Exploring the effect and mechanism of farmland transfer on agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) in China is of great significance for exerting the effectiveness of China’s farmland transfer policy and promoting green agricultural development. Based on panel data from 30 provinces from 2005 to 2020, this paper applies a two-way fixed effects model to analyze the impact of farmland transfer on AGTFP, and the mechanism of farmland transfer on AGTFP is also investigated. We find that farmland transfer has a significant and sound promoting effect on AGTFP, with respect to multiple robustness checks; there is heterogeneity regarding the impact of farmland transfer on AGTFP in terms of food functions, and farmland transfer can promote regional AGTFP through nonagricultural labor transfer and agricultural technology utilization. When considering the fact that farmland transfer has increased China’s AGTFP, the Chinese government should continue to adhere to the farmland transfer policy, accelerate nonagricultural labor transfer, improve the level of agricultural technology utilization, and ultimately promote green agricultural development.

This paper uses DEA-SBM super-efficiency model and GML index to calculate the agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) of Guangxi from 2014 to 2020, and analyzes the convergence of AGTFP and its influencing factors. The study finds that: First, Guangxi's AGTFP increased by 5.42% annually, mainly driven by the agricultural green technology progress; Second, the growth of AGTFP in different regions exists heterogeneous, and the growth rate of western Guangxi ranks first in Guangxi; Third, the AGTFP in Guangxi shows a state of first σ converges and then σ diverges, there is absolute β convergence in AGTFP in Guangxi, this phenomenon exist in northern Guangxi, central Guangxi, southern Guangxi and eastern Guangxi, but there is no absolute β Convergence in western Guangxi ; Fourth, agricultural structure inhibits AGTFP, while the level of fiscal support for agriculture promotes AGTFP.