Climate Change, Farm Irrigation Facilities, and Agriculture Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China

Abstract

Due to the trend of global warming, individuals from all walks of life have paid close attention to how climate change affects food security. China is a sizable nation with a rich climate and a diverse range of food crops that are of interest to researchers. Additionally, there is little mention of agricultural technology and farm irrigation facilities in academic research on climate change and agricultural economic growth in China. As a result, this study uses the SBM model, panel fixed effect model, and SYS-GMM model to examine the development trend of climate change and food security based on the panel data of Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2020. The study found that China has maintained an average annual growth rate of 4.3% in agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) in recent years, despite the impact of extreme weather. The average annual precipitation has a depressing influence on the TFP in agriculture, while the average annual temperature has the opposite effect. The farm irrigation facilities and agricultural technology’s moderating impact is mostly shown in how well they attenuate the impact of climate change on the TFP in agriculture. Food crops have thereby improved their ability to survive natural risks and attain higher yields as a result of advancements in agricultural technology and increasing investment in contemporary farm irrigation facilities. The study’s conclusions are used in the article to make the suggestion that strengthening climate change adaptation is necessary to ensure food security. The strategic policy of “storing grain in technology and storing grain in the soil” and the advancement of contemporary agricultural technology must be put into reality while the management system for grain reserves is being improved.

Sustainable Development Agricultural Economics and Policy: Intensification versus Diversification

“…Agricultural specialization can also be more dependent on external inputs, government support, and interdependence with other countries. China is a great example of this with potential for sustainable agricultural intensification limited by water availability and the need for more investments in irrigation [4]. Additionally, China's shift from more labor intensive to more capital intensive agricultural production requires substantial investments in agricultural mechanization which is influenced by economics, government policies, and environmental goals [5].…”