The Impacts and Spatial Characteristics of High-Standard Farmland Construction on Agricultural Carbon Productivity
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1. Introduction
The traditional “high-input, high-output, high-emission” model of agricultural production has contributed to the rapid growth of the farming economy, yet it seriously threatens the sustainability of the agricultural production system, with agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounting for 23% of total global anthropogenic carbon emissions (>, https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/chap%E2%80%90, accessed on 30 January 2024). To promote the coordinated development of agricultural economic growth and carbon emission reduction, in recent years, the Chinese government has issued the “14th Five-Year Plan for National Green Agricultural Development”, the “Peak Carbon Action Program by 2030”, and the “Program for Emission Reduction and Carbon Sequestration in Agriculture and Rural Areas”, which systematically determine how agriculture and rural areas can balance the development requirements of increasing production and income with the ecological objectives of emission reduction and carbon sequestration. Agricultural carbon productivity considers the dual goals of reducing carbon emissions and promoting economic growth, which is an essential criterion for measuring the success of climate change mitigation, but is also an inevitable choice for realizing the dual success of modern agricultural development and ecological environmental protection [1].
Scholars have conducted a large number of studies and measurements on agricultural carbon productivity, not only analyzing the development and changes in agricultural carbon productivity over time [2,3,4], but also conducting a large number of studies on the regional variability and spillover of agricultural carbon productivity from a spatial perspective [5,6,7]. Scholars generally believe that the natural production conditions of agriculture, as well as the level of agricultural economic development, rural human capital, rural industrial structure, urbanization, agricultural technological progress, the degree of marketization, and so on impact agricultural carbon productivity [8,9,10]. In addition, policy implementation is widely recognized as a practical pathway for reducing agricultural carbon emissions and promoting agricultural economic growth [11,12,13]. However, debates are ongoing as to the extent of the impact of policy on agricultural carbon productivity. Some scholars believe that policies can effectively enhance agricultural carbon productivity. For example, Fang, L. et al. found that crop insurance policies can not only promote agricultural economic development, but also promote the use of agricultural green technologies such as deep fertilizer application, deep plowing, and no-tillage, thus reducing carbon emissions and contributing to the promotion of agri-environmental total factor productivity growth [14]. Ramzan, M. et al. argued that implementing environmental protection investments in governmental agricultural sectors is conducive to implementing environmental protection investments without damaging agricultural productivity and while mitigating environmental pollution [15]. Some scholars have argued that policies can inhibit agricultural carbon productivity gains. Wang, S. et al., based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2008 to 2020, found that an agricultural fiscal expenditure policy would promote the growth of the agricultural economy and carbon emissions in the region, which would be detrimental to the improvement of agricultural carbon productivity both therein and in neighboring regions [16]. Ye, D. et al. utilized the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 1998 to 2020 and found that, although a policy on grain production areas could enhance agricultural total factor productivity, it would promote the growth of agricultural carbon emissions and thus suppress agricultural carbon productivity [17]. Based on the above analysis, it can be seen that some of China’s agricultural policies have been implemented chiefly for economic benefit, but this may not be conducive to the improvement of agricultural carbon productivity. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to comprehensively assess agricultural policies’ economic and ecological benefits under the dual objectives of agricultural economic growth and carbon emission reduction.
High-standard farmland construction is the largest single financial expenditure project in China’s agriculture-related field [18]. Its main goal is to promote agricultural scaling and specialization through land remediation, strengthening agricultural infrastructure construction, and promoting green and low-carbon production technologies to improve agricultural production efficiency and reduce environmental pollution [19]. Whether high-standard farmland construction can balance economic and ecological benefits is related to improving agricultural carbon productivity. From the perspective of economic benefits, scholars have found that the construction of high-standard farmland can improve returns to economies of scale [20], enhance the efficiency of agricultural mechanization applications [21], improve the total factor productivity of agriculture [22], and increase agricultural output [23]. However, Bradfield, T. et al. found that the construction of high-standard farmland accelerates the substitution of machinery for labor, and this increases the loss of agricultural production [24]. Baráth et al. believe that the improvements to the natural environment that high-standard farmland construction will bring forth will be detrimental to agricultural production, and it may not affect the total factor productivity of agriculture [25]. In terms of ecological benefits, most scholars believe that the construction of high-standard farmland can reduce the efficiency and intensity of the use of high-carbon input factors, such as chemical fertilizers [26]; promote the application and dissemination of advanced low-carbon production technologies [27]; and reduce agricultural carbon emissions [28]. Based on the above studies, it can be found that research results centering on the production benefits and carbon-emission-reduction effects of high-standard farmland construction, respectively, are relatively abundant. However, fewer research results focus on carbon productivity nor consider both agricultural economic growth and carbon reduction. Tang, W. et al. constructed an indicator system covering agricultural resource conservation, agricultural and environmental management, and total agricultural output value to examine the impact of high-standard farmland construction on the development of green agriculture. They found that high-standard farmland construction can improve the efficiency of agricultural production while reducing environmental pollution [29]. However, the study only used data from a single province in China’s Hunan Province, which is not conducive to grasping the whole on the macro scale, as well as having only analyzed the mechanism of agricultural scaling operations, leading to the need for more excavation of other potential mechanisms. In addition, constructing high-standard farmland can promote the flow of factors between regions and the diffusion of technology [28]. At the same time, it has a specific demonstrative effect from one region to neighboring regions, making it easy to produce spatial spillover effects. Previous studies have also paid too little attention to this.
This study utilizes China’s provincial-level panel data from 2003 to 2017. It adopts double fixed-effects regression models, instrumental variable models, mediated-effects models, and spatial econometric models to analyze the effects, mediated pathways, and spatial characteristics of high-standard farmland construction on agricultural carbon productivity to explore whether and how the structure of high-standard farmland can achieve dual success for both the economy and the environment. Compared with previous studies, the possible contributions of this study are as follows: First, we focus on the carbon emission reduction and economic growth promotion of high-standard farmland construction, providing empirical evidence to support the dual enhancement of agricultural, economic, and environmental benefits. Secondly, we systematically study the influence mechanism of high-standard farmland construction on agricultural carbon productivity. Based on the logical framework of “scale-structure-technology”, we utilize an intermediary model to conduct empirical tests on the mechanisms of agricultural scaling operations, agricultural planting structures, and agricultural technological progress, enriching the interpretation of the corresponding mechanisms. Thirdly, this study further examines the spatial spillover effect of high-standard farmland construction on agricultural carbon productivity, which is significant to exploring the “quality” and “quantity” of agricultural carbon emission reduction through the synergy of farming regions.
5. Discussion
The above discussion and analysis show that high-standard farmland construction can effectively enhance agricultural carbon productivity. Most researchers believe that high-standard farmland construction can promote economic growth and reduce agricultural carbon emissions through land leveling, improving agricultural infrastructure, and protecting the ecological environment [19,22,26]. However, some scholars have found that pursuing high-standard farmland construction of “fields into squares” and “canals connected” will change the natural layout of the land, and the improvement of the natural environment through high-standard farmland construction is not conducive to agricultural production [4]. Moreover, our study explains the positive impact of high-standard farmland construction on agricultural carbon productivity from both theoretical and empirical perspectives, providing a theoretical reference for the synergistic economic and environmental effects of high-standard farmland construction, and seeking a feasible path to improve agricultural carbon productivity. This study finds that the scale of agricultural operation, the agricultural planting structure, and agricultural technological progress are essential pathways for high-standard farmland construction to enhance agricultural carbon productivity, thus broadening the interpretation of the effects of high-standard farmland construction policy. In addition, this study confirms that high-standard farmland construction has spatial spillover effects on agricultural carbon productivity, which provides new perspectives and methodological guidance in studying the mechanisms of both.
While this study reveals some important findings, there are some limitations. First, limited by data availability, our study data are only updated to 2017, and future data updates are needed for further research. Second, we only explored the impact of high-standard farmland construction on agricultural carbon productivity at the macro level, which can be further expanded to the farmer level in the future. Historically, the problem of ecological security has been more reflected in the government’s behavior. The related policies and measures are macroscopic and mandatory. However, regardless of policies and measures, the ultimate implementer is the individual on the micro-scale; therefore, in the future, it is necessary to further explore the micro-mechanisms of high-standard farmland construction policy in order to promote the coordinated development of farmers, increase production and income, and lower carbon production. Finally, this study is based on rural agricultural production areas in China, and whether the findings apply to rural areas in other countries remains to be further tested.
6. Conclusions and Recommendations
This study empirically examines the impact and spatial characteristics of high-standard farmland construction on agricultural carbon productivity based on panel data from 31 provinces in China from 2003 to 2017. The main findings include the following: (1) high-standard farmland construction can enhance agricultural carbon productivity and has a more pronounced effect on its enhancement in plains, major grain-producing areas, and east–central areas; (2) high-standard farmland construction enhances agricultural carbon productivity by expanding the scale of farming operations, adjusting the structure of agricultural cultivation, and promoting the advancement of agricultural technology; and (3) high-standard farmland construction not only enhances agricultural carbon productivity within the region of interest, but also has a significant positive effect on the agricultural carbon productivity of neighboring regions.
Based on this study’s findings, the following recommendations are made: First, a national plan should be implemented for the construction of high-standard farmland to help the country achieve a win–win situation in terms of increased production and income, as well as the goal of “double carbon”. The construction of high-standard farmland is a crucial initiative for China to “hide food in the ground and food in technology”. It is also a meaningful way to promote low-carbon agricultural development. Through the orderly transformation of low- and medium-yield fields and the effective management of the ecological environment, we can not only increase the operational efficiency of farmland, but also help to promote agricultural carbon sequestration and emission reduction to realize the dual success of increased income and decreased carbon emissions in China. Secondly, we should focus on the differentiation of impact effects and the precision of policy measures. For areas with more appropriate natural conditions, major grain-producing provinces, and more economically developed regions, the sound ecological and economic effects of high-standard farmland construction should be further stabilized and brought into play to promote sustainable and high-quality agricultural development. For areas with relatively poor terrain conditions, minor grain-producing areas, and economically underdeveloped regions, the policy on high-standard farmland should be strengthened. Practical high-standard farmland construction plans, models, and management systems should be actively innovated and popularized to broaden the space for constructing high-standard farmland. Thirdly, to improve agricultural carbon productivity, special attention should be paid to the critical impacts of large-scale farming operations, the adjustment of planting structures, and the advancement of agricultural technology, which are also crucial mechanisms through which the construction of high-standard farmland affects agricultural carbon productivity. Therefore, in the subsequent construction process, special attention should be paid to promoting land transfer and accelerating the promotion of appropriate scaling operations through land leveling and concentrated and continuous operations. A particular focus should be on adjusting and optimizing the agricultural planting structure and promoting the application of advanced and environmentally friendly agricultural technology and equipment. Finally, the positive spatial spillover effects of high-standard farmland construction on agricultural carbon productivity should be brought into full play; inter-regional agricultural economic ties should be strengthened; and advanced land remediation technologies and modes should be popularized to create positive, synergistic economic growth and carbon emission reduction in the region.
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