IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i10p8331-d1151543.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rural Population Aging, Capital Deepening, and Agricultural Labor Productivity

Author

Listed:
  • Danhong Shen

    (School of Economics and Management, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China)

  • Haimeng Liang

    (School of Economics and Management, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China)

  • Wangfang Shi

    (School of Economics and Management, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China)

Abstract

Whether the aging of rural population will affect the high-quality development of China’s agriculture is an important issue facing the construction of China’s characteristic modern agriculture. Using panel data from 30 provinces in China from 1999 to 2020, this paper used fixed effects models and mediation models for econometric regressions to explore the relationship between rural population aging and agricultural development, as well as the intermediate mechanisms involved. The study found that there was a positive relationship between rural population aging and agricultural labor productivity, and aging can stimulate agricultural development. Mechanism analysis revealed that rural population aging can promote the adjustment of the structure of agricultural factors, drive the deepening accumulation of capital and other factors, promote the modernization of agricultural production methods, and ultimately achieve an increase in agricultural labor productivity. Further examination showed that the positive relationship between rural population aging and agricultural productivity gradually weakened as the degree of rural population aging deepened. The study provides empirical evidence for sustainable agricultural development in the context of population aging.

Suggested Citation

  • Danhong Shen & Haimeng Liang & Wangfang Shi, 2023. "Rural Population Aging, Capital Deepening, and Agricultural Labor Productivity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8331-:d:1151543
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/8331/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/8331/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Manolis Manioudis & Giorgos Meramveliotakis, 2022. "Broad strokes towards a grand theory in the analysis of sustainable development: a return to the classical political economy," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(5), pages 866-878, September.
    2. Liao, Liuwen & Long, Hualou & Gao, Xiaolu & Ma, Enpu, 2019. "Effects of land use transitions and rural aging on agricultural production in China’s farming area: A perspective from changing labor employing quantity in the planting industry," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Feder, Gershon, 1985. "The relation between farm size and farm productivity : The role of family labor, supervision and credit constraints," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(2-3), pages 297-313, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chen Wu & Yang Cao & Hao Xu, 2025. "How Population Aging Drives Labor Productivity: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-28, May.
    2. Yangxiao Lu & Suhao Wei, 2024. "Outsourcing of Agricultural Machinery Operation Services and the Sustainability of Farmland Transfer Market: Promoting or Inhibiting?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Hanlong Gu & Yuqing He & Bingyi Wang & Fengkui Qian & Yan Wu, 2023. "The Influence of Aging Population in Rural Families on Farmers’ Willingness to Withdraw from Homesteads in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-25, September.
    4. Qiguang An & Yongkai Wang & Ruoyu Wang & Qinggang Meng & Yunpeng Ma, 2024. "Research on the spatial patterns and evolution trends of the coupling coordination between digital finance and sustainable economic development in the Yellow River Basin, China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(1), pages 1-25, January.
    5. Donghong Wu & Yiren Chen, 2023. "Digital Inclusive Finance Development and Labor Productivity: Based on a Capital-Deepening Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, June.
    6. In-Seok Hwang & Jeong-Hun Kim & Wan-Tae Im & Hwan-Hong Jeung & Ju-Seok Nam & Chang-Seop Shin, 2024. "Analyzing Safety Factors and Predicting Fatigue Life of Weak Points in an Electrically Driven, Multi-Purpose Cultivation Tractor," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-17, March.
    7. Bingnan Guo & Peiji Hu, 2024. "Investigating the relationship between energy‐consuming rights trading and urban innovation quality," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 3248-3270, August.
    8. Zewen Chen & Guoda Bi & Haihong Guo, 2025. "The Effect of the Level of Digital Agriculture Development on Agricultural Carbon Emission Reduction in China: Mediating Evidence Based on Agricultural Labor Productivity and Production Technical Effi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-27, August.

    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. Chao Zhang & Ruifa Hu, 2022. "Adoption of Direct Seeding, Yield and Fertilizer Use in Rice Production: Empirical Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Hui Wang & Yao Xu, 2024. "Optimized Decision-Making for Multi-Market Green Power Transactions of Electricity Retailers under Demand-Side Response: The Chinese Market Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-15, May.
    3. Pravee Kruachottikul & Pinnaree Tea-makorn & Poomsiri Dumrongvute & Solaphat Hemrungrojn & Natawut Nupairoj & Ornsiree Junchaya & Sukrit Vinayavekhin, 2024. "MediGate: a MedTech product innovation development process from university research to successful commercialization within emerging markets," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-43, December.
    4. Klasen, Stephan & Reimers, Malte, 2017. "Looking at Pro-Poor Growth from an Agricultural Perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 147-168.
    5. Balistreri, Edward J. & Tarr, David G., 2011. "Services Liberalization in Preferential Trade Arrangements: The Case of Kenya," Conference papers 332152, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    6. Carter, Michael R. & Zimmerman, Frederick J., 2000. "The dynamic cost and persistence of asset inequality in an agrarian economy," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 265-302, December.
    7. M. Eshaq Stanikzai & Ella Mittal, 2025. "Leveraging AI-generated and human-generated content for maximized user engagement in contentpreneurs’ innovation and creativity," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-28, December.
    8. Aragón, Fernando M. & Restuccia, Diego & Rud, Juan Pablo, 2022. "Are small farms really more productive than large farms?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    9. Fang Xia & Lingling Hou & Songqing Jin & Dongqing Li, 2020. "Land size and productivity in the livestock sector: evidence from pastoral areas in China," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 64(3), pages 867-888, July.
    10. Rizov, Marian, 2005. "Human capital and the agrarian structure in transition: Micro evidence from Romania," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 26(1), pages 119-149.
    11. Musemwa, L. & Mushunje, Abbyssinia & Muchenje, V. & Aghdasi, F. & Zhou, L., 2013. "Factors affecting efficiency of field crop production among resettled farmers in Zimbabwe," 2013 Fourth International Conference, September 22-25, 2013, Hammamet, Tunisia 161443, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    12. Gáfaro, Margarita & Ibáñez, Ana María & Sánchez-Ordoñez, Daniel & Ortiz, María Camila, 2023. "Farm Size and Income Distribution of Latin American Agriculture New Perspectives on an Old Issue," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13078, Inter-American Development Bank.
    13. Roumasset, James A., 2006. "The Economics of Agricultural Development: What Have We Learned?," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25598, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Kamran Khan & Thomas Henschel, 2024. "LCT-Based Framework for the Assessment of Sustainability: From the Perspective of Literature Review," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 175(3), pages 1-20, December.
    15. Thapa, Sridhar, 2007. "The relationship between farm size and productivity: empirical evidence from the Nepalese mid-hills," 106th Seminar, October 25-27, 2007, Montpellier, France 7940, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    16. Carter, Michael R., 1986. "Peasant Productivity And Differentiation: A Microeconometric Analysis Of The Impact Of Small Farm Credit In Nicaragua," 1986 Annual Meeting, July 27-30, Reno, Nevada 278458, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    17. repec:wbk:wbrwps:10247 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Dnyaneshwar Jivanrao Ghode & Vinod Yadav & Rakesh Jain & Gunjan Soni, 2025. "Integrated framework for supply chain with blockchain technology: a manufacturers’ perspective," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-22, December.
    19. Jan Fałkowski & Pavel Ciaian & d'Artis Kancs, 2009. "Access to Credit, Factor Allocation and Farm Productivity: Evidence From the CEE Transition Economies," Working Papers 2009-12, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    20. Ginevra Malta & Fulvio Plescia & Stefania Zerbo & Maria Gabriella Verso & Serena Matera & Alenka Skerjanc & Emanuele Cannizzaro, 2024. "Work and Environmental Factors on Job Burnout: A Cross-Sectional Study for Sustainable Work," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-12, April.
    21. Donghong Wu & Yiren Chen, 2023. "Digital Inclusive Finance Development and Labor Productivity: Based on a Capital-Deepening Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, June.

    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:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8331-:d:1151543. 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.