Carbon-Oriented Eco-Efficiency of Cultivated Land Utilization Under Different Ownership Structures: Evidence from Arid Oases in Northwest China

Cultivated land (CL) is essential for human survival, as its coordinated utilization plays a crucial role in both food production and ecological protection. In this study, we focus on Aksu, a typical oasis in arid areas of Xinjiang, to explore how to improve the eco-efficiency of cultivated land utilization (ECLU) from the perspective of carbon emissions under different ownership structures. The goal is to provide policy support for the sustainable intensification of CL in Aksu. The super-efficiency slack-based measure (Super-SBM) model was used to calculate the ECLU, while the carbon emissions coefficient method was employed to estimate cultivated land carbon emissions (CLCE). Additionally, the random forest regression (RFR) model was utilized to analyze differences in CLCE between collective and state-owned cultivated lands. Finally, a Geo-detector analysis was conducted to identify driving factors of CLCE. The findings indicate that the overall ECLU values in Aksu initially increased and subsequently decreased over time. During the study period, Kalpin showed the highest ECLU, followed by Wensu and Wushi. The total CLCE in Aksu demonstrated an initial increase followed by a decrease, but the overall trend was growth, from 3.7 t in 2008 to 5.63 t in 2019, on average. It was observed that carbon emissions from state-owned cultivated land were greater than those from collective cultivated land, and carbon emissions from non-food crops were higher than those from food crops. Furthermore, spatial heterogeneity was evident in the CLCE. The single factor detection results showed that the Local_GDP (q = 0.763, representing the explanatory power of the Local_GDP on cultivated land carbon emissions) was identified as the main driver of CLCE in Aksu. The interactive detection results indicated that the Local_GDP and Farmer income (0.839) had stronger effects on CLCE in Aksu than any other two factors. It was also found that ownership of CL directly affects CLCE and indirectly affects the ECLU. In conclusion, it is necessary to formulate corresponding countermeasures for improving the ECLU involving government intervention, as well as cooperation with farmers and other stakeholders, to address these issues effectively within Aksu’s agricultural sector.