Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation of Technological Models for Fertile Topsoil Restoration in Thin-Layer Black Soil Region: Evidence from Farmer Survey Data in the Southern Songnen Plain, China

Genhong Liang, Xiwu Shao () and Kaida Gao
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Genhong Liang: College of Economics and Management, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
Xiwu Shao: College of Economics and Management, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
Kaida Gao: College of Economics and Management, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-22

Abstract: The severe degradation of thin-layer black soil in the Southern Songnen Plain threatens both regional agricultural sustainability and national food security. While various fertile topsoil restoration technologies have been proposed, a systematic evaluation of their comprehensive benefits is lacking, hindering effective policy and technology promotion. This study addresses this gap by employing an entropy weight–fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to assess the economic, social, and ecological performance of four predominant restoration models—no-tillage, strip-tillage, deep-tillage, and indirect return—using survey data from 263 farmers. Results identify strip-tillage as the optimal model, achieving the highest integrated benefit score (8.153) by successfully balancing superior economic profitability and social acceptance with robust ecological performance. Although no-tillage excels in ecological benefits like moisture conservation (8.901) and pesticide reduction (8.524), its economic potential is constrained by higher management costs. Deep-tillage rapidly enhances soil fertility (8.628) but is limited by high operational costs, whereas the indirect model, despite high ecological sustainability (7.781), faces adoption barriers due to technical complexity and cost. The findings underscore the necessity of moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches. We propose a targeted promotion system based on “categorized guidance and precision adaptation”, offering a practical framework for optimizing technology deployment to support both black soil conservation and sustainable agricultural development.

Keywords: thin-layer black soil region; fertile topsoil restoration; benefit evaluation; fuzzy comprehensive evaluation; Songnen plain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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