To investigate the impact of rural labor aging on rice total factor productivity, based on the panel data of 23 major rice-producing provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) in China from 2002 to 2021, the DEA-Malmquist index method was used to measure the total factor productivity of rice. The baseline regression model, mediating effect model and moderating effect model were used to systematically analyze the impact and the mechanism of rural labor aging on the total factor productivity of rice. productivity and the mechanism. The results show that: 1) Rural labor aging significantly inhibits the growth of rice total factor productivity; 2) Rural labor aging inhibits the growth of rice total factor productivity by hindering technological progress; 3) The mechanization level mitigates the inhibition of rice total factor productivity by rural labor aging, but the moderating effect of the mechanization level is only significant in the plains and not in the hilly areas due to the constraints of the terrain. Fertiliser application intensity has an "inverted u-shaped" moderating effect in the relationship between rural labor aging and rice total factor productivity; 4) Heterogeneity analysis found that the inhibitory effect of rural labor ageing on rice total factor productivity is only significant in the southern rice cropping area, and not obvious in the northern rice cropping area. In this regard, suggestions are put forward, which arepaying attention to the revitalization of rural talents, increaseing the input of learning and training for the elderly labour force, accelerating the development of agricultural mechanization and guiding farmers to use fertilizers in a scientific and rational manner.
GuS J, ZhouH. Study of the impact of producer agriculture services on total factor productivity: Analysis of the impact pathway based on mediating effects[J]. Chinese Journal of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, 2022,43(3):106-116 (in Chinese)
TianH Y, FuW Q. The quality of rural labor force and rice production technical efficiency: Based on the perspective of land transfer and regulation of agricultural socialisation services[J]. Commercial Research, 2021(2):88-98 (in Chinese)
MaY T, GaoQ, YangX D. Aging of rural labor force and the upgrading of agricultural industrial structure: Theoretical mechanism and empirical test[J] Journal of Hua zhong Agricultural University: Social Sciences Edition, 2023(2):69-79 (in Chinese)
WeiJ S, GaoM. How does the aging of agricultural labor force affect the growth of total factor productivity of wheat[J]. Chinese rural economy, 2023(2):109-128 (in Chinese)
ChenC, WuW C. Analysis of the mechanism of the impact of population ageing on agriculture technological progress: DEA-Malmquist based technology evaluation and dynamic panel modelling [J]. Chinese Journal of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning,2021,42(1):231-238 (in Chinese)
TianH Y, ZhuZ Y. Rural labor migration, scale of operation and environmental technical efficiency of grain production[J]. Journal of South China Agricultural University: Social Science Edition, 2018,17(5):69-81 (in Chinese)
LiJ P, FengZ C, WuQ H. The aging effect of agriculture labor force on grain production in China: An empirical study based on the labor-augmenting production function [J]. Journal of Agrotechnical Economics, 2018(8):26-34 (in Chinese)
HuX Z, ZhongF N. Impact of rural population ageing on food production: Analysis based on data from fixed rural observation points [J]. Chinese Rural Economy, 2012(7):29-39 (in Chinese)
ZhouH, WangQ Z, ZhangQ. Research on ageing of rural labour force and efficiency loss of rice production: Based on the perspectives of social service[J]. Chinese Journal of Population Science,2014(3):53-65 (in Chinese)
[19]
VerhaeghenP, SalthouseT A. Meta-analyses of age-cognition relations in adulthood: Estimates of linear and nonlinear age effects and structural models .[J]. Psychological Bulletin, 1997,122(3):231-249
YangZ H. Aging, social network and the adoption of green production technology: Evidence from farm households in six provinces in the Yangtze River Basin [J]. China Rural Survey, 2018(4):44-58 (in Chinese)
[22]
De BrauwA, HuangJ K, ZhangL X, RozelleS. The feminization of agriculture with Chinese characteristics[J]. The Journal of Development Studies, 2013,49(5):689-704
PengD Y, WenL. Does the ageing and feminisation of the rural labour force reduce food productivity: A comparative south-north analysis based on stochastic frontiers [J]. Journal of Agrotechnical Economics, 2016(2):32-44 (in Chinese)
MinR, HuZ H. Effect of direct grain subsidies on total factor productivity: A case study of rice [J]. Journal of South-Central Minzu University: Humanities and Social Sciences,2024,44(3):140-147,187 (in Chinese)
WangJ X, LiC Z. Effect mechanism of rural population aging on agricultural production[J]. Journal of South China Agricultural University: Social Science Edition, 2020,19(2):60-73 (in Chinese)
ZhengX Y, XuZ G. Endowment restriction,factor substitution and induced technological innovation: A case research on the grain producing mechanization in China [J]. China Economic Quarterly, 2017,16(1):45-66 (in Chinese)
ZhangS W, TianX, WangS G. Impact of aging agricultural labor on mechanization and technical efficiency in wheat production: A perspective analysis based on landforms[J]. Journal of China Agricultural University, 2018, 23(10): 174-182 (in Chinese)
GengY N, LiuJ. The Threshold effect of labor migration and technological progress on grain yields[J]. On Economic Problems, 2019(12):96-103 (in Chinese)
WuH X, HaoH T, ShiH T, GeY. Effect of agricultural mechanization on total factor productivity of wheat and its spatial spillover effect[J]. Journal of Agrotechnical Economics, 2022(8):50-68 (in Chinese)
WangH Y, WenH M, DuL. Analysis of spatial spillover effect of fertilizer input on grain yield: Based on provincial panel data from 1978 to 2016[J]. Agricultural Economics and Management, 2020(4):52-64 (in Chinese)
[39]
FougèreM, MéretteM. Population ageing and economic growth in seven OECD countries[J]. Economic Modelling, 1999,16(3):411-427
LiH L, ZhangW F, ZhangF S, DuF, LiL K. Chemical fertilizer use and efficiency change of main grain crops in China[J]. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizers, 2010,16(5):1136-1143 (in Chinese)
LiL, XuW X. Change of agricultural ecological efficiency under effect of rural population aging[J]. Journal of South China Agricultural University: Social Science Edition,2021,20(2):14-29 (in Chinese)
Population and Employment Statistics Division of National Bureau of Statistics. China Population and Employment Statistics Yearbook [M]. Beijing:China Statistics Press,2003-2022 (in Chinese)
[46]
中华人民共和国国家统计局.中国统计年鉴[M].北京:中国统计出版社,2003—2022
[47]
National Bureau of Statistics of the People’s Republic of China. China Statistical Yearbook[M]. Beijing:China Statistics Press,2002-2022 (in Chinese)
[48]
国家统计局农村社会经济调查司.中国农村统计年鉴[M]. 北京:中国统计出版社,2003—2022
[49]
Rural Social and Economic Survey Department of National Bureau of Statistics.China Rural Statistical Yearbook[M]. Beijing: China Statistics Press,2003-2022 (in Chinese)
Price Division of the National Development and Reform Commission. National Agricultural Product Cost-benefit Data Compilation[M]. Beijing:China Statistics Press,2002-2022 (in Chinese)
ZhuM D, LiX Y, ChengG Q. Analysing the impact of comprehensive income subsidies on total factor productivity of maize in China: A two-stage DEA-Tobit approach based on provincial panel data [J]. Chinese Rural Economy, 2015(11):4-14 (in Chinese)
ZhangZ X, LiC, JinY. Aging and feminization of rural labor force and food supply security[J]. East China Economic Management,2021,35(1):86-96 (in Chinese)
LingQ N, MaoS P. Agricultural total factor productivity: Evolution process,calculation method and specific practice [J]. Journal of China Agricultural University, 2023, 28(4): 248-256 (in Chinese)
GaoF. Evolution trend and internal mechanism of region total factor productivity in Chinese agriculture[J]. Journal of Quantitative & Technological Economics,2015,32(5):3-19,53 (in Chinese)
LiG C, CaiM N, YeF. Internet, human capital and the agricultural tfp growth[J]. Journal of Hunan Agricultural University: Social Sciences,2021,22(4):16-23 (in Chinese)
LiX C, ZhuM D. Analysis on the spatial spillover effect of agricultural mechanization on the “tendency to grain production” in planting structure [J]. Research of Agricultural Modernization, 2021,42(4):684-693 (in Chinese)
WangP, SunL Y, WangL. Has the rise of labor cost forced cotton to upgrade its total factor productivity in China: Based on the mediating effect of factor input structure[J]. Journal of Agrotechnical Economics, 2020(12):122-132 (in Chinese)