For a long time, China implemented a government performance evaluation system characterized by a "GDP-centric" approach. While this system effectively incentivized local officials to promote economic growth, it also caused several problems, including environmental pollution, resource wastage, and neglect of agricultural development. With economic and social development, the Chinese government has gradually recognized the limitations of the "GDP-centric" approach, thus eliminating GDP assessment indicators for 552 county-level administrative units.

Using county-level panel data from 2010 to 2022, this paper employs a staggered DID model to empirically examine the impact of the transformation away from the “GDP-centric” performance evaluation system on grain production. The findings are that: Firstly, the transformation of government performance evaluation system significantly increases grain output, with the most pronounced effect observed in regions prioritizing agricultural development and ecological conservation. Secondly, this transformation primarily enhances grain production through two key channels: altering local governments’ policy orientations and optimizing the allocation of factor resources. Thirdly, the grain production increase mainly occurs in major grain-producing and grain-consuming regions, regions with relatively relaxed fiscal conditions, and regions rich in agricultural production factors. Fourthly, although farmers show a tendency toward “non-grain” crop cultivation under the new evaluation system, this shift has not yet had a negative impact on overall grain production. Finally, while the transformation entails certain economic growth trade-offs, counties with increased grain production demonstrate greater economic resilience throughout the process of economic restructuring.

This paper offers three policy recommendations: Firstly, the performance evaluation system for local officials should be continuously optimized according to regional factor endowments. In regions with strong agricultural resources, evaluation criteria should prioritize agricultural development and ecological protection to leverage regional comparative advantages and better ensure food security. Secondly, differentiated planting subsidies should be implemented. Subsidies for grain crops should increase to encourage farmers, and breeding subsidies should be provided in agriculturally weaker regions to improve self-sufficiency. Thirdly, special subsidies or guiding policies should support the technological, infrastructural, and digital transformation of agriculture to narrow the productivity gap between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.