Does agricultural mechanisation promote agricultural TFPG? Evidence from spatial panel data in China

Does the promotion of agricultural mechanization level have spatial driving effects on the agricultural total factor productivity growth (TFPG)? Based on spatial panel data from 2000 to 2019, we begin by measuring agricultural TFPG, then incorporating spatial econometric models as well as carrying out spatial regression to first explore the influence agricultural mechanization level has on the agricultural TFPG. Meanwhile, we also perform decomposition of the spatial regression results to further study the spatial spillover effects performed by agricultural mechanization. The study suggests that the promotion of agricultural mechanization level has exerted significant spatial spillover effects on the agricultural TFPG, especially in the eastern and northeast regions of China, demonstrating obvious radiation effects, whereas the central and western regions may not produce such intense spatial spillovers due to the pattern of agricultural development. The results could not only enhance the understanding of agricultural mechanization on the agricultural TFPG but also produce constructive implications for optimizing the spatial layout of agricultural mechanization development, promoting agricultural development according to local conditions and formulating reasonable agricultural economic development policies.