How do outsourcing services affect agricultural eco-efficiency? Perspectives from farmland scale and technology substitution

In-depth research on whether the development of agricultural outsourcing services (AOS) can improve agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) and the mechanisms underlying the impact of AOS on AEE is still lacking. This study uses micro survey data from Jiangxi Province in China in 2021 to explore the impact of AOS on AEE in terms of farmland scale management and agricultural technology substitution. The results indicate that AOS in general can effectively improve AEE, but this effect varies across the different stages of production. Plough services, fertilizer application services, and pest control services can significantly improve AEE, but seeding services and harvesting services have no significant effect. Farmland scale management and agricultural technology substitution are two effective channels by which AOS improves AEE. The government should improve policies to support AOS, strengthen the positive effects of AOS on AEE, and implement differentiated support policies for AOS related to different production activities.