Study on the Influence of Population Urbanization on Agricultural Eco-Efficiency and on Agricultural Eco-Efficiency Remeasuring in China

China is still in the growth period of population urbanization; meanwhile, it is a large agricultural country where high-quality agricultural development requires a high agro-ecological efficiency level. Based on panel data from 31 provinces and cities in China from 2001 to 2020, the paper constructs an agricultural eco-efficiency evaluation index system that is more in line with China’s current agricultural production situation. Meanwhile, the undesired output super-efficiency SBM model is used to measure it. Combining the PVAR and panel Tobit models, the paper explores the effect of population urbanization on agro-ecological efficiency and the interaction mechanism in China. The results show that: (1) In the whole of China, and the western region of China in particular, agro-ecological efficiency tended to decrease during the research time, and ended up at an inefficient level. In the eastern and northeastern regions, agro-ecological efficiency has been at a moderate level for a long time, while in the central region it has fluctuated more and is now at a low level of efficiency. (2) Increases and decreases in population urbanization have both had a significant negative impact on agro-ecological efficiency, but the economic development and improved transportation infrastructure brought by population urbanization have had a positive impact on agro-ecological efficiency. (3) The paper’s results provide the current agro-ecological efficiency situation in each province of China, and clarify the causal effect of population urbanization on agro-ecological efficiency, which can provide a reference basis for subsequent policy formulation and for further research to be carried out.