Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis ›› 2022, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (12): 2778-2788.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.2022.12.21

• Agricultural Economy and Development • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Does urbanization promote development of agricultural mechanization?: an empirical study based on county level panel data of China

WEI Zheng1(), CAO Guangqiao2,*()   

  1. 1. College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
    2. Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
  • Received:2021-03-10 Online:2022-12-25 Published:2022-12-26
  • Contact: CAO Guangqiao

Abstract:

In the present study, the county-level panel data of China, as well as the lighting data at night monitored by satellite characterizing the urbanization level, was used to empirically investigate the impact of urbanization level on the agricultural mechanization level in China and to explore its action mechanism. Besides, the heterogeneous impacts of urbanization on the development of agricultural mechanization under different terrain were also tested. It was found that with the improvement of urbanization level, the agricultural mechanization level was improved, and the robustness results strengthened this conclusion. Urbanization level in plain and hilly areas had positive effect on agricultural mechanization level, yet urbanization level in mountainous areas resulted in a negative impact on the agricultural mechanization level. Analysis of impact mechanism revealed that the transfer of labor force, the changes of planting structure and the improvement of rural transportation facilities were the main transmission ways for urbanization to promote the development of agricultural mechanization level.

Key words: urbanization, agricultural mechanization, nighttime lighting data, terrain

CLC Number: