IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i6p2739-d1615943.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatial Patterns and Drivers of China’s Agricultural Ecological Efficiency: A Super-Efficiency EBM–GeoDetector Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Minghong Peng

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
    State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China)

  • Xiaolong Zhang

    (Institute of Western China Economic Research, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Ji Luo

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
    Research Center of Agricultural Economy, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China)

  • Dingdi Jize

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
    Research Center of Agricultural Economy, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China)

  • Pengju Li

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
    Research Center of Agricultural Economy, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China)

  • Haijun Wang

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
    Research Center of Agricultural Economy, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China)

  • Tianhui Xie

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China)

  • Hu Li

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China)

  • Yuanjie Deng

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
    Research Center of Agricultural Economy, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
    Key Laboratory for Intelligent Management and Ecological Decision Optimization of Baijiu in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Yibin 644000, China)

Abstract

Agricultural practices significantly impact environmental sustainability, making the enhancement of Agricultural Ecological Efficiency (AEE) crucial for China’s sustainable agricultural development. However, the spatial-temporal evolution patterns and underlying driving forces of AEE remain insufficiently understood in the context of China’s rapid agricultural transformation. To address this research gap, we analyzed AEE across 30 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2021, identifying spatial patterns and key influencing factors. Employing a Super-Efficiency EBM model with undesirable outputs, we calculated provincial AEE scores. Spatial analysis tools, including Moran’s I, Dagum Gini decomposition, and kernel density estimation, were applied to explore regional differences. We also utilized Geo-detector to quantify driving factors and their interactions. The results demonstrated a clear west-to-east and south-to-north gradient of declining AEE, with western provinces exhibiting higher efficiency levels. Despite narrowing disparities within the eastern and western regions, central regions displayed increasing intra-regional differences. Geo-detector analysis further highlighted significant interactive effects among factors such as urbanization, governmental agricultural support, education levels, and precipitation, enhancing the explanatory power of AEE spatial variations. These findings support region-specific policies for optimizing agricultural structures and resource efficiency, facilitating China’s ecological transition in agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Minghong Peng & Xiaolong Zhang & Ji Luo & Dingdi Jize & Pengju Li & Haijun Wang & Tianhui Xie & Hu Li & Yuanjie Deng, 2025. "Spatial Patterns and Drivers of China’s Agricultural Ecological Efficiency: A Super-Efficiency EBM–GeoDetector Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-29, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:6:p:2739-:d:1615943
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/6/2739/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/6/2739/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Léopold Simar & Paul W. Wilson, 1998. "Sensitivity Analysis of Efficiency Scores: How to Bootstrap in Nonparametric Frontier Models," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(1), pages 49-61, January.
    2. Timo Kuosmanen & Mika Kortelainen, 2005. "Measuring Eco‐efficiency of Production with Data Envelopment Analysis," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 9(4), pages 59-72, October.
    3. Mon‐Chi Lio & Jin‐Li Hu, 2009. "Governance and Agricultural Production Efficiency: A Cross‐Country Aggregate Frontier Analysis," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 40-61, February.
    4. Keke Zhang & Shaohua Wang & Chengcheng Song & Sinan Zhang & Xia Liu, 2024. "Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity Analysis of Provincial Road Traffic Accidents and Its Influencing Factors in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-17, August.
    5. Tone, Kaoru, 2001. "A slacks-based measure of efficiency in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(3), pages 498-509, May.
    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. Franz R. Hahn, 2007. "Determinants of Bank Efficiency in Europe. Assessing Bank Performance Across Markets," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 31499.
    2. Tianqun Xu & Ping Gao & Qian Yu & Debin Fang, 2017. "An Improved Eco-Efficiency Analysis Framework Based on Slacks-Based Measure Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-21, June.
    3. Gómez-Calvet, Roberto & Conesa, David & Gómez-Calvet, Ana Rosa & Tortosa-Ausina, Emili, 2014. "Energy efficiency in the European Union: What can be learned from the joint application of directional distance functions and slacks-based measures?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 137-154.
    4. José Solana-Ibáñez & Manuel Caravaca-Garratón & Lorena Para-González, 2016. "Two-Stage Data Envelopment Analysis of Spanish Regions: Efficiency Determinants and Stability Analysis," Contemporary Economics, Vizja University, vol. 10(3), September.
    5. Jindal, Abhinav & Nilakantan, Rahul, 2021. "Falling efficiency levels of Indian coal-fired power plants: A slacks-based analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    6. Mahmoudi, Reza & Emrouznejad, Ali & Shetab-Boushehri, Seyyed-Nader & Hejazi, Seyed Reza, 2020. "The origins, development and future directions of data envelopment analysis approach in transportation systems," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    7. Harald Dyckhoff, 2018. "Multi-criteria production theory: foundation of non-financial and sustainability performance evaluation," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 88(7), pages 851-882, September.
    8. Haider, Salman & Danish, Mohd Shadab & Sharma, Ruchi, 2019. "Assessing energy efficiency of Indian paper industry and influencing factors: A slack-based firm-level analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 454-464.
    9. Zhou, Haibo & Yang, Yi & Chen, Yao & Zhu, Joe, 2018. "Data envelopment analysis application in sustainability: The origins, development and future directions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 264(1), pages 1-16.
    10. Franz Hahn, 2007. "Environmental determinants of banking efficiency in Austria," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 34(3), pages 231-245, July.
    11. Tianshu Yu & Ling Li & Tao Li, 2025. "Impact of Shrinking Cities on Carbon Emission Efficiency in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-22, April.
    12. Franz R. Hahn, 2005. "Determinants of Bank Profitability in Austria. A Micro-Macro Approach," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 25688.
    13. Zhou, P. & Ang, B.W. & Poh, K.L., 2008. "A survey of data envelopment analysis in energy and environmental studies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(1), pages 1-18, August.
    14. Yang Li & An-Chi Liu & Shu-Mei Wang & Yiting Zhan & Jingran Chen & Hsiao-Fen Hsiao, 2022. "A Study of Total-Factor Energy Efficiency for Regional Sustainable Development in China: An Application of Bootstrapped DEA and Clustering Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-13, April.
    15. Zervopoulos, Panagiotis D. & Brisimi, Theodora S. & Emrouznejad, Ali & Cheng, Gang, 2016. "Performance measurement with multiple interrelated variables and threshold target levels: Evidence from retail firms in the US," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 250(1), pages 262-272.
    16. Yongyi Cheng & Tianyuan Shao & Huilin Lai & Manhong Shen & Yi Li, 2019. "Total-Factor Eco-Efficiency and Its Influencing Factors in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-14, October.
    17. Halkos, George & Petrou, Kleoniki Natalia, 2017. "Regional environmental efficiency in waste generation," MPRA Paper 81237, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Liu, John S. & Lu, Louis Y.Y. & Lu, Wen-Min, 2016. "Research fronts in data envelopment analysis," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 33-45.
    19. Chien-Ming Chen & Magali A. Delmas, 2012. "Measuring Eco-Inefficiency: A New Frontier Approach," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 60(5), pages 1064-1079, October.
    20. Calogero Guccio & Giacomo Pignataro & Ilde Rizzo, 2014. "Evaluating the efficiency of public procurement contracts for cultural heritage conservation works in Italy," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 38(1), pages 43-70, 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:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:6:p:2739-:d:1615943. 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.