Ecoefficiency of China's agricultural sector: What are the spatiotemporal characteristics and how are they determined?

As a world leader in agricultural production, China feeds 20% of the world's population while containing only 8% of the global cropland. However, the increasing production capacity is associated with environmental and sustainability problems. This paper develops an assessment model using the set pair analysis method to evaluate the ecoefficiency of China's agricultural sector from 1997 to 2017. The input and output indicators of agricultural production were carefully selected based on an intensive literature review and after consultation with experts and then integrated and categorized into ecoefficiency levels with the assessment model. Finally, factors that influence agricultural ecoefficiency were screened out with a regression analysis. The findings indicated that the efficiency of most selected indicators and agricultural ecoefficiency of most provinces greatly improved, with a slight decline at the beginning of the 21st century and then a dramatic increase. The improving trend of ecoefficiency and its distribution among provinces can be explained by agriculture-related factors, such as the agricultural structure, cropland endowment, mechanization, and agricultural finance, among which agricultural finance contributed the most. This work expands the literature on agricultural ecoefficiency and presents an innovative assessment model. The results suggest the implementation of agricultural technologies, financial support, and institutional innovations in the agricultural sector for China and other developing and emerging economies.