Rural Multifunctionality Evaluation and Interaction Relationships: A Case Study of Henan Province

Improving rural multifunctionality (RM) is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target of sustainable consumption and production. This study establishes a clear link between functional composition, interaction and urban-rural integration, constructs a system of indicators for evaluating RM, and examines the interactions between functions using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient to determine the dominant function type. The results show that: (1) Villages in most counties in Henan Province are in the polarized or dominant development type. Only a few villages dominated by non-agricultural production are able to realize comprehensive and balanced development. (2) Functional and spatial differentiation exists in rural areas of different types of counties. The non-agricultural production function is more prominent in villages around cities, while villages in mountainous and hilly areas emphasize the ecological conservation function. The development of villages in plains and remote areas focuses on agricultural production function. (3) The relationship between RM is complex and diverse. Agricultural production often constrains other functions. The development of non-agricultural production functions has a positive effect on the improvement of social security functions. Cultural tourism and ecological conservation functions are mutually reinforcing. This study enhances the understanding of overall pattern and type differences of RM and provides valuable insights for formulating more targeted regional economic development policies in the future.