[Objective] Using reasonable and valid evaluation method to study the arable land utilization efficiency in Anhui Province in order to provide directions for its improvement.[Methods] Four-stage DEA method was used to evaluate the arable land efficiency of 16 regions in Anhui Province in 2016.[Results] ① For the whole province

the overall arable land utilization efficiency was 0.743

which indicated the arable land utilization efficiency in Anhui Province was not high

both technical efficiency and scale efficiency should be improved. For Hefei

Bozhou

Suzhou

Lu'an City

they were more efficient from the technology and scale perspectives. For Bengbu City and other three regions

they were only efficient in technology. For the remaining 6 regions

they were not efficient from both technology and scale perspectives. Except Fuyang and the best 4 regions

the remaining 11 regions had the potential to increase the scale further. ② Increasing cultivated land crop multiple index and economic earnings of farmers can decrease the oversupply of kinds of resources. Improving their irrigation and water conservation was beneficial to raise the efficiency of arable land utilization. Moreover

improving the unit labor consumption rate of cultivated land will relieve the oversupply of labor resources.[Conclusion] Raising cultivated land crop multiple index properly

improving the condition of irrigation and water conservancy

promoting the non-agricultural employment of farmers

and driving agricultural development by regional development are feasible methods to help achieve more efficient arable land utilization in Anhui Province.