Spatial Pattern and Driving Factors of Characteristic Agricultural Demonstration Zones in China’s Southwest Border Region: A Case Study of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Taking Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region as a case, this study analyzes the spatial differentiation and driving mechanisms of characteristic agricultural demonstration zones in China’s southwest border region, aiming to provide theoretical support for rural revitalization and high-quality agricultural development in border areas. A total of 650 autonomous region-level agricultural demonstration zones in Guangxi are selected as research subjects, and spatial analysis methods including Kernel Density Estimation and Geographical Detector are employed to identify their spatial distribution characteristics and driving factors from multiple dimensions. The results show that the demonstration zones exhibit significant agglomeration, with the southern and eastern parts of Guangxi forming the core area and presenting a “dual-core, multi-nodal” uneven distribution pattern. Crop cultivation dominates the industrial structure; water and land resources serve as the primary constraints, while leading agricultural enterprises act as key economic drivers, and all factor interactions show synergistic enhancement effects. It is concluded that the spatial pattern of the demonstration zones is shaped by the coupling of multiple factors including natural endowments, industrial entities and policy support, among which natural resources play a fundamental foundational role. To improve the construction quality of these zones, it is necessary to optimize the spatial layout based on border advantages, cultivate local business entities, develop distinctive industries by region, and coordinate the synergistic allocation of multiple elements.