Evaluation and improvement of agricultural land resource utilization efficiency:A case study of Jiangxi Province

Land resources are material carriers for human reproduction, the basis of socioeconomic and cultural development, and the foundation for the survival and development of all things worldwide. Scientific evaluation of the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of agricultural land use efficiency is necessary for alleviating negative impacts due to interactions between humans and land and for ensuring food security. The utilization efficiency of land resources has been the focus of academic attention and research. It is of great significance to assess the reasons for the loss of land efficiency and to find ways to improve it for sustainable agricultural development. In this study, the VRS-DEA (Variable Scale Reward-Date Envelopment Analysis) model and Malmquist index were used to analyze the spatial-temporal characteristics of agricultural land resource utilization efficiency in Jiangxi Province from 1990 to 2016. And the ecological value of agricultural land resources was incorporated into an input-output index system to quantitatively analyze the causes of its efficiency loss, and suggest effective ways to improve the agricultural land resource utilization efficiency in Jiangxi Province. The results of the research showed that:1) The overall utilization efficiency of agricultural land resources was relatively high in Jiangxi Province. From 1990 to 2016, the utilization efficiency first decreased and then increased, with an average efficiency of 0.889. 2) Regarding efficiency decomposition, the comprehensive technical efficiency was the combination of pure technical and scale efficiencies; however, the scale efficiency impact was stronger than that of pure technical efficiency; therefore, the inefficiency of scale was an important reason for the inefficiency of comprehensive technology. 3) With regard to spatial pattern evolution, there were significant differences in the trajectories of efficiency variations among regions, and the trend of non-equilibrium development was more prominent. Over the years, the efficient and relatively efficient areas of DEA were mainly distributed in the cities of north-central Jiangxi, showing "large aggregation-small dispersion" characteristics with obvious trapezoidal layers. 4) The total factor productivity (TFP) of agricultural land resource utilization generally increased in Jiangxi Province. The contribution of technological progress was the largest, and the growth of total factor productivity was a result of the "monorail-driven" mode of technological progress. The main factors restricting the growth of TFP of agricultural land resource utilization were the low pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency. 5) The lack of output value of crop production was the main reason for loss of efficiency. The redundant input of pesticides, fertilizers, and planting practitioners were the secondary causes. The reasons for the loss of agricultural land use efficiency in different cities were different, and the input and output factors had great potential for improvement. 6) Regarding the efficiency improvement path, optimizing the allocation of resources, standardizing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, gradually transferring surplus rural labor, and improving the level of mechanization and scale of land production were key to improving the efficiency of land resource utilization. The research results could provide a reference for further understanding the overall utilization situation of agricultural land resources, identifying existing problems, and optimizing the development path in Jiangxi Province. This research provided a scientific basis to formulate efficient utilization and management decisions of agricultural land resources in the future.