Does urban scale borrowing accelerate the diffusion of agricultural green water use efficiency? A case study of the Central Plains urban agglomeration

ABSTRACT The Central Plains Urban Agglomeration is pivotal for accelerating the development of the central region. Understanding the diffusion of agricultural green water use technologies, particularly through urban scale borrowing, is essential for ensuring agricultural and ecological security in the region. This study examines 30 cities within the agglomeration from 2003 to 2023, utilizing a spatial econometric model to explore the impact of urban scale borrowing on agricultural green water use efficiency and spatial spillover effects. The results indicate a significant improvement in overall efficiency, with core cities showing enhanced spatial spillover effects, though regional disparities in efficiency have widened. Low-efficiency areas have demonstrated convergence, driven by policy and factor aggregation. From the ‘local-neighbor’ perspective, urban-scale borrowing notably enhances agricultural green water use efficiency and accelerates its spatial diffusion. The borrowing of urban functions and population scale positively impacts both local and neighboring cities’ efficiency, while the effect of borrowing regional innovation resources remains minimal. Robustness checks, including model adjustments and resampling, validate these findings. Additionally, the spatial spillover effect of urban scale borrowing decreases with increasing geographic distance, becoming negligible beyond 210 km. This study provides key insights and policy recommendations for advancing agricultural green development in urban agglomerations.