Exploring the spatial distribution evolution and optimization path of cultivated land use eco-efficiency
Imagine for a moment that the farmland beneath our feet is not just dirt, but a living, breathing organ—a green lung that nourishes a region while sustaining its own health. This is precisely the perspective that scientists are now taking as they examine what they call the "eco-efficiency" of cultivated land. In China's Hubei Province, a region often called the "land of a thousand lakes," researchers have embarked on a fascinating journey to diagnose the health of this vital green organ 2 . Their investigation reveals not just the current state of the land, but offers a roadmap for how agricultural regions worldwide might balance the often-competing demands of food production, economic growth, and ecological preservation.
At its core, the eco-efficiency of cultivated land use (ECLU) is a comprehensive measure that weighs the economic, social, and ecological outputs of farmland against the resources we put into it 2 . Think of it as a cost-benefit analysis for farmland, but one that goes far beyond simple crop yields to include environmental impacts.
Traditional farming assessments focused primarily on how much food or profit a piece of land could produce. ECLU expands this view dramatically, asking tougher questions: What is the environmental cost of that productivity? How much carbon does the farming process emit? What is the impact of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on surrounding ecosystems? 2
Hubei Province serves as an ideal laboratory for studying cultivated land eco-efficiency. As a traditional major grain-producing region in China, it faces the classic challenge of feeding a large population while protecting its natural resources 2 . The province's journey mirrors broader global tensions between agricultural productivity and environmental health.
In a groundbreaking study published in Sustainability journal, researchers analyzed Hubei's ECLU from 2008 to 2020 2 . Their approach was both sophisticated and practical, employing something called the "undesired super-efficiency Slack-Based Measure (SBM) model"—a tool that might sound complex but essentially helps measure efficiency when there are both good outputs (like crop yields) and bad outputs (like pollution). Additionally, they used Exploring Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) to understand how eco-efficiency patterns clustered across different parts of the province 2 .
Location: Hubei Province, China
Time Period: 2008-2020
Methodology: SBM model & ESDA
Focus: Economic, social & ecological outputs
The study uncovered that Hubei's ECLU showed a fluctuating growth trend over the twelve-year period, rising from 0.457 to 0.521 on the efficiency scale 2 . While this indicates overall improvement, the journey wasn't smooth. The path was marked by two distinct "U"-shaped dips in 2011 and 2016—periods where eco-efficiency declined before recovering 2 . These fluctuations suggest that external factors—possibly policy changes, economic pressures, or environmental conditions—periodically challenged the sustainability of the province's farmland management.
Overall ECLU improvement from 2008 to 2020
Perhaps even more fascinating than the temporal trends were the spatial patterns the research uncovered. The analysis revealed that ECLU in Hubei wasn't randomly distributed across the landscape. Instead, it showed clear clustering effects—pockets of high efficiency tended to border other high-efficiency areas, while low-efficiency regions clustered together 2 . This pattern, where similar values aggregate geographically, is what scientists call "spatial autocorrelation," and in Hubei's case, it grew stronger over time 2 .
The implications of this finding are significant: it suggests that agricultural practices, environmental conditions, or policy implementations that affect eco-efficiency have strong regional components. A farmer's practices likely influence their neighbors, and regional characteristics—from soil quality to water availability—create shared advantages or challenges.
| Year | ECLU Value | Trend Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0.457 | Starting point |
| 2011 | Low point | First U-shaped dip |
| 2016 | Low point | Second U-shaped dip |
| 2020 | 0.521 | Overall increase |
When researchers dug deeper into why some areas struggled with eco-efficiency, they found a telling pattern: regions with lower ECLU consistently showed higher redundancy rates of input factors 2 . Essentially, they were using more resources than necessary to achieve their outputs—like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Three inputs stood out as particularly problematic: agricultural employees (AM), chemical fertilizer usage (CFU), and the total power of agricultural machinery (AMP) 2 . The redundancy of these factors was more severe than other inputs, suggesting that many farms in low-efficiency areas were overstaffed, over-fertilized, and over-mechanized relative to their actual needs.
| Input Factor | Redundancy Level | Practical Implications |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural employees (AM) | High | More workers than optimally needed |
| Chemical fertilizer usage (CFU) | High | Excess application beyond crop needs |
| Agricultural machinery power (AMP) | High | More machinery capacity than utilized |
| Other inputs (pesticides, irrigation) | Moderate | Some inefficiency present |
This mathematical approach doesn't just measure how efficiently farms produce good outputs (like crops), but also how efficiently they avoid producing bad outputs (like pollution) 2 .
This technique helps researchers identify patterns across geographic space 2 . By mapping eco-efficiency values, they can visually identify hotspots and coldspots.
Complementary research utilized satellite imagery and geographic information systems to track changes in cultivated land use over decades 7 .
The finding that ECLU patterns cluster geographically suggests that a one-size-fits-all approach to agricultural policy would be ineffective 2 . Instead, the researchers recommend developing "differentiated and phased policies" that account for varying natural resource endowments and socioeconomic conditions across regions 2 .
Focus on maintaining sustainable practices and sharing successful techniques with neighboring areas.
Priority on addressing specific inefficiencies, particularly the redundancy of labor, fertilizers, and machinery.
The identified overuse of labor, fertilizers, and machinery presents a clear target for improvement 2 . Potential solutions include:
Technologies that apply fertilizers only where and when needed, reducing waste and environmental impact.
Helping farmers optimize labor allocation and adopt more efficient techniques for higher productivity with fewer resources.
Reducing the need for individual ownership of underutilized machinery, lowering costs and environmental footprint.
Improving cultivated land eco-efficiency isn't just about better farm management—it's also connected to global climate goals. As noted in research on China's carbon neutrality path, economic structure and energy demand are intimately linked to environmental outcomes 8 . Similarly, the transformation of agricultural systems toward greater efficiency represents a crucial contribution to broader environmental targets.
The research from Hubei Province offers more than just a localized case study—it provides a template for how agricultural regions worldwide might approach the critical challenge of feeding populations while protecting ecosystems. The key insight is that we must learn to see farmland not just as a source of food, but as an integrated economic-ecological system that requires careful balancing.
The fluctuating improvement in Hubei's ECLU since 2008 suggests that progress is possible but not inevitable 2 . It requires continued attention to changing conditions and willingness to adapt practices. The spatial clustering of efficiency values further indicates that solutions must be tailored to local conditions while recognizing that agricultural practices and environmental impacts don't respect arbitrary human boundaries.
The concept of cultivated land eco-efficiency may well become a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture worldwide, balancing productivity with environmental stewardship for generations to come.