Decoupling agricultural resource inputs from agricultural economic development in China: a spatial-temporal analysis (2006-2021)

China's agricultural development has historically depended on substantial resource inputs, raising sustainability concerns. While previous studies have examined agricultural efficiency, the spatial and temporal dynamics of decoupling agricultural resource inputs (ARIs) from agricultural economic development (AED) in China's 31 states remain underexplored. This study used Tapio Model to investigate how have the ARIs decoupled from AED across different regions over 15 years. We assessed the decoupling scenarios every five years from 2006 to 2021, categorizing 15 years into three periods. We measured AED through agricultural yield and production value, while ARIs were assessed based on the consumption of machinery gross power, water, fertilizer, pesticides, electricity, and plastic film. Using provincial data from 2006 to 2021, we calculated the decoupling status (weak decoupling, strong decoupling, recessive decoupling, expansive coupling, recessive coupling, expansive negative decoupling, strong negative decoupling, and weak negative decoupling) of each indicator for each time period in each region in Excel based on Tapio Model and created data visualization in ArcGIS that demonstrated the spatial and temporal decoupling trends. We found that (1) the decoupling statuses between AED and ARIs shows different times of progress and deterioration due to government actions and agricultural technology innovations. (2) Some decoupling status between AED and ARIs was spatially different due to the degree of technology inputs, weather conditions, government initiatives and urbanization. This study provides policy recommendations grounded in increasing AED and mitigating ARIs to help China achieve its sustainable development goals by enhancing yield and resource utilization efficiency, increasing technological investment and promoting agricultural modernization, and strengthening environmental protection and advancing clean energy development.