Measurement and Convergence of Agricultural Total Factor Productivity Under the Carbon Emissions Constraints

Considering to both agriculture growth and carbon dioxide emission, growth of agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) of 30 provinces of China from 1995 to 2014 under carbon emissions constraints, were analyzed using the Global Malmquist-Luenberger, and were compared to the traditional Malmquist productivity index; and then the convergence of which were further examined. The results showed that:Agricultural total factor productivity growth under carbon emissions constrains was mainly owing to technical progress or both technical progress and technical efficiency.There were distinct differences among provincial and regional agricultural total factor productivity. The agriculture in Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang and Hunan Province were low carbon. And the growth of agricultural total factor productivity was fast in central, north and east China, medium in northwest and northeast, but slow in south and southwest. A trend of σ convergence was shown among provinces, but not stable. There was absolute β convergence in whole, north, northeast, east, central and south China, but not in southwest and northwest areas. China and other seven areas showed conditional β convergence which developed toward stable states.