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Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Anthropogenic Circularity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 57280

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qiang Gao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: rural policy research; land issues; collective property rights; common prosperity; sustainable agricultural development
Dr. Wenjin Long

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: food system; rural labor; human capital; poverty; rural vitalization; agricultural R&D
Dr. Jian Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: photovoltaic agriculture; land planning; resource policy; environmental management; industrial economy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food security has always been an important issue of widespread concern to the international community. However, chemical inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides have been used in excess to increase food production, which has led to the tightening of resource constraints, degraded ecological damage, and increased environmental pollution, and has also caused global warming and climate change. Similarly, the cumulative effects of environmental pollution and climate change create personal, social, or economic impacts that develop and evolve over time, with direct or indirect impacts on human health and the health of the planet. The key to solving these problems is to promote the greening, intensification and resource rebirth of agriculture and form a green, low-carbon, resource-saving and ecological recycling development model, which is of great significance to achieving the sustainable development of agriculture. According to the requirements of global modern agricultural development, being green and sustainable is a necessity and an important initiative to achieve in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Therefore, in this Special Issue, we invite cutting-edge researchers to submit original and review articles on the theme of agricultural green transformation and sustainable development. This Special Issue explores the empirical experience, practical enlightenment and lessons of agricultural green transformation to achieve high-quality sustainable development, as well as those assessing the impact of external shocks, such as COVID-19, climate change and natural disasters, on farmers' green behavior and sustainable agricultural development. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Green transformation and sustainable development goals;
  • Green policy and implementation effects;
  • Implement approach of agricultural sustainable development;
  • Sustainable utilization of rural resources;
  • Climate change and agricultural development;
  • Impact of agriculture and forestry on climate change mitigation;
  • Assessment of carbon emission and sequestration in agriculture and forestry;
  • Evaluation of agricultural low carbon efficiency;
  • Farmers' green behavior and agricultural sustainable development;
  • Agricultural sustainable development and health.

Prof. Dr. Qiang Gao
Dr. Wenjin Long
Dr. Jian Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (33 papers)

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Research

31 pages, 1417 KiB  
Article
How to Regulate the Infringements of Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products—An Empirical Study on Judicial Documents in China
by Lingling Li, Yingzi Chen, Haoran Gao and Changjian Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 4946; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064946 - 11 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1470
Abstract
Under the background of China’s strategy of becoming a powerful agricultural country, geographical indications (GIs) of agricultural products, as an important intellectual property right to enable Chinese agriculture to develop with high quality, have a strong effect of strengthening and promoting agriculture. However, [...] Read more.
Under the background of China’s strategy of becoming a powerful agricultural country, geographical indications (GIs) of agricultural products, as an important intellectual property right to enable Chinese agriculture to develop with high quality, have a strong effect of strengthening and promoting agriculture. However, there are a large number of infringements of GIs among agricultural products in judicial practice, which not only greatly damage the economic and social values of GIs of agricultural products, but also bring huge food safety hazards to consumers and hinder the overall protection of intellectual property rights in China. On this basis, this paper, with the help of a quasi-case research method, integrates the facts of relevant cases, the focus of disputes, the application of law, and other case elements to realize the case similarity judgment based on the legal argumentation model. With the help of the retrieval tool of “Peking University Magic Weapon”, this paper provides statistics on the civil cases of infringement of GIs of agricultural products in China from 1 January 2014 to 31 July 2022 and sets different retrieval conditions for two searches. After two screenings, 245 valid samples were obtained, and the judicial patterns of infringement disputes over GIs of agricultural products in China were systematically sorted out from the distribution of plaintiff and defendant, the distribution of infringement types, the basis of adjudication, and the standard of compensation. It was found that the plaintiff types showed double simplification, the infringement types took edge infringement as the basic form, and the general trademark provisions occupied the main position in legal applications. Then, the main litigation points, such as the dispute over the identification of GIs of agricultural products, the dispute over the use of geographical names, and the dispute over tort liability, are summarized, so as to dig out the characteristics of the implicitness of infringement, the expectation of implementation, and the concreteness of aspects. On this basis, the regulatory path of the infringement of GIs of agricultural products is put forward, such as introducing procuratorial public interest litigation, multi-agents cooperating to implement all-round supervision, and reasonably determining the amount of damages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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26 pages, 2416 KiB  
Article
Using the Sustainable Development Capacity of Key Counties to Guide Rural Revitalization in China
by Jingru Chen, Hengyuan Zeng and Qiang Gao
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4076; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054076 - 24 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1466
Abstract
Counties are the basic unit for addressing unbalanced development in a region, revitalizing rural areas, and promoting the integrated development of urban and rural areas. Despite the importance of county-level research, few studies have been conducted research at such a small scale. To [...] Read more.
Counties are the basic unit for addressing unbalanced development in a region, revitalizing rural areas, and promoting the integrated development of urban and rural areas. Despite the importance of county-level research, few studies have been conducted research at such a small scale. To address this gap in knowledge, this study constructs an evaluation system to measure the county sustainable development capacity (CSDC) of counties in China, identify constraints to development, and provide policy suggestions to promote the counties’ long-term stable development. Specifically, the CSDC indicator system was based on the regional theory of sustainable development and included economic aggregation capacity, social development capacity, and environmental carrying capacity. This framework was applied to 103 key counties to receive assistance in pursuing rural revitalization in 10 provinces in western China. The AHP–Entropy Weighting Method and TOPSIS model were employed to inform the scores of CSDC and its secondary indicators, and ArcGIS 10.8 was used to portray the spatial distribution of CSDC and to classify these key counties into categories that guided specific policy recommendations. The results demonstrate a high degree of unbalanced and inadequate development in these counties and that rural revitalization efforts can be targeted to increase the speed of development. It is crucial to follow the recommendations that conclude this paper to promote sustainable development in areas that have been lifted out of poverty and to revive rural areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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17 pages, 377 KiB  
Article
Can Agricultural Cooperatives Promote Chinese Farmers’ Adoption of Green Technologies?
by Chong Dong, Hainan Wang, Wenjin Long, Jiujie Ma and Yi Cui
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4051; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054051 - 24 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1262
Abstract
Green technologies are important for achieving green and high-quality agricultural development. The Chinese government has issued various policies to explicitly encourage the adoption of green technologies. However, incentives for Chinese farmers to adopt green technologies remain insufficient. This study examines whether participation in [...] Read more.
Green technologies are important for achieving green and high-quality agricultural development. The Chinese government has issued various policies to explicitly encourage the adoption of green technologies. However, incentives for Chinese farmers to adopt green technologies remain insufficient. This study examines whether participation in agricultural cooperatives can help break the barriers to Chinese farmers’ adoption of green technologies. It also examines the potential mechanisms by which cooperatives can mitigate the lack of incentives for farmers to adopt agricultural green technologies. Using data from a study on farmers in four Chinese provinces, we found that cooperative participation significantly increases farmers’ adoption behavior for both green technologies with effective market incentives (e.g., commercial organic fertilizer technologies) and those without such incentives (e.g., water-saving irrigation technologies). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
21 pages, 811 KiB  
Article
Rural Industrial Integration’s Impact on Agriculture GTFP Growth: Influence Mechanism and Empirical Test Using China as an Example
by Yafei Wang, Huanhuan Huang, Jing Liu, Jin Ren, Tingting Gao and Xinrui Chen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 3860; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053860 - 21 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1513
Abstract
Agricultural carbon emission is an significant cause of global climate change and many environmental and health problems. Achieving low-carbon and green development in agriculture is not only an inevitable choice for countries around the world to cope with climate change and the accompanying [...] Read more.
Agricultural carbon emission is an significant cause of global climate change and many environmental and health problems. Achieving low-carbon and green development in agriculture is not only an inevitable choice for countries around the world to cope with climate change and the accompanying environmental and health problems, but also a necessary path for the sustainable development of global agriculture. The promotion of rural industrial integration is a practical way to realize sustainable agricultural growth and urban–rural integration development. The analysis framework of agriculture GTFP is creatively extended in this study to include the integration and growth of rural industries, rural human capital investment and rural land transfer. According to the sample data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020 and the systematic GMM estimation method, and through the combination of theoretical analysis and empirical testing, this paper discusses the influence mechanism of rural industrial integration development on agriculture GTFP growth, as well as the regulating role of rural human capital investment and rural land transfer. The results show that rural industrial integration has significantly promoted the growth of agriculture GTFP. Additionally, after decomposing agriculture GTFP into the agricultural green technology progress index and agricultural green technology efficiency index, it is found that rural industrial integration has a more obvious role in promoting agricultural green technology progress. Furthermore, quantile regression found that with the increase in agricultural GTFP, the promoting effect of rural industrial integration showed an “inverted U-shaped” feature. Through heterogeneity testing, it is found that the agriculture GTFP growth effect of rural industrial integration is more obvious in areas with high level of rural industrial integration. Additionally, as the nation places more and more focus on rural industrial integration, the promotion role of rural industrial integration has become more and more obvious. The moderating effect test showed that health, education and training, migration of rural human capital investment and rural land transfer all strengthened the promoting effect of rural industrial integration on agricultural GTFP growth to varying degrees. This study provides rich policy insights for China and other developing countries around the world to address global climate change and many related environmental and monitoring issues by developing rural industrial integration, strengthening rural human capital investment and promoting agricultural land transfer to achieve sustainable agricultural growth and reduce undesirable output outputs such as agricultural carbon emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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19 pages, 1776 KiB  
Article
Effects of Policy for Controlling Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution in China: From a Perspective of Regional and Policy Measures Differences
by Chunlin Hua, Jiuhong Zhang, Zhiru Long and Richard T. Woodward
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3741; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043741 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1342
Abstract
The concerns about the contradiction between agricultural production and Agricultural Non-Point (ANPS) pollution has become increased with economic development in China. Government interventions are key to controlling ANPS pollution through the establishment of laws and policies. This paper uses the entropy method to [...] Read more.
The concerns about the contradiction between agricultural production and Agricultural Non-Point (ANPS) pollution has become increased with economic development in China. Government interventions are key to controlling ANPS pollution through the establishment of laws and policies. This paper uses the entropy method to calculate the emissions amount of ANPS pollution and policy strength of 31 provinces from 2010 to 2019 in China. The dynamic panel data model with system generalized moment is used to estimate the impacts of policies with different measures on ANPS pollution emission. According to our findings, China’s policies have been helpful in controlling ANPS pollution though there are important regional differences. Moreover, four types of policy measures all contribute to the reduction in ANPS pollution. These findings improve our understanding of the relationship between policies and ANPS pollution in the analyzed period, thus providing support for the formulation of pollution management strategies in the next stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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22 pages, 1152 KiB  
Article
New Digital Infrastructure’s Impact on Agricultural Eco-Efficiency Improvement: Influence Mechanism and Empirical Test—Evidence from China
by Jin Ren, Xinrui Chen, Tingting Gao, Hao Chen, Lefeng Shi and Ming Shi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3552; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043552 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1628
Abstract
This paper attempts to explore the overall impact of its rural digitization process on agricultural carbon emissions and non-point source pollution in the context of China. By doing so, we analyze whether digitization has an impact on agricultural pollution reduction, analyze its conductive [...] Read more.
This paper attempts to explore the overall impact of its rural digitization process on agricultural carbon emissions and non-point source pollution in the context of China. By doing so, we analyze whether digitization has an impact on agricultural pollution reduction, analyze its conductive mechanism, and draw its policy implications. To this end, the paper innovatively incorporates new digital infrastructure and urbanization level into of the concept of agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) and adopts the SBM-DEA model, entropy weighting method, and mixed regression to analyze, based on the sample data of the 30 provinces of China from 2011 to 2020. The results indicate that: (1) new digital infrastructure has a significant contribution to the improvement of AEE of China; (2) both information infrastructure and integration infrastructure have a significant positive effect on AEE, and the effect of information infrastructure is more effective, but there is an inverted “U”-shaped relationship between innovation infrastructure and AEE level; (3) the moderating effect mechanism suggests that the level of urbanization reinforces the contribution of new digital infrastructure to AEE; and (4) the heterogeneity test shows that the effect of new digital infrastructure on AEE is more significant in regions with well-developed traditional transportation facilities and in periods when the government pays more attention to agricultural ecological issues. The above results also provide rich insights for China and other similar developing countries on how to balance the agriculture digitization and AEE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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16 pages, 700 KiB  
Article
Can Agricultural Socialized Services Promote the Reduction in Chemical Fertilizer? Analysis Based on the Moderating Effect of Farm Size
by Xiaoxuan Chen and Tongshan Liu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2323; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032323 - 28 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1353
Abstract
On the basis of the data of 855 farmer households in the 2020 China Land Economic Survey, this paper uses an extended regression model to empirically study the impact of agricultural socialized services on the reduction in chemical fertilizer and the moderating effect [...] Read more.
On the basis of the data of 855 farmer households in the 2020 China Land Economic Survey, this paper uses an extended regression model to empirically study the impact of agricultural socialized services on the reduction in chemical fertilizer and the moderating effect of farm size in the above impact path. The results show that adoption of agricultural socialized services by farmers can significantly promote reduction in chemical fertilizer. The moderating effect test shows that the farm size is instrumental in strengthening the effect of promoting agricultural socialized services on the reduction in chemical fertilizer. The effect of technology-intensive services on fertilizer reduction was more pronounced than that of labor-intensive services. Agricultural socialized services have a greater effect on the reduction in chemical fertilizer for farmers with a higher degree of part-time employment, but farm size can significantly enhance the fertilizer reduction effect generated by the adoption of agricultural socialized services by farmers with a lower degree of part-time employment. Therefore, we recommend further developing agricultural socialized services, strengthening the supply of agricultural green production services, and playing the role of agricultural socialized services in chemical fertilizer reduction. We also posit that encouraging large-scale farmers to adopt agricultural socialized services would further promote fertilizer reduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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23 pages, 887 KiB  
Article
How Does Agricultural Mechanization Service Affect Agricultural Green Transformation in China?
by Xuelan Li and Rui Guan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1655; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021655 - 16 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2850
Abstract
Agricultural mechanization service (AMS) is a critical path to achieving agricultural green transformation with smallholders as the mainstay of agricultural production. Based on the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2020, this paper measures the AGTFP using the Super-SBM model [...] Read more.
Agricultural mechanization service (AMS) is a critical path to achieving agricultural green transformation with smallholders as the mainstay of agricultural production. Based on the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2020, this paper measures the AGTFP using the Super-SBM model and examines the effects of different AMS supply agents on AGTFP and spatial spillover effects through the spatial Durbin model. The main conclusions are as follows: First, China’s AGTFP showed a stable growth trend, with the mean value increasing from 0.1990 in 2011 to 0.5590 in 2020. Second, the specialization (SPO) and large-scale (LSO) of AMS supply organizations have significantly positive effect on the AGTFP of the local province. However, SPO has a significantly positive effect on the AGTFP of the neighboring provinces, while LSO has the opposite effect. Third, the specialization of AMS supply individuals (SPI) has significantly negative effect on the AGTFP of the local province. In contrast, the large-scale AMS supply individuals (LSI) has the opposite effect. Furthermore, the spatial spillover effects of both are insignificant. Fourth, the spatial spillover effect of AGTFP shows asymmetry among different regions and indicates that AMS resources flow from non-main grain production and economically developed regions to main grain production and less developed regions. These findings provide helpful policy references for constructing and improving the agricultural mechanization service system and realizing the agricultural green transformation in economies as the mainstay of agricultural production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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12 pages, 339 KiB  
Article
Effect of Insurance Subsidies on Agricultural Land-Use
by Chengyu Si, Yanru Li and Wei Jiang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1493; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021493 - 13 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1325
Abstract
This paper investigates the effect of crop insurance-subsidies on agricultural land-use allocation. Since the objective of crop insurance is to help farmers with risk management, the expected profit from crop production under crop insurance might be improved, leading farmers to allocate more land [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the effect of crop insurance-subsidies on agricultural land-use allocation. Since the objective of crop insurance is to help farmers with risk management, the expected profit from crop production under crop insurance might be improved, leading farmers to allocate more land to crop production. In this paper, agricultural land-use type is classified by irrigated/unirrigated farmland and cropland/woodland/pastureland. The data come from counties from all the continental states. Considering the fractional outcome of land-use share, we apply a multinomial-fractional-logit model to estimate the effects. The results show that insurance subsidies have a significant effect on land-use allocation. An increase in insurance subsidies increases farmland-share, indicating insurance subsidies could be an efficient tool to adjust agricultural land-use allocation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
21 pages, 2295 KiB  
Article
Agricultural Eco-Efficiency Response and Its Influencing Factors from the Perspective of Rural Population Outflowing: A Case Study in Qinan County, China
by Yanling Zong, Libang Ma, Zhihao Shi and Min Gong
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1016; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021016 - 05 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1363
Abstract
Agriculture is the source of human clothing and food, but it also brings negative externalities to the environment. The outflow of the rural population is one of the factors for changes in the characteristics of the rural population. Farmers’ decisions on agricultural production [...] Read more.
Agriculture is the source of human clothing and food, but it also brings negative externalities to the environment. The outflow of the rural population is one of the factors for changes in the characteristics of the rural population. Farmers’ decisions on agricultural production can affect agricultural ecological efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to study the relationship between the two in rural development. Taking Qin’an County in the Loess Hilly Region of central Gansu, China, as an example, this paper analyzed the demographic characteristics and the evolution characteristics of agricultural eco-efficiency under the background of rural population outflowing, and the impact of the former on the latter, based on the panel statistical data of 17 villages and towns from 2001 to 2020. The results show that (1) From 2001 to 2020, the non-agricultural level of Qin’an County’s labor force showed an upward fluctuation trend. The level of aging was relatively stable, and the per capita disposable income was significantly increased. (2) From 2001 to 2020, the agricultural eco-efficiency of Qin’an County showed a wavy change, but there were some towns and villages that have not been effectively developed. The regional differences are significantly different. (3) The non-agriculturalization level of the labor force promotes agricultural eco-efficiency through the direct effect rather than the space spillover effect. The positive effect of aging on agricultural eco-efficiency was mainly reflected through direct effect rather than spatial spillover effect. Per capita, disposable income has a significant positive spatial spillover effect on agricultural eco-efficiency. Finally, this paper provides a scientific reference for promoting the improvement of agricultural eco-efficiency and sustainable development. This is of great theoretical and practical significance for the realization of rural revitalization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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14 pages, 332 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Different Uses of the Internet on Farmers′ Adoption of Soil Testing and Formulated Fertilization Technology in Rural China
by Junxia Zeng, Dengwang Li, Cuiping Ma, Bin Wang and Liangliang Gao
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010562 - 29 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1471
Abstract
Soil testing and formulated fertilization technology can effectively solve the problem of the excessive and inefficient use of chemical fertilizers. Previous studies have found that the use of the Internet can increase the adoption of soil testing and formulated fertilization technology among farmers. [...] Read more.
Soil testing and formulated fertilization technology can effectively solve the problem of the excessive and inefficient use of chemical fertilizers. Previous studies have found that the use of the Internet can increase the adoption of soil testing and formulated fertilization technology among farmers. However, they do not distinguish between the effects of the different uses of the Internet (with or without productive use) on the adoption of soil testing and formulated fertilization technology. This study investigates the Internet use of 5341 professional farmers in rural China in 2019, finding that 18.97% of them still use the Internet for only communication and entertainment and do not use any agricultural productive services on the Internet. The adoption rate of soil testing and fertilization technology among these farmers is only 23.77%, which is approximately 10 percentage points lower than that of farmers who use the Internet for productive purposes. The double robust model shows that the probability of the adoption of soil testing and formulated fertilization technology by farmers with productive use of the Internet increases by six percentage points, which is both statistically and economically significant. In the future, China should train more farmers to use the Internet for productive purposes; this will help more farmers, particularly those with low skills and low educational attainment, to use the Internet and play a positive role in promoting the Internet for green agricultural production techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
22 pages, 4550 KiB  
Article
Does Agricultural Credit Input Promote Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity? Evidence from Spatial Panel Data of 30 Provinces in China
by Fuwei Wang, Lei Du and Minghua Tian
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010529 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1802
Abstract
Improving agricultural green total factor productivity is crucial to promoting high-quality agricultural development. This paper selects the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2009 to 2020 and uses the super-efficiency SBM model with undesirable outputs to measure the agricultural green total [...] Read more.
Improving agricultural green total factor productivity is crucial to promoting high-quality agricultural development. This paper selects the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2009 to 2020 and uses the super-efficiency SBM model with undesirable outputs to measure the agricultural green total factor productivity of all regions in China. On this basis, this paper uses the panel data fixed-effect model and spatial Durbin model to empirically discuss the impact of agricultural credit input on agricultural green total factor productivity and its spatial spillover effect. The main conclusions are as follows: First, from 2009 to 2020, the average values of agricultural green total factor productivity in national, eastern, central, and western regions are 0.8909, 0.9977, 0.9231, and 0.8068, respectively, and the agricultural green total factor productivity needs to be further improved. Second, the agricultural green total factor productivity presents a significant and positive spatial correlation, and the spatial distribution of agricultural green total factor productivity is not random and irregular. Third, agricultural credit input can significantly promote agricultural green total factor productivity in the local region, but it hinders the improvement of agricultural green total factor productivity in the adjacent regions. Fourth, the impact of agricultural credit input on the agricultural green total factor productivity and its spillover effect has a significant regional heterogeneity. This paper believes that paying attention to the spatial spillover effect of agricultural total factor productivity, optimizing the structure and scale of agricultural credit input, and formulating reasonable agricultural credit policies can improve agricultural green total factor productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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17 pages, 2314 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Agricultural Sustainability and Green GDP in China: An Emergy Analysis
by Jiangfeng Hu, Jingjing Lyu and Xinyuan Zhang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16735; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416735 - 13 Dec 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1637
Abstract
Agricultural sustainability is the foundation and a guarantee of sustainable human reproduction. The scientific assessment of China’s agricultural sustainability is a prerequisite for properly resolving the conflict between short-term economic interests and long-term ecological security. This paper uses the emergy analysis method to [...] Read more.
Agricultural sustainability is the foundation and a guarantee of sustainable human reproduction. The scientific assessment of China’s agricultural sustainability is a prerequisite for properly resolving the conflict between short-term economic interests and long-term ecological security. This paper uses the emergy analysis method to estimate agricultural sustainability in China and further calculates the agricultural environmental cost and green GDP. The results show that China’s agricultural emergy yield rate (EYR) is generally greater than 1. This means that more emergy is obtained in relation to renewable and non-renewable inputs from human activity, which also indicates that China’s agricultural agroecosystem is characteristic of a profound transition from a self-supporting tradition to a modern industry based on external economic resource consumption. In contrast, China’s agricultural growth is mainly driven by the input of a large amount of non-renewable resources, which makes the environmental loading rate (ELR) increase year by year, resulting in the deterioration of China’s agricultural emergy sustainability index (ESI). China’s agricultural green GDP accounts for about 94.4% of traditional GDP, which means that the average agricultural environmental cost is about 5.6%, mainly from land loss, accounting for 48.23% of the environmental cost. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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24 pages, 1720 KiB  
Article
Green-Biased Technical Change and Its Influencing Factors of Agriculture Industry: Empirical Evidence at the Provincial Level in China
by Yan Wang, Lingling Zuo and Shujing Qian
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16369; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316369 - 06 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1224
Abstract
The continued expansion of agriculture must contend with the dual pressures of changing factor endowment structure and constrained resources and environments. The main purpose of this paper is to provide feasible ideas for high-quality agricultural development in the transition period through the research [...] Read more.
The continued expansion of agriculture must contend with the dual pressures of changing factor endowment structure and constrained resources and environments. The main purpose of this paper is to provide feasible ideas for high-quality agricultural development in the transition period through the research on the green-biased technical change in Chinese agriculture. This paper selects China’s provincial panel data of the agriculture industry from 1997 to 2017, combining the DEA-SBM model and Malmquist–Luenberger index decomposition method to calculate the green-biased technical change (BTC) index; second, the influence mechanism of BTC is empirically investigated by using the panel data regression analysis approach. The results show that: (1) in China’s agriculture industry, BTC is the driving force behind long-term and steady improvement of technological advancement. Specifically, input-biased technical change (IBTC) has a substantial enhancing effect on agricultural green total factor productivity (GTFP), whereas output-biased technical change (OBTC) has a certain inhibiting effect. (2) On the whole, the tendency of capital substituting for labor and land is very evident, whereas the biased advantage of desirable output is not particularly prominent. (3) The BTC index in Chinese agriculture varies regionally. The eastern region has the highest IBTC index but the lowest OBTC index. (4) The degree of marketization, urbanization, capital deepening, financial support for agriculture, and other factors have a promoting effect on IBTC, whereas most of them have a restraining effect on OBTC. There is evident regional heterogeneity in the effect of environmental regulation intensity on BTC. The following are the primary contributions of this paper: based on national conditions in China, this paper empirically explores the changes and internal rules of green-biased technical change in China’s agriculture industry from various regional viewpoints. It provides an empirical foundation for the regional diversification of agricultural green transformation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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17 pages, 906 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Heavy Rainfall Variability on Fertilizer Application Rates: Evidence from Maize Farmers in China
by Jiangying Guo and Jiwei Chen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15906; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315906 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1523
Abstract
Global warming increases the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, which is harmful to agricultural production. Given that the overuse of fertilizer has been found to be a significant contributor to global warming, it is crucial to analyze the factors affecting farmers’ [...] Read more.
Global warming increases the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, which is harmful to agricultural production. Given that the overuse of fertilizer has been found to be a significant contributor to global warming, it is crucial to analyze the factors affecting farmers’ fertilizer use and find appropriate fertilizer reduction measures. Agriculture is inherently risky, but previous studies have ignored the risk factors related to heavy rainfall variability, including fertilizer losses and the possible yield risks, which may lead to income risk. Using the 1995–2018 National Rural Fixed Observation Point Survey Data, this study examines the impact of heavy rainfall variability on maize farmers’ fertilizer application rates, aiming to understand farmers’ fertilization behavior in response to weather shocks. The results show that heavy rainfall variability significantly increases farmers’ fertilizer application rates on maize. Furthermore, we find that heavy rainfall variability has greater effects on fertilizer use in hills and mountainous areas and areas with good irrigation conditions or high economic levels. When examining the potential channels underlying the estimated effects, we find that yield fluctuations are a channel through which heavy rainfall variability affects farmers’ fertilizer use on maize. The above results indicate that farmers view applying extra fertilizer as a risk reducing activity in response to rainfall shocks, which helps to prevent low yield and income. Strengthening agricultural infrastructure construction according to local conditions and promoting fertilizer reduction technologies and products to reduce yield risk caused by heavy rainfall can help alleviate the problem of high fertilizer application rates by Chinese farmers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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23 pages, 1601 KiB  
Article
Spatial Spillover Effects of Resource Misallocation on the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Agriculture
by Jiangfeng Hu, Xiaofang Zhang and Tingting Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15718; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315718 - 25 Nov 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 1767
Abstract
Continuous resource misallocation not only results in total factor productivity loss but also leads to ecological degradation. Therefore, in the process of changing from extensive growth to intensive growth, Chinese agriculture should pay attention to the problem of resource misallocation. There is currently [...] Read more.
Continuous resource misallocation not only results in total factor productivity loss but also leads to ecological degradation. Therefore, in the process of changing from extensive growth to intensive growth, Chinese agriculture should pay attention to the problem of resource misallocation. There is currently a lack of relevant research, especially concerning the spatial spillover effects of resource misallocation at the city level. To fill this gap, we employ a spatial panel model for empirical testing on the basis of measuring agricultural green total factor productivity (GTFP) in 306 cities in China from 1996–2017. We found that there is positive spatial autocorrelation in Chinese agricultural GTFP, but it decreases year by year. Misallocation in land, labor, machinery and fertilizer all directly hinder the local GTFP. The eastern is mainly negatively affected by neighbor resource misallocation, while the central and western are mainly negatively affected by local resource misallocation. Finally, the indirect effect of neighbor resource misallocation on GTFP gradually shifts from inhibiting effect to a facilitating effect with increasing spatial distance. These findings have clear policy implications: Chinese government should strengthen agricultural green technology innovation and diffusion, strengthen environmental regulation and promote the free movement of labor between regions and sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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18 pages, 4403 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Agricultural Eco-Efficiency Alongside China’s Carbon Neutrality Targets
by Changming Cheng, Jieqiong Li, Yuqing Qiu, Chunfeng Gao and Qiang Gao
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15478; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315478 - 22 Nov 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1417
Abstract
Agriculture has the dual effect of contributing to both carbon emissions and sequestration, and thus plays a critical role in mitigating global climate change and achieving carbon neutrality. Agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) is an important measurement through which we can assess the efforts toward [...] Read more.
Agriculture has the dual effect of contributing to both carbon emissions and sequestration, and thus plays a critical role in mitigating global climate change and achieving carbon neutrality. Agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) is an important measurement through which we can assess the efforts toward reduced emissions and increased sequestration. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between China’s target of carbon neutrality and AEE through an evaluative model, so as to improve AEE and ultimately achieve sustainable agricultural development. The Super-SBM model scientifically measures the AEE based on provincial panel data collected between 2000 and 2020. We selected kernel density function and spatial distribution to explore the spatial and temporal evolutionary trends, and used a Tobit model to identify the drivers of AEE. The research shows that (1) China’s agricultural system functions as a net carbon sink, with all provinces’ agricultural carbon sequestration levels recorded as higher than their carbon emissions from 2000 to 2020. (2) Despite sequestration levels, the level of AEE in China is not high enough, and the average efficiency level from 2000 to 2020 is 0.7726, showing an overall trend where AEE decreased at first and then increased. (3) The AEE of each province is clearly polarized; there are obvious core–periphery characteristics and spatial distribution of clustered contiguous areas. Central provinces generally have lower efficiency, eastern and northeastern provinces have higher efficiency, and northeastern provinces always remain in the high-efficiency group. (4) Influencing factors show that urbanization, upgrading of industrial structure, financial support for agriculture, and mechanization have a significant positive impact on AEE. These findings have important implications for the promotion of the low-carbon green development of Chinese agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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23 pages, 380 KiB  
Article
Air Pollution and Corporate Green Financial Constraints: Evidence from China’s Listed Companies
by Yi Shen, Minghan Lyu and Jiali Zhu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15034; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215034 - 15 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1265
Abstract
This paper aims to investigate how air pollution may affect corporate green financial constraints. We assume that poor air quality can enhance the pressure of governments on environmental protection, which creates easier access to financing for firms’ green investments and transitions, especially in [...] Read more.
This paper aims to investigate how air pollution may affect corporate green financial constraints. We assume that poor air quality can enhance the pressure of governments on environmental protection, which creates easier access to financing for firms’ green investments and transitions, especially in emerging markets. Using a sample of Chinese-listed companies, we find that the level of green financial constraints is reduced when air quality deteriorates. This effect is more obvious in regions with stronger local government influence or fewer formal environmental regulations. To manage potential self-selection and endogeneity issues, fixed effects (FE), two-stage least squares (2SLS) with instrumental variables (IV), and propensity-score matching (PSM) approaches are used to verify the validity of our results. We link air pollution and financial constraints of green investment, and we fill a literature gap by considering whether the environment can have an impact on corporate green transformation. In the channel analysis, we identify that debt could be an important mechanism through which firms derive fewer green financial constraints. Our findings indicate that air pollution can be a crucial factor restricting corporate green investment and transformation, and managers in the context of emerging markets should be more attentive to green financing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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16 pages, 701 KiB  
Article
Are Socialized Services of Agricultural Green Production Conducive to the Reduction in Fertilizer Input? Empirical Evidence from Rural China
by Chunfang Yang, Hengyuan Zeng and Yifeng Zhang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14856; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214856 - 11 Nov 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2050
Abstract
Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural production is an inevitable requirement for achieving carbon neutrality and coping with global warming, and it is also an important measure for achieving green and sustainable agricultural development. Furthermore, the development of socialized services of [...] Read more.
Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural production is an inevitable requirement for achieving carbon neutrality and coping with global warming, and it is also an important measure for achieving green and sustainable agricultural development. Furthermore, the development of socialized services of green production provides a new approach to effectively reducing the use of fertilizers. Based on the survey data of 2202 rice growers in Jiangsu Province in 2021, this paper empirically analyzed the effects of socialized services of green production and social network on the reduction in fertilizer application by farmers. The results showed that both the socialized services of green production and social networks could significantly promote the reduction in fertilizer application by farmers. Social networks have a moderating effect between socialized services of green production and reduction in fertilizer application and can enhance the promotion of farmers’ adoption of socialized services of green production to reduce the application of fertilizers. With consideration of the potential endogenous problems of the model and the robustness test by replacing the key explanatory variables and the explained variables, all of the results were stable. Therefore, it is emphasized that the government should cultivate the main body of agricultural socialized services, improve the socialized service system of green production, and promote the green development of agriculture by service scale operation. Equally, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of rural social networks for the exchange of fertilization experience and give full play to the positive role of social networks in the reduction in fertilizer application by farmers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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24 pages, 4234 KiB  
Article
Research on Niche Evaluation of Photovoltaic Agriculture in China
by Jian Chen, Lingjun Wang and Yuanyuan Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14702; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214702 - 09 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1364
Abstract
To evaluate the ecological niche of China’s photovoltaic agriculture, this paper firstly analyzed the composition of photovoltaic agriculture and constructed the ecosystem of photovoltaic agriculture. Then, we defined the concept of the ecological niche of photovoltaic agriculture, and based on this the preliminary [...] Read more.
To evaluate the ecological niche of China’s photovoltaic agriculture, this paper firstly analyzed the composition of photovoltaic agriculture and constructed the ecosystem of photovoltaic agriculture. Then, we defined the concept of the ecological niche of photovoltaic agriculture, and based on this the preliminary niche evaluation index system was constructed. Further, redundant indicators in the preliminary index system were deleted based on the rough set theory, and the final niche evaluation index system was constructed. Finally, the ecological niche of photovoltaic agriculture was evaluated using the DANP method and cloud model. We found that the niche level of China’s photovoltaic agriculture is between low and medium levels. Specifically, the level of resource niche is the highest, between medium and high levels; following is policy niche, near medium level; then is environmental niche, which is at a slightly lower medium level; the last three in turn are technology niche, social niche and economic niche. The technology should fully realize the synergistic effect of photovoltaic power generation and agricultural production, and the policy should play better environmental, social and economic functions on this basis to achieve a higher niche level of China’s photovoltaic agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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22 pages, 2022 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Agricultural Input and Production for Different Types of at-Risk Peasant Households: An Empirical Study of Typical Counties in the Yimeng Mountain Area of Northern China
by Yuanhe Yu, Liang Wang, Jinkuo Lin and Zijun Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13938; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113938 - 26 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1835
Abstract
Using typical counties in the Yimeng Mountain area of northern China as an example, this paper analyzed the household and agricultural input characteristics of different types of peasant households using survey data from 262 farm households. The target minimization of the total absolute [...] Read more.
Using typical counties in the Yimeng Mountain area of northern China as an example, this paper analyzed the household and agricultural input characteristics of different types of peasant households using survey data from 262 farm households. The target minimization of the total absolute deviations (MOTAD) model was applied to determine the optimal combinations in the allocation of agricultural input factors and production for different types of at-risk peasant households to obtain the ideal agricultural income. The relevant results are twofold. (1) The agricultural input behaviors of different types of peasant households vary significantly. The highest levels of agricultural land, labor, and yield-increasing and labor-saving inputs included I part-time peasant households (I PTPH), followed by full-time peasant households (FTPH), while the input levels of II part-time peasant households (II PTPH) and non-agricultural peasant households (NAPH) with higher levels of non-agricultural employment gradually decreased. In general, an increase in peasant households’ part-time employment revealed an inverted U-shaped trend in the agricultural input level, with a trajectory of I PTPH > FTPH > II PTPH > NAPH. (2) The current agricultural inputs and production combinations of different types of peasant households have room for improvement. It is necessary to adjust agricultural inputs and optimize production combinations to obtain target incomes. Overall, all types of peasant households must streamline labor inputs and increase capital inputs, except for I PTPH, for which capital inputs should be reduced. Following optimization, economic crops gradually replace grain crops, and the optimal agricultural incomes of peasant households will be improved. The study results provide practical policy insights for reducing agricultural production risks and improving agricultural production incomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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12 pages, 692 KiB  
Article
Research on the Efficiency of Green Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Resource Allocation Based on a Three-Stage DEA Model—A Case Study of Anhui Province, China
by Sheng Yao and Guosong Wu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13683; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013683 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2459
Abstract
In order to achieve sustainable development of agriculture, people have gradually begun to attach importance to the development of low-carbon agriculture and to regard green agricultural technology innovation and promotion as increasingly more important. Taking the Anhui Province of China as an example, [...] Read more.
In order to achieve sustainable development of agriculture, people have gradually begun to attach importance to the development of low-carbon agriculture and to regard green agricultural technology innovation and promotion as increasingly more important. Taking the Anhui Province of China as an example, this study analyzed the impact of green agricultural science and technology innovation resource allocation on rural revitalization by constructing an econometric model. We found that the overall efficiency of the overall allocation of agricultural science and technology innovation resources in Anhui Province increased in the sample period, but the scale efficiency level was relatively low. The key path to improving the overall efficiency of allocation was to improve the scale efficiency level. The allocation of agricultural science and technology innovation resources in 16 cities and prefectures performed well in terms of pure technical efficiency, but there were significant differences in scale efficiency, which further affected the overall allocation efficiency of different regions. Among them, the allocation efficiencies of agricultural science and technology innovation resources in Hefei and Fuyang were at the leading level in Anhui Province. Similar to the overall situation of the province, the improvement path of areas with low comprehensive efficiency lay in the improvement of scale efficiency. In view of this, from the policy level, we need to optimize the relationship between the government and the market, speed up the construction of platforms and carriers, attach importance to the construction of the agricultural science and technology talent training system, and improve the open sharing mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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25 pages, 2002 KiB  
Article
Research on Niche Improvement Path of Photovoltaic Agriculture in China
by Lingjun Wang and Yuanyuan Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13087; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013087 - 12 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1338
Abstract
To explore the niche improvement path of photovoltaic agriculture in China, a niche influencing factor system was constructed first. Then, this study innovatively combined the DEMATEL and analytic network process (DANP) method and the NK model, which can correct the defects of the [...] Read more.
To explore the niche improvement path of photovoltaic agriculture in China, a niche influencing factor system was constructed first. Then, this study innovatively combined the DEMATEL and analytic network process (DANP) method and the NK model, which can correct the defects of the traditional NK model. Based on the above method, the influence coefficients and index weight of each niche factor were calculated, and the niche fitness landscape of photovoltaic agriculture was constructed. Finally, according to the fitness landscape map of each combination state, the optimal configuration state of niche influencing factors of photovoltaic agriculture and the optimal niche improvement path of photovoltaic agriculture were explored. We found that the interaction between the six niche influencing factors determines the niche fitness of photovoltaic agriculture, and the changes in the niche fitness and the niche improvement of photovoltaic agriculture are coordinated. It was proposed that the optimal niche improvement path of photovoltaic agriculture in China is “technological innovation → policy formulation → resource allocation → economic improvement → social recognition → environmental protection”, and the research conclusions were further explained and discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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21 pages, 1243 KiB  
Article
“Forced Transformation” or “Regulation Capture”—Research on the Interactive Mechanism between Environmental Regulation and Green Transformation of Dairy Farming Subject Production
by Jiabin Xu, Tianyi Wang, Jingjing Wang, Cuixia Li and Limei Zhao
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12982; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912982 - 10 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1703
Abstract
Under the situation of an increasing resource and environment shortage, the green transformation of dairy farming subject production driven by environmental regulation is the concentrated embodiment of a “promising government” to solve the problem of breeding environmental pollution. Due to the shortcomings of [...] Read more.
Under the situation of an increasing resource and environment shortage, the green transformation of dairy farming subject production driven by environmental regulation is the concentrated embodiment of a “promising government” to solve the problem of breeding environmental pollution. Due to the shortcomings of environmental regulation itself and the undefined connotation of the green transformation of dairy farming subject production, the interactive relationship between the two remains unclear at present. Based on defining the concept of green transformation of dairy farming subject production, this paper aims to analyze the interactive mechanism between the environmental regulation and green transformation of dairy farming main production, build a dynamic game model between the environmental regulators and dairy farming subject, and introduce the constraints and benefits of a reputation mechanism on the behavior in the model to explore whether environmental regulation can drive the green transformation of dairy farming subject production. The results showed that the green transformation of dairy farming subject production followed the “subject substitution view” and emphasized “source reduction, process control and terminal treatment”. Strictly designed environmental regulations could effectively drive the green transformation of dairy farming subject production, but it was inevitable that the environmental regulators were vulnerable to the rent-seeking behavior of dairy farming subjects, which was “regulation capture”. The introduction of the reputation mechanism has greatly improved the rent-seeking behavior of dairy farming subjects and the probability that environmental regulators have “regulation capture”, indirectly forcing dairy farming subjects to participate in the green transformation of production. The greater the punishment for dairy farming subjects who do not participate in the green transformation of production was, the more they can be forced to participate in the green transformation of production. At the same time, it also reduces the risk of damage to the credibility of the government. Based on the studies above, this paper also further discussed the shortcomings of environmental regulation itself, including the “re exit and light implementation” of the environmental regulation policy, “decentralization and light inspection” of the environmental regulation subject, “result and light process” of the environmental regulation mode, and “formal regulation and light informal regulation” of the environmental regulation form, which provides a scientific reference for the formulation of the environmental regulation policy of livestock and poultry breeding in the future. Compared with previous studies, this paper is innovative in two aspects: first, it defines the conceptual connotation of a green transformation of dairy farming subject production, and second, it systematically discusses the interaction mechanism between the environmental regulation and green transformation of dairy farming subject production. This paper provides a scientific reference for the development of future environmental regulation policies for livestock and poultry farming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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21 pages, 3136 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Characteristics and Drivers of Agricultural Carbon Emissions in Jiangsu Province, China
by Chao Hu, Jin Fan and Jian Chen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12463; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912463 - 30 Sep 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1774
Abstract
Scientific measurement and analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of agricultural carbon emissions (ACEs) and the influencing factors are important prerequisites for the formulation of reasonable ACEs reduction policies. Compared with previous studies, this paper fully considers the heterogeneity of rice [...] Read more.
Scientific measurement and analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of agricultural carbon emissions (ACEs) and the influencing factors are important prerequisites for the formulation of reasonable ACEs reduction policies. Compared with previous studies, this paper fully considers the heterogeneity of rice carbon emission coefficients, measures and analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics of ACEs in Jiangsu Province from three carbon sources, including agricultural land use, rice cultivation, and livestock and poultry breeding, and explores spatial clustering patterns and driving factors, which can provide a reference for agricultural low-carbon production. The results indicate that from 2005 to 2020, Jiangsu’s ACEs showed a decreasing trend, with an average annual decrease of 0.32%, while agricultural carbon emission density (ACED) showed an increasing trend, with an average annual increase of 0.16%. The area with the highest values for ACEs is concentrated in the northern region of Jiangsu, while the areas with the highest values for ACED are distributed in the southern region. The spatial clustering characteristics of ACEs have been strengthening. The “H-H” agglomeration is mainly concentrated in Lianyungang and Suqian, while the “L-L” agglomeration is concentrated in Zhenjiang, Changzhou, and Wuxi. Each 1% change in rural population, economic development level, agricultural technology factors, agricultural industry structure, urbanization level, rural investment, and per capita disposable income of farmers causes changes of 0.112%, −0.127%, −0.116%, 0.192%, −0.110%, −0.114%, and −0.123% in Jiangsu’s ACEs, respectively. To promote carbon emission reduction in agriculture in Jiangsu Province, we should actively promote the development of regional synergistic carbon reduction, accelerate the construction of new urbanization, and guide the coordinated development of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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16 pages, 5153 KiB  
Article
Agriculture-Induced N2O Emissions and Reduction Strategies in China
by Guofeng Wang, Pu Liu, Jinmiao Hu and Fan Zhang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12193; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912193 - 26 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1555
Abstract
Greenhouse gases are one of the most important factors in climate change, their emissions reduction is a global problem. Clarifying the spatial patterns of N2O, as an important component of greenhouse gases, it is of great significance. Based on the planting [...] Read more.
Greenhouse gases are one of the most important factors in climate change, their emissions reduction is a global problem. Clarifying the spatial patterns of N2O, as an important component of greenhouse gases, it is of great significance. Based on the planting and breeding data of China from 2000 to 2019, this paper measures the N2O emissions of agricultural systems, and uses kernel density to explore the spatial distribution differences between the eight major economic zones. Finally, the proposed emissions reduction countermeasures are provided. The research results show that the N2O emissions of China’s agricultural system showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing, and in 2019, the national N2O emissions were 710,300 tons, agricultural land emissions and animal husbandry emissions were the main sources of N2O emissions. The difference in N2O emissions by province was significant, the concentration trend was more prominent, and the differences of N2O emissions between provinces and regions were diverse. In order to achieve the reduction in N2O emissions, it is necessary to carry out low-carbon production of staple grains for different parts and economic zones, and focusing on low-carbon production in the Central Part and the West Part, as well as the Northeast and the Greater Southwest zones, is essential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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18 pages, 1833 KiB  
Article
Gap between Willingness and Behaviors: Understanding the Consistency of Farmers’ Green Production in Hainan, China
by Dan Qiao, Shuting Xu, Tao Xu, Qinchuan Hao and Zhen Zhong
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11351; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811351 - 09 Sep 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1752
Abstract
The green transformation of production modes plays an essential role in the sustainable development of China’s agriculture and the modernization process, but there is often a deviation between farmers’ behavior and their willingness regarding green production. This paper analyzed the factors influencing the [...] Read more.
The green transformation of production modes plays an essential role in the sustainable development of China’s agriculture and the modernization process, but there is often a deviation between farmers’ behavior and their willingness regarding green production. This paper analyzed the factors influencing the deviation of farmers’ green production behaviors from their willingness, along with their hierarchical logic structure, using the ordered logit model and ISM model with field survey data of 436 households in Hainan Province. The results show that: (1) there are deviations between farmers’ green production behavior and willingness; (2) age, number of dependents, peer influence, and social networks aggravate farmers’ green production behavior–willingness deviation, while ethnicity, education, land fragmentation, agricultural expenditure, land transfer, neighborhood learning, and green production cognition mitigate the deviation; (3) among the significant influencing factors, farmers’ perceptions of green production, peer influence, land transfer, and agricultural expenditure are the direct surface factors, while neighborhood learning, land fragmentation, and number of dependents are the middle indirect factors, and farmers’ education, social networks, age, and ethnicity are the deep-rooted factors. This study sheds more light and detail on the understanding of the factors influencing farmers’ green production behavior–willingness deviation, and provides more practical and relevant guidance for the agricultural green development in tropical China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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16 pages, 1507 KiB  
Article
The Analysis of Causality and Risk Spillover between Crude Oil and China’s Agricultural Futures
by Wei Jiang, Ruijie Gao and Chao Lu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10593; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710593 - 25 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1472
Abstract
This paper aims to apply the time-varying Granger causality test (TVGC) and the DY Spillover Index (Diebold and Yilmaz, 2012) to measure the Granger causality and dynamic risk spillover effects of the international crude oil futures market on China’s agricultural commodity futures market [...] Read more.
This paper aims to apply the time-varying Granger causality test (TVGC) and the DY Spillover Index (Diebold and Yilmaz, 2012) to measure the Granger causality and dynamic risk spillover effects of the international crude oil futures market on China’s agricultural commodity futures market from the perspectives of return and volatility spillovers. Empirical evidence relating to the TVGC test suggests the existence of unidirectional Granger causality between crude oil futures and agricultural product futures. This relationship shows a strong time-varying property, in particular for sudden or extreme events such as financial crises and natural disasters. On the other hand, the volatility spillover in crude oil and agricultural product futures markets responds asymmetrically and bidirectionally according to the result of the DY Spillover index, and the periodicity of total volatility spillover correlates closely with the occurrence of global economic events, which indicates that the spillover effect between crude oil and agricultural commodity futures markets will be exacerbated in turbulent financial and economic times. Such findings are expected to help in formulating policy recommendations, portfolio design, and risk-management decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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20 pages, 2078 KiB  
Article
Does Cleaner Household Energy Promote Agricultural Green Production? Evidence from China
by Fanghua Li, Wei Liang, Dungang Zang, Abbas Ali Chandio and Yinying Duan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10197; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610197 - 17 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1390
Abstract
Cleaner household energy for agricultural green production can significantly alleviate energy poverty and food security, thus contributing to global sustainable development. Using survey micro-data collected from Sichuan Province, the ordered probit model, OLS model, and instrumental variables approach were applied for empirical analysis. [...] Read more.
Cleaner household energy for agricultural green production can significantly alleviate energy poverty and food security, thus contributing to global sustainable development. Using survey micro-data collected from Sichuan Province, the ordered probit model, OLS model, and instrumental variables approach were applied for empirical analysis. The results show that: (1) cleaner household energy significantly enhances farmer’s agricultural green production awareness and improves agricultural green production levels, which is still significant after treating endogenous issues with the conditional mixing process estimation method and 2SLS model; (2) health plays a partially mediating effect of cleaner household energy on agricultural green production awareness and agricultural green production levels; (3) environmental protection awareness and digital literacy have a moderating effect and reinforce the positive impact of cleaner household energy on agricultural green production awareness and agricultural green production levels. This research suggests that governments can enhance the impact of cleaner household energy on agricultural green production through price and subsidy mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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20 pages, 633 KiB  
Article
High-Quality Development of Chinese Agriculture under Factor Misallocation
by Shuai Qin, Zheying Han, Hong Chen, Haokun Wang and Cheng Guo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 9804; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169804 - 09 Aug 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2049
Abstract
Optimizing factor allocation is the premise of promoting high-quality development of agriculture. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2004 to 2020, this paper examines the relationship between factor mismatch and high-quality agricultural development. We found that the high-quality [...] Read more.
Optimizing factor allocation is the premise of promoting high-quality development of agriculture. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2004 to 2020, this paper examines the relationship between factor mismatch and high-quality agricultural development. We found that the high-quality development level of China’s agriculture shows a state of fluctuation and improvement, but the overall level is relatively low and the inter-provincial difference is expanding. Factor mismatch significantly inhibited the improvement of agricultural high-quality development, and the inhibition effect showed obvious temporal and spatial heterogeneity. We also found that the allocation of factors in extreme cases will lead to a 0.01% inter-provincial difference in the high-quality agricultural development. However, with the optimization and upgrading of the agricultural industrial structure and the improvement of the agricultural science and technology, the inhibitory effect of factor mismatch on high-quality agricultural development is constantly weakening. The above conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. The conclusions of this paper enrich the theoretical literature on the influencing factors of high-quality agricultural development, and provide an empirical reference for the policy maker of reducing factor mismatch and promoting high-quality agricultural development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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16 pages, 2735 KiB  
Article
Spatial Distribution and Convergence of Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity in China
by Liping Zhu, Rui Shi, Lincheng Mi, Pu Liu and Guofeng Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8786; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148786 - 19 Jul 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1876
Abstract
The power source, spatial-temporal differentiation and convergence of the growth rate of green total factor productivity in China’s agriculture were analyzed. The Malmquist index was used to measure the growth rate, and the spatial-temporal convergence was tested by σ convergence, absolute β convergence, [...] Read more.
The power source, spatial-temporal differentiation and convergence of the growth rate of green total factor productivity in China’s agriculture were analyzed. The Malmquist index was used to measure the growth rate, and the spatial-temporal convergence was tested by σ convergence, absolute β convergence, conditional β convergence and dynamic spatial convergence. The study drew conclusions that the impetus for the intensive growth of green agriculture was insufficient, and the driving force for the growth of agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) in the eastern, western and central region was green technology progress. In addition, AGTFP did not have an absolute σ convergence trend. Dynamic spatial absolute β and conditional β convergence indicated that regional differences were not completely related to regional endowment conditions, and regional green agricultural production was unbalanced. This study provides an important support for regional green development in China’s agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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13 pages, 1884 KiB  
Article
Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Green Agricultural Science and Technology Progress: A Case Study in Yangtze River Delta of China
by Chen Qian, Caiyao Xu and Fanbin Kong
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8702; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148702 - 17 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1811
Abstract
Green agricultural science and technology progress (GASTP) plays an important role in the green transformation of agriculture. This study calculates the contribution rate of GASTP by using the Super-SBM model in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) from 2011 to 2020. The exploratory spatial [...] Read more.
Green agricultural science and technology progress (GASTP) plays an important role in the green transformation of agriculture. This study calculates the contribution rate of GASTP by using the Super-SBM model in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) from 2011 to 2020. The exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) method and the Fixed Effect (FE) panel data model method were adopted to empirically analyze the spatio-temporal patterns of GASTP and its driving mechanism in the YRD. The results showed that: (i) except for Shanghai from 2011 to 2015, the contribution rate of GASTP in the YRD was generally lower than 1 in Anhui Province, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province, (ii) the level of GASTP had a positive spatial correlation with the study period, except for 2017, and (iii) per capita GDP, agricultural mechanization level, agricultural financial support, and planting structure are four influencing factors of GASTP in the YRD, while total retail sales of social consumer goods and total exports did not have significant effects on GASTP in the YRD. Therefore, we need to increase the opportunities to exchange GASTP experience between cities, improve the environment for agricultural technology extension, and develop follow-up monitoring mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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19 pages, 1888 KiB  
Article
Valuation of Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development of Hani Terraces: A Rice–Fish–Duck Integrated Farming Model
by Yuan Yuan, Gangchun Xu, Nannan Shen, Zhijuan Nie, Hongxia Li, Lin Zhang, Yunchong Gong, Yanhui He, Xiaofei Ma, Hongyan Zhang, Jian Zhu, Jinrong Duan and Pao Xu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8549; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148549 - 13 Jul 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2345
Abstract
As a complementary and symbiotic agro-ecological cycle system, a nature-based integrated rice–fish–duck farming ecosystem was developed in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. The main research objective was to evaluate the ecosystem services based on case studies of the Hani integrated rice–fish–duck terraced farming [...] Read more.
As a complementary and symbiotic agro-ecological cycle system, a nature-based integrated rice–fish–duck farming ecosystem was developed in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. The main research objective was to evaluate the ecosystem services based on case studies of the Hani integrated rice–fish–duck terraced farming system and determine its potential and its importance as an ecological asset. We developed a valuation model to assess the value of the integrated farming system based on the three aspects of provisioning, regulation and maintenance, and cultural services; we selected eight groups and 10 indictors to evaluate the ecosystem services of the integrated ecosystem in Honghe Hani Rice Terraces was 3.316 billion CNY, of which the provisioning service value was 1.76 billion CNY, the regulation and maintenance service value was 1.32 billion CNY, and the cultural services value was 230.85 million CNY. The evaluation will be useful as a theoretical reference for poverty alleviation policy makers in similar poverty-stricken areas, enabling them to better protect and promote this mode of farming and further promote the protection of the natural environment and cultural heritage alongside the sustainable development of natural resources and human well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Green Transformation and Sustainable Development)
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