Spatial Distribution and Influencing Factors of Modern Characteristic Agricultural Demonstration Zones in Guangxi

To address the lack of a spatial perspective in existing research and to clarify the formation mechanisms and optimization pathways for modern characteristic agricultural demonstration zones in Guangxi, this study investigated 650 autonomous region-level core demonstration zones across the region. By integrating methods including the Nearest Neighbor Index, Kernel Density Estimation, and the Geographical Detector, it systematically explored their spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors. The findings reveal that the spatial distribution of the demonstration zones follows a core pattern characterized by "clustering-dominated, gradient differentiation." A prominent "dual-core, multi-nodal" pattern centered on Nanning and Yulin is evident. Regionally, the zones are concentrated in the two major sectors of southern and eastern Guangxi, while their municipal-scale distribution exhibits marked unevenness. At the sectoral level, crop cultivation forms the dominant sector, with various industries showing differentiated agglomeration features. Regarding the influencing mechanisms, water conservancy and irrigation and total farmland serve as the primary natural basal factors, while leading agricultural enterprises and industrial structure act as core driving elements. Together, they determine the spatial agglomeration pattern of the zones. Furthermore, all interactive combinations of the influencing factors exhibit enhancement effects, with leading agricultural enterprises connecting diverse elements to form a synergistic development chain. This study not only reveals the spatial patterns and underlying driving logic of Guangxi's modern characteristic agricultural demonstration zones but also provides targeted scientific support for their differentiated spatial planning, optimized factor allocation, and high-quality development.