The Impact of Agricultural Socialization Services on the Ecological Protection of Rice Farmland in Jianghan Plain, China

Wenjun Zhuo, Zhi Zeng () and Xinsheng Pang
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Wenjun Zhuo: School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Zhi Zeng: School of Economics and Management, Hubei University of Education, Wuhan 430205, China
Xinsheng Pang: School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-24

Abstract: The ecological protection of cultivated land is crucial for advancing high-quality agricultural development. This study analyzes the impact of agricultural socialization services on the ecological conservation of farmland, focusing on the reduction of chemical fertilizers and pesticides among rice farmers in the Jianghan Plain area. Utilizing data from 743 farmer household surveys conducted in 2023, the findings reveal that agricultural socialization services significantly encourage farmers to reduce chemical input usage. For every 1% increase in the level of agricultural social services, the average fertilizer use per hectare will decrease by 14% and the average pesticide use per hectare will decrease by 16.4%. The study identifies scale operation, factor substitution, and alleviation of capital constraints as mediating factors enhancing the efficacy of these services. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis indicates that these services are more effective in reducing chemical inputs among large-scale and newer-generation farmers compared to their small-scale and older counterparts. Additionally, technology-intensive socialized services exhibit a stronger impact on reducing chemical inputs than labor-intensive services.

Keywords: agricultural social services; cultivated land ecological protection; chemical fertilizer reduction; pesticide reduction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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