Abstract
The exploration of the spatial network structure of agricultural water use efficiency (AWUE) and its influencing factors for promoting water saving and improving water use efficiency in regional agricultural production is of great importance. In this paper, the modified gravity model and social network analysis methods were used to study the spatial correlation characteristics and influencing factors of AWUE in China between the years 2008 and 2019. It was found that (1) the overall trend of AWUE in China has been fluctuating and declining, and there are obvious differences in AWUE in each region; (2) the spatial network structure of AWUE in China is complex and relatively stable, with close interprovincial connections and obvious spatial spillover effects; (3) Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang are at the center of the network; and (4) the differences between geographical adjacency, technological development level, farmers’ income, and natural resource endowment have significant effects on the development of the AWUE network. These results provide a theoretical basis for the government to improve AWUE and promote collaborative regional development.
Highlights
Water is the foundation of all development, and is closely related to the destiny of mankind [1]
In order to overcome the limitations of previous studies, first of all, this paper studies the spatial correlation of agricultural water use efficiency (AWUE) among various provinces in China from the perspective of social networks, transcending the limitation of geographical distance, and the research is holistic
In order to analyze AWUE, this paper used ArcGIS 10.2 software to visualize the AWUE of each province (Figure 1)
Summary
Water is the foundation of all development, and is closely related to the destiny of mankind [1]. Population growth and economic development cause the global demand for water resources to increase by ~1% per year, and the problem of water shortage is increasingly apparent [2]. Agriculture uses a major share (69%) of the world’s fresh water resources, and in some developing countries the proportion reaches 95% [3]. As one of the largest agricultural countries in the world, China has a large population and a large demand for food. This, coupled with low water efficiency in agricultural production [5], has intensified the problem of water shortage [6]. Improving China’s agricultural water use efficiency (AWUE) is of great significance to China and the world
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