wu, 2022. "The Impact of Transport Infrastructure on Rural Industrial Integration: Spatial Spillover Effects and Spatio-Temporal Heterogeneity," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-18, July.
    13. Ding, Jian & Liu, Baoliu & Shao, Xuefeng, 2022. "Spatial effects of industrial synergistic agglomeration and regional green development efficiency: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    14. Yunsi Chen & Sumin Hu & Haoqiang Wu, 2023. "The Digital Economy, Green Technology Innovation, and Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, October.
    15. Justas Streimikis & Tomas Baležentis, 2020. "Agricultural sustainability assessment framework integrating sustainable development goals and interlinked priorities of environmental, climate and agriculture policies," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1702-1712, November.
    16. Xiujuan Tian & Manhua Wu & Lin Ma & Ning Wang, 2020. "Rural finance, scale management and rural industrial integration," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(2), pages 349-365, January.
    17. Jingjing Wang & Faming Zhou & Ailiang Xie & Juan Shi, 2024. "Impacts of the integral development of agriculture and tourism on agricultural eco-efficiency: a case study of two river basins in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 1701-1730, January.
    18. Hickel, Jason, 2020. "The sustainable development index: Measuring the ecological efficiency of human development in the anthropocene," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    19. Zepu Zhang & Chen Sun & Jing Wang, 2023. "How Can the Digital Economy Promote the Integration of Rural Industries—Taking China as an Example," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-21, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhenyu Qi & Zixing Wu & Yuezhou You & Xiaoying Zhan, 2024. "Can Rural Industrial Convergence Alleviate Urban–Rural Income Inequality?: Empirical Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-30, December.
    2. Han Zhang & Dongli Wu, 2023. "The Impact of Rural Industrial Integration on Agricultural Green Productivity Based on the Contract Choice Perspective of Farmers," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-20, September.
    3. Liguo Wang & Fenghua Liu & Jiangtao Gao, 2025. "Examining Whether Participation in Industrial Integration Can Enhance Farmers’ Income Based on Empirical Evidence from the “Hundred Villages and Thousand Households” Survey in Jiangxi Province," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-35, September.
    4. Idiano D'Adamo & Massimo Gastaldi & Ilhan Ozturk, 2023. "The sustainable development of mobility in the green transition: Renewable energy, local industrial chain, and battery recycling," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 840-852, April.
    5. Wang, Jingyu & Peng, Lu & Chen, Jiancheng & Deng, Xiangzheng, 2024. "Impact of rural industrial integration on farmers' income: Evidence from agricultural counties in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    6. Chuansheng Wu & Yuyue Li & Lingling Qi, 2022. "Assessing the Impact of Green Transformation on Ecological Well-Being Performance: A Case Study of 78 Cities in Western China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-21, September.
    7. Yang, Fei & Liu, Kang & Wu, Lei & Ren, Yi & Liang, Tian, 2025. "Urban geometry and energy efficiency: Evidence from 282 cities in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 319(C).
    8. Rajneesh Narula & Andrea Martínez-Noya, 2014. "International R&D Alliances by Firms: Origins and Development," John H Dunning Centre for International Business Discussion Papers jhd-dp2014-06, Henley Business School, University of Reading.
    9. Shengyun Wang & Yaxin Zhang & Xingren Yao, 2021. "Research on Spatial Unbalance and Influencing Factors of Ecological Well-Being Performance in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-23, September.
    10. Weijun He & Yizhan Li & Xu Meng & Mengfei Song & Thomas Stephen Ramsey & Min An, 2024. "Will green technological progress help industrial collaborative agglomeration increase regional carbon productivity: evidence from Yangtze River Delta urban agglomerations," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(10), pages 26019-26046, October.
    11. Nadezhda Shmeleva & Tatyana Tolstykh & Viktoria Krasnobaeva & Diana Boboshko & Denis Lazarenko, 2024. "Network Integration as a Tool for Sustainable Business Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-25, October.
    12. Su, Fangfang & Tao, Sumin & Ying, Ruiyao, 2025. "Agricultural transformation in the digital age: Digital inclusive finance and the development of new agricultural business entities," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Guangyan Ran & Guangyao Wang & Huijuan Du & Mi Lv, 2023. "Relationship of Cooperative Management and Green and Low-Carbon Transition of Agriculture and Its Impacts: A Case Study of the Western Tarim River Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Mengyang Hou & Zenglei Xi & Suyan Zhao, 2022. "Evaluating the Heterogeneity Effect of Fertilizer Use Intensity on Agricultural Eco-Efficiency in China: Evidence from a Panel Quantile Regression Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-22, May.
    15. Shilin Li & Zhiyuan Zhu & Zhenzhong Dai & Jiajia Duan & Danmeng Wang & Yongzhong Feng, 2022. "Temporal and Spatial Differentiation and Driving Factors of China’s Agricultural Eco-Efficiency Considering Agricultural Carbon Sinks," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-17, October.
    16. Gantian Zheng & Weiwei Wang & Chang Jiang & Fan Jiang, 2023. "Can Rural Industrial Convergence Improve the Total Factor Productivity of Agricultural Environments: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-20, November.
    17. Yu, Peiheng & Fennell, Shailaja & Chen, Yiyun & Liu, Hui & Xu, Lu & Pan, Jiawei & Bai, Shaoyun & Gu, Shixiang, 2022. "Positive impacts of farmland fragmentation on agricultural production efficiency in Qilu Lake watershed: Implications for appropriate scale management," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    18. Yao, Hua & Yu, Xinlian & Mao, Haijun & Bai, Dongling & Zhang, Shunfeng, 2024. "The spatial spillover impact and transmission mechanisms of logistics agglomeration on eco-efficiency: A case study in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    19. Kaili Wang & Ehsan Elahi & Yuge Zhang & Di Wang & Zainab Khalid, 2022. "A Development of Green Finance and Regional Eco-Efficiency in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-18, November.
    20. Yafei Wang & Huanhuan Huang & Jing Liu & Jin Ren & Tingting Gao & Xinrui Chen, 2023. "Rural Industrial Integration’s Impact on Agriculture GTFP Growth: Influence Mechanism and Empirical Test Using China as an Example," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-21, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:16:p:1729-:d:1722495. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.