Ecological Agricultural Agglomeration: Spatial Spillover Effects on Economic Growth and Resource Efficiency

Based on panel data from 31 provinces in China spanning 2010–2023, this study constructs a Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) to systematically examine the influence mechanisms of ecology-oriented agricultural industrial agglomeration on regional agricultural economic growth and natural resource utilization efficiency. The findings reveal: First, the level of ecology-oriented industrial agglomeration has continuously improved, with the national average index rising from 0.342 to 0.587, exhibiting a spatial pattern of "higher in the east and lower in the west," and spatial autocorrelation has significantly intensified. Second, industrial agglomeration generates a direct effect of 0.342 on agricultural economic growth, an indirect effect of 0.187, and a total effect of 0.529, with spatial spillovers demonstrating significant distance-decay characteristics; technology diffusion serves as the primary pathway, contributing 41.2%. Third, industrial agglomeration significantly enhances resource utilization efficiency, producing a direct effect of 0.278 and an indirect effect of 0.143 on agricultural green total factor productivity, primarily achieved through four pathways: technological substitution, scale optimization, circular utilization, and management improvement. Fourth, the impact effects exhibit significant regional heterogeneity and nonlinear characteristics, with the eastern region demonstrating the strongest effects; both the impacts on economic growth and resource efficiency present inverted U-shaped relationships, with optimal agglomeration intervals of 0.524–0.758, respectively. This research provides theoretical foundations and policy references for promoting agricultural green transformation, optimizing industrial spatial layout, and facilitating coordinated regional development.