Substitution efficiency of agro-chemical input intensity and its influence factors

Abstract

We examined the substitution efficiency of agro-chemical input intensity from 2000 to 2016 in China by employing SE-DEA model and Gini coefficient, and analyzed the driving factors of substitution efficiency with Tobit model. The results showed that the comprehensive efficiency and the scale efficiency of substitution of agro-chemical input intensity displayed the trend of "N-shaped", while the pure technical efficiency was enhanced with some fluctuations. The regional diffe-rences of substitution efficiency were obvious, with the eastern region relying more heavily on the input scale of substitution factors. The most salient provincial-regional difference was the comprehensive efficiency, followed by the pure technical efficiency, and the least salient regional diffe-rence was the scale efficiency nationwide. The provincial-regional difference decreased year by year within each region. The Eastern region's provincial-regional difference was the greatest. The substitution efficiency was significantly affected by agricultural technology level, farmers' income level, agricultural production structure, agricultural development level and industrialization level. Besides, there were obvious differences in the influencing factors among regions. To promote the substitution efficiency of agro-chemical input, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of substitution factors of agro-chemical input intensity, to adjust the development structure of agro-industry, to pay attention to farmers' income level, and to revise the subsidy policy of substitution of agricultural chemical input intensity.