AUTHOR=Xu Hanxiao , Ma Bei , Gao Qiang TITLE=Assessing the Environmental Efficiency of Grain Production and Their Spatial Effects: Case Study of Major Grain Production Areas in China JOURNAL=Frontiers in Environmental Science VOLUME=9 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2021.774343 DOI=10.3389/fenvs.2021.774343 ISSN=2296-665X ABSTRACT=

Environmental factors have a profound impact on the evaluation of grain production efficiency. Taking environmental factors into account can more accurately measure grain production efficiency and identify the development stage of grain production. Based on the global super-efficiency SBM model, environmental factors are included in the grain production efficiency measurement system, while the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of grain production environmental efficiency and the sources of inefficiency are analyzed. In addition, the Spatial Durbin Model is used to investigate the influencing factors and spatial spillover effects of China’s grain production environmental efficiency. The results show that: environmental factors have a significant impact on the efficiency of grain production in China; the environmental efficiency of grain production in China fluctuates with a downward trend; the environmental efficiency of grain production in different provinces show obvious spatial differentiation and geographical agglomeration; the main influencing factors of the environmental efficiency loss of grain production in major grain production areas are carbon emissions, non-point source pollution of grain production and labor input; the level of education, the level of technological development, and labor transfer have a significant positive spillover effect on the environmental efficiency of China’s grain production, yet disaster rate has a significantly negative one. Thus, it is important to pay attention to resource conservation and pollution control, strengthen cooperation and exchanges between provinces, and take the path of coordinated development between the environment and grain production.