Coupling and Harmonious Development between Agricultural Economic Growth and Rural Ecological Environment

Based on the coupling coordination development model, this study evaluated the coupling and coordination degrees between agricultural economic growth and rural ecological environment using data from Hunan Province, China, from 2007 to 2021. The results revealed that: (1) Except for a slight fluctuation in 2013, Hunan Province's agricultural economy has steadily developed. The eco-environmental evaluation index first decreases and then increases. Together, this index and that for the agricultural economy exhibit a “scissor shape.” However, since 2013, they have maintained a stable, synchronized development trend. (2) The coupling degree is slightly low in 2007, high in other years, and indicates high-quality coupling overall. (3) The coordinated development degree exhibits two stages: fluctuations from 2007 to 2016 and stead growth from 2017 to 2021. Currently, coordinated development is at a moderate level. (4) The composite system of agricultural economic growth and ecological environment in Hunan Province has successively exhibited the following phases: Economic extremely lag, economic serious lag, environmental relatively lag, and environmental serious lag.This suggests that the agricultural economy′s high-quality growth should be coordinated with the ecological environment. Areas of focus can include optimizing the agriculture industry structure; developing environment-friendly agricultural industries; strengthening the role of science and technology, especially big data technology, in agricultural economic growth; and strengthening the government's macro-guidance.