Analysis of the influence factors of cultivated land transfer in Guangdong coastal important agricultural areas based on geodetectors

Introductions As a key link in the development of modern agriculture, the transfer of arable land is regarded as a strategic measure to improve agricultural production efficiency and ensure national food security. Although the transfer of arable land has been widely implemented nationwide, its specific impact on agricultural production and farmers’ income varies in different regions. The analysis of regional differences in agricultural land transfer in existing literature is still insufficient. Methods This study is based on data from important agricultural areas along the coast of Guangdong Province in 2013, 2018, and 2023, and uses stepwise regression models and geodetectors to analyze the factors affecting spatial differentiation of agricultural land transfer. Result Cultivated land transfer in Zhanjiang, Maoming, and Yangjiang cities exhibits distinct spatial distribution characteristics, forming a gradient pattern that increases from east to west. In single-factor analysis, factors such as irrigation conditions, agricultural output value, urbanization level, electricity supply, and centralized water supply projects have a particularly prominent impact on farmland transfer. Multi-factor interaction analysis reveals that centralized water supply projects, agricultural film usage, urbanization rate, agricultural GDP, and irrigation area have a significant impact on farmland transfer. Discussion This study suggests that the spatial differentiation of agricultural land transfer is the result of the interaction between production characteristics, economic characteristics, population characteristics, and input characteristics. Next, it is necessary to further improve data collection, optimize research methods, and comprehensively consider more factors that may affect cultivated land transfer.