Unraveling the Nexus between Rural Energy Poverty and Sustainable Agricultural Development in China

Ensuring food security with minimal energy consumption in agriculture is still a paramount problem in China. Meanwhile, access to affordable and clean energy services in the rural areas is crucial for accelerating the transition of sustainable agriculture. The impact of rural energy poverty (REP) on agricultural sustainable development (ASD) remains unknown. First, this study builds a comprehensive indicator to provide the authentic map of ASD in China. While ASD in China has shown a rising trend, it remains at a relatively low level and is uneven across regions. Then we investigate the impact of REP on ASD in 30 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2017, and find that the eradication of REP is beneficial to ASD. Considering the regional differences, compared to major grain-producing areas (MGPAs), the eradication of REP positively facilitates ASD, with a greater effect in non-major grain-producing areas (NMGPAs). These findings emphasize the integration of mitigating energy poverty and advancing ASD to achieve the overall transition towards sustainable agriculture