The　purpose　of　this　paper　is　to　explore　CO2　emission　efficiency　in　china＇s　agricultural　sector　during　the　period　2001–2012.　We　also　analyze　the　CO2　emission　reduction　potential　as　well　as　its　two　main　contributors　(i.e.　technology　gap　inefficiency　and　managerial　failure).　The　meta-frontier　framework　is　adopted　to　reflect　technology　heterogeneities　in　China＇s　agricultural　sector　among　the　eastern,　central　and　western　regions.　Based　on　the　DEA　(data　envelopment　analysis)　method,　the　models　are　estimated　by　means　of　linear　programming.　Empirical　results　indicate　that　CO2　emission　efficiency　of　the　agricultural　sector　in　western　China　is　the　lowest　compared　with　eastern　and　central　China;　stemming　from　the　fact　that　most　provinces　in　western　China　generally　fall　behind　in　terms　of　technology.　The　total　potential　agricultural　CO2　emissions　reduction　is　estimated　at　1161.33　million　tons,　which　can　be　attributed　to　managerial　failure　in　the　case　of　eastern　and　central　China.　For　western　China,　it　can　be　attributed　to　both　technological　gap　inefficiency　and　managerial　failure.　©　2016　Elsevier　Ltd