Exploring the Impact of Cultivated Land Utilization Green Transformation on Agricultural Economic Growth: Evidence from Jiangsu Province in China

Against the backdrop of the green transformation of the national economy, this paper takes Jiangsu Province as a case study to explore spatiotemporal characteristics of cultivated land utilization green transformation (CLUGT) and its impact on agricultural economic growth (AEG). In this study, a composite index method and a panel regression model are employed, and the findings of this study indicate that: (1) From 2001 to 2021, the CLUGT index exhibited a modest upward trend, registering an average annual growth rate of 7.12%. (2) The CLUGT displayed significant spatial heterogeneity in the study area. High and medium-high-level areas demonstrated significant clustering, primarily concentrated in the central and northern regions of Jiangsu, while low and medium-low-level areas were primarily located in the southern part of the province. (3) The CLUGT exerted a positive impact on AEG. Specifically, for each one-unit increase in the CLUGT index, the AEG index rose by 0.575. Further analysis indicated that for every one unit of increase in the functional and mode transformation dimensions of CLUGT, the AEG index increased by 0.391 and 0.368, respectively, whereas a one-unit increase in the spatial transformation dimension of CLUGT was associated with a 0.169 decrease in the AEG index. Based on these findings, the study advocates for policies that champion the functional and pattern transformation of CLUGT and prioritize the spatial governance of cultivated land to enhance the contribution of CLUGT to AEG.