What is it about?

This study investigates the combined impact of land consolidation and smart agriculture on food security and agricultural carbon neutrality in China, analyzing panel data from 279 prefecture-level cities from 2010 to 2024. The study constructs an integrated assessment system and uses advanced methodologies such as dual machine learning, mediation analysis, and dynamic spatial models to assess the impact mechanisms and spatial effects. The results demonstrate that the synergy between land consolidation and smart agriculture significantly enhances food security and promotes agricultural carbon neutrality. The mechanism analysis reveals that agricultural industrial agglomeration plays a positive role in both outcomes, while technological innovation significantly promotes carbon neutrality, though it may temporarily suppress food security. Spatial analysis further uncovers that while there are limited direct effects on local food security, neighboring regions experience positive indirect and total effects. Carbon neutrality benefits from positive direct, indirect, and total effects in both local and neighboring areas. After controlling for city fixed effects and quadratic terms, the synergy between land consolidation and smart agriculture remains significant, reinforcing the robustness of the findings. The study concludes that strengthening coordinated governance and promoting innovation-driven regional development are crucial for advancing both food security and agricultural carbon neutrality. This research highlights the importance of synergizing land consolidation with smart agricultural technologies to achieve sustainable agricultural practices that address both food security and carbon neutrality challenges in China.

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Why is it important?

This study is important because it addresses two critical challenges in China's agricultural sector: food security and carbon neutrality. As the world’s most populous country, China faces immense pressure to ensure stable food supplies while simultaneously addressing the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions in agriculture. The combined implementation of land consolidation and smart agriculture offers a practical pathway to tackle these challenges. By examining the synergistic effects of these two strategies, this study provides valuable insights into how technological advancements and agricultural policies can be integrated to enhance both food security and environmental sustainability. The study is timely, as China is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 and has made significant strides in implementing policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions in agriculture. However, balancing the goals of ensuring adequate food production and achieving carbon neutrality remains complex. This research helps clarify the mechanisms through which land consolidation and smart agriculture can complement each other, offering actionable policy recommendations for government officials and industry leaders. Furthermore, the study's spatial analysis reveals how the benefits of these strategies can extend beyond local boundaries, impacting neighboring regions and providing a model for integrated regional development. The findings underscore the importance of innovative governance models that foster collaboration across cities and regions. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable agricultural development and provides a roadmap for countries facing similar challenges in balancing food production and environmental sustainability.

Perspectives

This study offers several key perspectives on the future of agricultural development in China and beyond. First, it underscores the potential of integrating land consolidation with smart agriculture as a pathway to achieving both food security and agricultural carbon neutrality. The results suggest that coordinated efforts between technological innovation and land management can address multiple pressing issues, including enhancing food security while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. Second, the study highlights the importance of agricultural industrial agglomeration in driving positive outcomes. By fostering regional collaboration and optimizing resource allocation, such agglomeration can create synergies that benefit both local food production and broader environmental goals. This perspective is particularly relevant for policymakers aiming to foster sustainable agricultural practices in urban and rural settings alike. Third, the findings reveal that technological innovation, while essential for carbon neutrality, can have temporary trade-offs with food security. This perspective encourages future research to explore how innovation can be better balanced to mitigate short-term negative impacts while maximizing long-term sustainability benefits. Lastly, the study provides a comprehensive look at spatial effects, emphasizing how policies can have cascading impacts on neighboring regions. It suggests that effective governance models should consider these spatial dynamics, fostering collaboration across regions to optimize outcomes for both food security and carbon neutrality. This broader regional approach can offer valuable lessons for other countries facing similar challenges in balancing agricultural productivity and environmental goals.

Professor ZHAOYANG LU
Southwest University of Political Science and Law

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This page is a summary of: Land Consolidation and Smart Agriculture Synergy for Food Security: Pathways Toward Agricultural Carbon Neutrality in China, Agriculture, January 2026, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/agriculture16030287.
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