Search Results (51)

As an important component of China’s conservation strategy, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park faces conflicts between environmental protection and community development. Taking the Hunchun area as a case study, here a choice experiment is employed to construct a policy-scenario model encompassing participation mechanisms, benefit-sharing models, and industrial development. Our analysis of farmers’ heterogeneous policy preferences reveals the following. (1) Farmers significantly prefer cooperative organization participation, ecological industry, and ecological compensation while showing less acceptance of agricultural deep processing. (2) Heterogeneity analysis indicates that middle-aged, educated, and low-income male farmers have stronger preferences for policy optimization. (3) Existing homogeneous policies do not satisfy diversified stakeholder demands. We propose a governance framework integrating ecology, industry, and institutions, suggesting practical pathways such as optimizing interest distribution mechanisms, innovating green industry models, and establishing cross-regional ecological compensation mechanisms. This study provides theoretical and practical support for reconciling conservation and development in protected areas. Full article

There has been increasing interest in the health and environmental benefits of the growth of local food, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. In the United States, local food and labels have many implications and attributes, such as organic, non-GMO, and reduced-chemical production. Therefore, consumers’ purchase decisions and willingness to pay for local labels with sustainable attributes are heterogeneous. This study uses a consumer survey in Missouri to examine how differences and differentiations in health and environmental attitudes affect consumers’ willingness to pay for local food. A discrete choice experiment and a structural equation model (SEM) were employed to measure how personal attitudes affect consumer’s willingness to pay for local labels (typical label and state-grown). Results show that supportive attitudes toward local farms and farmers positively affect consumer preferences for locally labeled produce, but the premiums will be lower if they are more concerned about GMOs and pesticide residue in food. No evidence was found for the effects of general environmental attitudes on willingness to pay for local food. Full article

In recent years, with increasing global warming, extreme weather such as high temperatures and droughts has occurred more frequently, with serious impacts on grain production and farmers’ livelihoods. High temperatures and drought can lead to a range of production problems such as water shortages, increased irrigation costs, reduced land fertility, and reductions in grain yields. Ultimately, these problems can inhibit farmers’ willingness to grow grain and threaten regional food security. The government usually takes appropriate assistance measures to compensate for the loss of grain farmers, so as to stimulate the farmers’ incentive to grow grain. Therefore, the influence mechanism of government assistance on farmers’ willingness to grow grain in the context of extreme weather is an issue worth exploring. From the perspective of grain farmers, this paper takes the grain farmers in Jiangxi Province affected by high temperatures and drought in 2022 as the research sample and empirically analyzes the influence mechanism of government assistance on farmers’ willingness to grow grain. In addition, this paper also discusses the heterogeneity of the impact of government assistance on the planting willingness of farmers with different agricultural income ratios and literacy levels. The Ordered Logistic model and mediation effect model were applied in this study. The results of the study show that government assistance can effectively incentivize farmers’ willingness to grow grain, and risk preference has a mediating effect in the process. In addition, government assistance has a stronger incentive effect on the planting willingness of farmers with a high ratio of agricultural income and a high level of literacy. Finally, the paper puts forward corresponding countermeasure suggestions based on the conclusions to help the government formulate more complete risk response policies and establish a more effective risk prevention mechanism. This paper provides a theoretical reference for achieving sustainable development of grain production in the context of extreme weather, which helps to improve the resilience and sustainability of grain production. Full article

Controlling the Orobanche weed parasite is a major challenge for farmers, and the individual application of various management practices has not yet proven to be successful in addressing this issue. To develop an effective strategy for managing this parasitic weed, an Integrated Orobanche Management (IOM) approach has become a priority. Using a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) methodology, we analyze the trade-off in farmers’ preferences between different attributes of IOM scenarios and estimate their willingness to pay (WTP). A sample of 124 Tunisian faba bean farmers participated in the study. The findings indicate that Tunisian farmers are open to adopt an IOM that includes Orobanche-tolerant faba bean varieties, and that the cost of technical package does not seem to be an obstacle. Nevertheless, farmers feel to be rewarded for delaying the sowing date from November to December. Furthermore, the study highlights that farmers show no clear preferences for the use of herbicide, specifically glyphosate, as well as for the practice of intercropping with fenugreek. While increasing faba bean yields remains a priority, farmers are willing to pay more for IOM scenarios that reduce the Orobanche plant shoot count. In conclusion, there is significant heterogeneity in farmers’ preferences, their financial situation, and the severity of Orobanche infestation significantly influencing their decision. Policy recommendations are derived from our results. Full article

Non-satisfactory bread-making quality in wheat, a Tajik staple, hampers food security in Tajikistan and calls for plant breeding efforts. Here, methods were searched for to study grain protein composition, which is of use for Tajik plant breeding to improve bread-making quality. Size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) was used to determine protein composition in 22 wheat varieties and breeding lines grown in two locations, which were then compared with the specific protein composition evaluated using electrophoresis and previous results from Tajik breeding and farmer-grown wheat. As Tajik wheat generally showed a large variation in high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) composition, with several allelic variants in the same line, single-seed selection was required when using this methodology in breeding for improved bread-making quality, and such an evaluation willalso result in more homogenous lines for protein composition. SE-HPLC was found to be a suitable tool to evaluate protein composition in the current Tajik wheat material with a heterogeneous protein composition, which might be advantageous for adaptation to the local and future climate. However, more easy-to-handle and high-throughput methods, e.g., marker-assisted selection, could be preferable alternatives for studying protein composition in wheat and for use in breeding for increased bread-making quality to increase food security in Tajikistan. Full article

This study investigated vegetable farmers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for private agricultural advisory services in northwestern Ethiopia. Understanding farmers’ preferences is a crucial step for modernizing agricultural advisory services and transforming smallholder agri-food systems into a sustainable path. Discrete choice experiment data from 393 farm households were analyzed using a random parameter logit model (RPL). The results revealed that vegetable farmers are willing to pay for practice-oriented private advisory services. The result also showed the existence of heterogeneity in farmers’ preference for features of vegetable advisory services. Household heads’ educational status and age influenced preferences for advisory service features. The result is substantiated by the fact that merely 25.5% of the sample households acquired formal education. Farmers in general preferred extension services with frequent expert visits and practical engagement on-farm as opposed to digitized options that rely on short message service (SMS) and voice-based guidance. Additionally, farmers are willing to pay an ETB 120.89 and ETB 203.94 monthly fee for an extension service that emphasizes fruity and root and tuber vegetables, respectively, as opposed to leafy vegetables. The findings imply initiatives that push for commercializing agricultural advisory services should strive to achieve a balance between the practical application and digitization of extension services accounting for the heterogeneous preferences of smallholder farmers. Full article

The existing studies have primarily discussed the impact of land certification on farmers’ land transfer behaviors, neglecting its potential for centralized transfer under the orientation of optimizing land utilization and allocation efficiency. This study employed the Probit model, Propensity Score Matching method, and IV-Probit model to explore the effects and underlying mechanisms of land certification on centralized transfer based on the China Land Economic Survey data, especially emphasizing the roles of timing, inequality, and governance. Among transfer-out households, land certification increases the likelihood of farmers adopting centralized transfer rather than decentralized transfer. After considering the differential influence exerted by the timing of certification, the earlier the households obtain the land contract management certificates, the greater the positive impact. This phenomenon can be explained from the dual perspectives of economy and governance, including rural industrial development and rural governance performance. In the heterogeneity analysis, we focused on land inequality, farmers’ risk preference, and village governance teams’ capacity. Land certification mainly benefits farmers facing weak land inequality or low-risk preference, as well as those in villages with highly educated cadres. In the new round of land certification program, our findings provide new insights for continuously optimizing land utilization and allocation. Full article

In the context of global climate change and energy and resource scarcity, understanding the factors that influence the adoption of green production technology by rice farmers and promoting a transformation in agricultural practices towards low-carbon and environmentally friendly methods represent a crucial step towards achieving sustainable development. This study employs an ordered logit model to comprehensively explore the influence mechanism of social capital and risk preference within the adoption of green production technology by rice farmers. Research indicates that social capital can significantly and positively affect rice farmers’ uptake of green production technology. Among various dimensions, it can be seen that the role of social participation emerges as a particularly salient factor. The analysis of risk preference demonstrates that it exerts a negative moderating influence. The heterogeneity analysis results indicate that new-generation and part-time rice farmers prefer adopting new technologies if they possess higher social capital. In light of the findings above, it is recommended that the organizational support of cooperatives and collective action be reinforced; the use of digital technologies in agriculture should be increased; the livelihood changes of rice farmers be considered to meet their heterogeneous needs accurately; and the integration of carbon emission reduction policies and green production technologies be strengthened to promote the widespread adoption of green technologies among rice farmers. Full article

To solve the problem of the insufficient driving force and low adoption rate of conservation tillage adoption and to enhance the effect of industrial organization in influencing technology diffusion, this paper explored the relationship and the mechanism of perceived organizational support and inter-temporal choice in the adoption of conservation tillage by using micro-research data from 725 melon farmers in the Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces in China and by applying the experimental economics method to obtain the inter-temporal choices of the farmers. This paper also analyzed farmers’ risk preferences’ moderating effect on the relationship between inter-temporal choice and conservation tillage. Additionally, it examined the impact of perceived organizational support on the differentiation of different conservation tillage technologies. The study found that perceived organizational support significantly contributes to adopting zero tillage and minimum tillage, and water-saving irrigation. Perceived organizational support was not conducive to farmers’ adoption of furrow and ridge tillage. The impact of perceived organizational support on technology adoption is heterogeneous, depending on the differences in the size of the family’s cultivated land. The inter-temporal choice of farmers significantly impedes the adoption of conservation tillage. The increase in risk preference helps alleviate the hindering effect of inter-temporal choice on farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage. Perceived organizational support can promote the adoption of conservation tillage by reducing farmers’ inter-temporal choices. Inter-temporal choice is an essential mechanism by which perceived organizational support affects the adoption of conservation tillage. Compared with the existing studies, this paper incorporates the technology-attribute-induced inter-temporal choice of farmers into the impact analysis framework and considers the relationship between perceived organizational support, inter-temporal choice, and the adoption of conservation tillage and the mechanism of its action. The findings of the study provide a theoretical basis for the enrichment of incentive mechanisms for the adoption of conservation tillage, which is of great significance for the improvement of the tool for the integration of small farmers in developing countries into the industrial activities of the new agricultural business central bodies and for promoting the diffusion of conservation tillage in agriculture. Full article

On the basis of data collected from 1208 apple farmers in the provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu, this study utilizes the weighted-frequency method to investigate the priority sequence of farmers’ preferences in choosing fertilizer-reduction and efficiency-increasing technologies. Subsequently, ordered-probit models, a mediating-effect model, and a moderating-effect model are employed to empirically analyze the influence of capital endowment on farmers’ choices related to fertilizer-reduction and efficiency-increasing technologies and their underlying mechanisms. The study further examines how agricultural-technology extension moderates these mechanisms. The main findings are: (1) The priority sequence of farmers’ choices concerning fertilizer-reduction and efficiency-increasing technologies is as follows: organic fertilizer substitution, new efficient fertilizers, soil testing and formula fertilization, green manure cultivation, straw mulching, fertilizer-reduction application, and deep mechanical application. (2) Capital endowment significantly enhances farmers’ choices in fertilizer-reduction and efficiency-increasing technologies. (3) The mechanism analyses indicate that capital endowment can promote farmers’ choices in fertilizer-reduction and efficiency-increasing technologies by improving their information-acquisition capabilities. (4) Moderation effects reveal that agricultural-technology extension methods, such as technical training, financial subsidies, and government publicity, significantly and positively moderate the relationship between information-acquisition capabilities and farmers’ choices in fertilizer-reduction and efficiency-increasing technologies. The moderating effects of educational attainment and generational differences on different agricultural-technology extension methods are heterogeneous. Technical training, financial subsidies, and government publicity can effectively enhance the positive impact of information-acquisition capabilities on farmers with a higher educational attainment. Financial subsidies can effectively strengthen the positive impact of information-acquisition capabilities on the older generation of farmers. Therefore, it is recommended to prioritize the accumulation of farmers’ capital endowment, improve their information-acquisition capabilities, and intensify agricultural-technology extension efforts, especially taking into account farmers’ educational attainment and generational differences. Full article

The construction of national parks has a profound impact on the production and life of surrounding farmers. Based on the survey data of 354 farmers around the Mount Wuyi National Park, this paper uses the method of constructing a difference-in-difference model to analyze the impact of the Mount Wuyi National Park construction on the livelihood choices of surrounding farmers and the main income of families. In addition, this article analyzes the heterogeneity of surrounding farmers based on differences in tea planting area and farmers’ income levels. The results show the following: First, compared with pre-establishment, farmers around the Mount Wuyi National Park still prefer tea-based agricultural employment or part-time employment. Second, after the establishment of the Mount Wuyi National Park, the main income of surrounding farmers’ families is still agricultural income. Therefore, the authors of this article believe that it is necessary to further strengthen the protection of the livelihoods of surrounding farmers and moderately create more livelihood choices for surrounding farmers in order to achieve both ecological and economic benefits. Full article

Rice is the main staple for more than half of the world’s population. In Ghana, rice is the fastest growing food commodity, and it is consumed by almost every household. However, yields continue to be low, as the pace of adoption of new varieties is low. The low rate of adoption has been attributed to failure of modern breeding to incorporate preferred traits for end users. This study thus employed an innovative set of breeding tools, the G+ tools, in identifying gendered trait preferences to develop a robust product profile through a mixed-method approach. The assertion that “men focus more on production and marketing related traits as women focus on production and cooking qualities” was also ascertained. Descriptive, inferential and content analyses were conducted, and the results indicate ecological differences in varietal choices. Production and marketing traits are jointly preferred by the gender groups. However, women and young women paid attention to post-harvest and cooking quality traits. The gender impact scores generated indicated there are tradeoffs in the traits preferred. These findings highlight the significance of recognizing geographical differences and gender heterogeneity in relation to varietal and trait preferences. In conclusion, the outcomes emphasize the necessity of gender-sensitive breeding work that considers the various needs and trait priorities of targeted men and women rice farmers in breeding decisions for a robust rice product profile. Full article

The implementation of China’s rural homestead withdrawal policy has been a topic of great interest in recent years. However, little is known about its impact on farmers’ homestead withdrawal behavior from the perspective of psychological resilience. This study aims to evaluate the impact of psychological resilience on farmers’ homestead withdrawal behavior and to explore its mechanism and heterogeneity, as well as its impact on compensation choices. The research data was collected through a survey of 657 rural households in Shaanxi and Shandong provinces. The probit model and mediation effect model were used to analyze the data. The results demonstrate that psychological resilience positively affects farmers’ homestead withdrawal behavior; this finding is robust. Specifically, the positive influence of stability and adaptability dimensions of psychological resilience is more significant. Moreover, the effect of psychological resilience varies across different family life cycles, and it has a stronger promoting effect on the homestead withdrawal behavior of child-raising families. Mechanism analysis indicates that psychological resilience can promote homestead withdrawal behavior by reducing farmers’ land dependence consciousness and improving farmers’ risk preferences. Finally, farmers with strong psychological resilience are more inclined to choose cash compensation. Based on these findings, this paper proposes targeted policy recommendations for rural homestead system reform. Full article

In the context of China’s New Urbanization Strategy, it is of great practical significance to study rural–urban population migration from the perspective of house purchases by rural households. In this paper, the Huai’an Rural Survey Dataset (872,414 households) was used to study the heterogeneity of rural households’ house purchases in different classes of urban destinations, and its influencing factors were analyzed with GeoDetector. The results show that the urban house purchase destinations preferred by farmers were county towns, townships, foreign cities, and metropolitan areas, indicating that in situ urbanization has become the main path of urbanization for farmers in Huai’an. Among the environmental influencing factors, the rural environment had the greatest influence on house purchases locally (in the township and county town), and this influence decreased with the outward shift of house purchase destinations. The housing environment, the settlement environment, and the population and family environment were the main environmental impact elements. The natural environment and the policy environment had little influence on the house-purchasing behavior of farmers, and the location environment was critical in exotic locations (metropolitan areas and foreign cities). Therefore, this paper argues that a higher demand for housing is growing in China’s less developed rural areas, creating a situation in which the metropolitan area is the core and the county town is the main contributor. In terms of policy improvements, it is important to pay more attention to small cities such as counties and to offer housing concessions and welfare to “new citizens” from rural areas, as well as to significantly improve the housing, earnings, and public service environment for those who prefer to stay in the countryside. Full article

Increasing the agricultural technical efficiency is crucial to poverty reduction for smallholder farmers in developing countries. This study attempts to examine the impact of farmers’ lottery participation on technical efficiency from the perspective of the farmers’ revealed risk preferences, and to explore the influence mechanism between lottery participation and technical efficiency, based on the primary data collected from banana farmers in rural China. We used data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the combined technical efficiency of the farmers and constructed an endogenous switching regressions (ESR) model to analyse the impact of lottery participation on the technical efficiency of banana farms. A quantile regression model was used to analyse the heterogeneous effects under the different levels of the farmers’ technical efficiency. Then, a mediation model was employed to clarify the influence mechanism of lottery participation on technical efficiency in terms of two pathways: the adoption of biopesticide and the soil improvement technique. The empirical results show that farmers’ lottery participation revealed their risk preferences and several factors affected banana farmers’ participation in the lottery. Specifically, male farmers are more likely to participated in the lottery than female; farmers’ working hours negatively affected their lottery participation; and the use of a smartphone significantly increased the likelihood of farmers buying lottery tickets. We also found that farmers who participate in the lottery have higher technical efficiency in banana production, and the average treatment effect of lottery participation on the technical efficiency was 21.5%, indicating that the farmers with revealed risk preferences can significantly promote technical efficiency. The effect of risk preferences on economic performance is more significant for farmers at the middle technical efficiency level. The explanation is that the adoption of new technologies (e.g., biopesticides) played a mediating effect between farmers’ lottery participation and their technical efficiency. New technologies are more likely to be adopted by farmers who participate in the lottery, resulting in higher technical efficiency. Therefore, policymakers and stakeholders can better design technology extension programs according to the different attitudes of the target farmers towards risks in developing regions. Full article