Abstract: Based on the panel data of 11 provinces in the Yangtze river economic zone from 2009 to 2018, DEA-Malmquist model was used to calculate the utilization efficiency of agricultural water resources and total factor productivity. Then it revealed the dynamic change trend of agricultural water resources utilization efficiency in different periods and regions of the Yangtze river economic zone.The empirical results showed that the utilization efficiency of agricultural water resources in the Yangtze river economic zone from 2009 to 2018 presented an inverted u-shaped change with time. The utilization efficiency of agricultural water resources in the upstream area of the Yangtze river economic zone, such as Chongqing and Sichuan, was relatively high. While the utilization efficiency of agricultural water resources in the downstream area of the Yangtze river economic zone, such as Jiangsu, still had great room for improvement. According to the Malmquist TFP and its decomposition results, the utilization efficiency of agricultural water resources in the Yangtze river economic zone declined by 4.30% from 2009 to 2018. Technological change was the main factor affecting total factor productivity. Based on this, it puts forward some suggestions on increasing R&D investment, strengthening water resources management, optimizing the allocation of agricultural production resources, and enhancing regional exchanges and cooperation.

Key words: agricultural water use efficiency, Yangtze river economic zone, DEA, Malmquist index