Evaluation of the green development effects of heterogeneous agricultural cleaner production place-based policy

Abstract

Under the dual challenges of food security crisis and environmental costs, promoting agricultural green development (AGD) is an urgent need. Agricultural cleaner production place-based policy (ACPBP) is an important tool for promoting AGD. Based on the entropy value method to measure the AGD, DID is applied in this paper to investigate whether ACPBP can promote AGD. The conclusions of the paper are as follows: (1) The AGD is impacted differently by various types of ACPBP. The policy of replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers for fruits, vegetables and teas (RCFOFFVT) can inhibit AGD, national agricultural green development pioneer zone policy (NAGDPZP) can promote AGD. There is persistence in the effects of both RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP. (2) There are regional heterogeneities in the effects of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP on AGD. The RCFOFFVT has a stronger inhibitory effect on AGD in low economic development counties and major grain-producing counties. The NAGDPZP has a stronger promotional effect on AGD in high economic development counties and non-major grain-producing counties. For low-carbon policy counties, the inhibitory effect of RCFOFFVT is insignificant and the promotional effect of NAGDPZP is weaker. (3) Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation (ASTI) moderates the impact of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP. ASTI would weaken the inhibitory effect of RCFOFFVT on AGD, and would strengthen the role of the NAGDPZP in promoting the AGD. (4) There is a policy mix effect of RCFOFFVT and NAGDPZP that can jointly promote AGD. The conclusions of the paper indicate that ACPBP are effective approaches to deal with the food crisis and environmental pressures, but in the process of policy implementation, different types of ACPBP need to be implemented based on the realities of the situation.