Objective This study aims to evaluate the coordinated and sustainable development capacity of the agricultural ecological environment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, providing a scientific basis for facilitating green development and comprehensively promoting rural revitalization in the region. Methods Based on panel data from 11 provinces and municipalities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2002 to 2022, an evaluation index system for the coordinated and sustainable development of the agricultural ecological environment was constructed, comprising 18 secondary indicators. The entropy method, comprehensive evaluation method, and spatial autocorrelation analysis were employed to assess sustainability, coordination, and spatiotemporal evolution patterns. Results (1) The overall sustainability of the agricultural ecological environment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt steadily improved, with significant growth in the latter decade, though development remained uneven across subsystems and regions. (2) The system coordination index remained generally stable, with most provinces exhibiting consistent coordination levels. The upstream regions demonstrated notably better coordinated development than downstream areas. (3) The coordination of agricultural ecological environment across provinces in the Yangtze River Economic Belt shifted from an initially random distribution to a distinct spatial correlation. The central region, particularly Hubei Province, exhibited high-high clustering, forming a “strong linkage” pattern. Conclusion From 2002 to 2022, the coordinated and sustainable development level of the agricultural ecological environment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has steadily improved, with strengthened spatial correlation. It is recommended to promote agricultural green development through diversified industrial integration, scientific coordination across multiple systems, cross-provincial collaboration, and multi-stakeholder cooperative governance.
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