Agriculture In China Research Articles

Heterogeneous Impacts of Traditional and Modern Information Channels on Farmers’ Green Production: Evidence from China

Efficient agricultural input is crucial for agricultural green production and sustainable development. The swift evolution of information and communication technologies has diversified the avenues through which farmers access information. However, how different information channels affect farmers’ production input remain poorly understood. Leveraging a two-way fixed-effects model and the Karlson-–Holm–Breen (KHB) method, this study delves into the mechanisms underlying the influence of both traditional and modern information channels on farmers’ inputs of seeds, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides (SCFP) based on over 15,000 sample of Chinese farmers. The findings reveal the following: (1) modern information channels significantly decrease farmers’ SCFP input, whereas traditional channels exhibit the opposite effect; (2) environmental pollution perception acts as a mediator in the influence of both traditional and modern information channels on farmers’ SCFP input; (3) traditional information channels significantly promote farmers’ SCFP input in the grain production and marketing balance areas, and modern information channels inhibit farmers’ SCFP input in major grain-producing areas; and (4) traditional and modern information channels have an impact on farmers’ SCFP input in the western region, but not in the central region. To promote sustainable agricultural development, government departments should enhance rural Internet access, diversify information sources, advocate for eco-farming, ensure regional digital equity, and enhance green agri-tech promotion.

From Tradition to Innovation: The Role of Culture Tourism in Transforming Chinese Agriculture

After the merger of China’s Ministry of Culture and the National Tourism Administration into the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2018, there was a strong push to advance the strategy of culture–tourism integration, which has shown significant effects on the economy and society. Building on this success, the Chinese government proposed the strategy of agriculture–culture–tourism integration in 2023. However, its impact on the agricultural sector remains unclear. This study employs field theory to explain the impact of culture–tourism integration on the agricultural sector. Drawing from the relevant literature, we construct and statistically analyze the Culture–Tourism Coupling Coordination Degree (CTCCD). Utilizing provincial panel data from China from 2000 to 2022, we employ two-way fixed-effects panel regression to empirically estimate and analyze the effects of the CTCCD on the agricultural GDP, Total Factor Productivity (TFP), and various aspects of crop farming. Our findings reveal several key insights: (i) the CTCCD exhibits a significant negative impact on both agricultural GDP and TFP; (ii) the CTCCD negatively affects the proportion of crop farming within the agricultural sector, suggesting that culture–tourism integration results in weaker development of crop farming compared to forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries; (iii) the CTCCD demonstrates significant negative effects on the sown area, yield per unit area, and total production of food crops, while positively influencing the per capita income of agricultural workers. These empirical results highlight the complex relationship between culture–tourism integration and agricultural development. Our analysis provides quantitative evidence of the trade-offs involved in pursuing integrated development strategies, adding to the existing research on rural development. The findings indicate that promoting agriculture–culture–tourism integration should be balanced with efforts to accelerate agricultural technological progress.

Study on Regional Differences, Dynamic Evolution and Convergence of Nutrition-Sensitive Agricultural Development in China

This article constructs an evaluation index system for the development of nutrition-sensitive agriculture in China and measures the development level of nutrition-sensitive agriculture using the entropy method, based on the panel data of 31 provinces from 2000 to 2022. The Dagum Gini coefficient is employed to analyze the magnitude and sources of regional differences in the development level between the whole country and the four major regions. The Kernel density estimation method is applied to describe the dynamic evolutionary characteristics of the development level in different regions. Furthermore, this study delves into the σ convergence and β convergence characteristics of the development level. The results show the following: (a) The level of nutrition-sensitive agricultural development at the national level and in the four major regions has been rising year by year, with a clear spatial pattern of “high in the east and low in the west”. (b) There are significant regional differences at the national level and in the four major regions, which tend to widen. (c) The dynamic evolution characteristics of the development level of nutrition-sensitive agriculture in various regions differ greatly, with polarization in the national, eastern, western and northeastern regions. (d) There is no σ convergence in the development level of nutrition-sensitive agriculture in the country or in the four major regions, but there is absolute β convergence and conditional β convergence in all of them, with the northeastern and central regions having faster convergence speeds; the “catching-up effect” is obvious. The report concludes by outlining the policy ramifications for implementing a methodical and comprehensive strategy approach to support regionally coordinated development plans for leapfrogging and upgrading.

A comprehensive review on agricultural greenhouse gas emission reductions in China: opportunities and challenges

China is the world’s largest carbon emitter. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, one of the main sources, is a channel for achieving China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets on schedule. To clarify the status and prospects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction in Chinese agriculture, this paper focuses on macro-level factors such as policies, economy, society, and technology, meso-level factors such as agricultural digital transformation and carbon trading market construction, and micro-level factors such as individual farmers and household influences on agricultural emissions reduction. Therefore, this article examines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in China’s agricultural greenhouse emission reductions by SWOT. It is concluded that optimized industrial structure and technological progress are strengths, while weak low-carbon awareness among farmers and the limitations of traditional small-scale production methods are weaknesses. Aligning with national development direction, absorbing foreign experiences, and integrating with digitization are opportunities. The imbalance between the economy and emission reduction and the significant regional differences are the threats. Overall, China’s efforts are on the right track, but urgent action is needed to improve the quality of farmers and transform the agricultural economy, which requires fundamental changes. Based on this, suggestions are proposed for farmers, businesses, and government from four aspects: promoting and expanding pilot demonstration areas for agricultural carbon sequestration trading, building regionally superior agricultural products and specialty industries, synergistic cooperation for technology development and promotion, improving farmer educational level in the form of agricultural cooperatives, so as to help balance economic and environmental benefits in reducing agricultural GHG emissions.

The Current Situation, Issues, and Improvement Measures of Foreign Direct Investment in China's Agricultural Economy

With the rapid development of economic globalization, the connections between countries have become increasingly close, and foreign direct investment has gradually become an important factor influencing the agricultural economic development of various countries. In order to achieve their own economic development, countries have actively sought to attract foreign investment. With China’s accession to the World Trade Organization and its active participation in global governance, attracting and utilizing foreign investment for domestic agriculture has become a strategic consensus for economic development amid intense global economic competition. This paper analyzes the history and current situation of foreign direct investment in Chinese agriculture, identifies the main issues faced by Chinese agriculture in utilizing foreign direct investment, and proposes corresponding solutions, including improving the foreign direct investment environment in Chinese agriculture and optimizing the structure of foreign direct investment sources.

Influencing factors and prospects of Chinese agricultural outward foreign direct investment

Against the backdrop of global economic and trade internationalization, China's outward foreign direct investment has exhibited consistent growth over the years. Notably, China has engaged in agricultural cooperation with over 100 countries, becoming the global leading donor of foreign direct investment in agriculture and the world's fifth-largest importer of agricultural products. This paper reveals the structure of Chinese agricultural outward foreign direct investment to summarize their developmental stages and influencing factors. The study utilizes relevant data on China's foreign direct investment from 2014 to 2023 to assess the investment stage and analyze the future development trends in China's agricultural trade. The research results indicate that currently, despite some decline in 2021 and 2022, China's agricultural foreign direct investment is in a stage of rapid development. It can be concluded that the levels of agricultural economic development, national policy support for agriculture, and agricultural technology have all improved. However, the structure is significantly influenced by global external factors, although the overall trend remains favorable, with significant potential for advancement. The results could also have important practical significance for further promoting the growth of the scale of agricultural foreign investment and enhancing the international competitiveness of China's agriculture.

Commodity Market Segmentation Hinders Carbon Productivity Gains in Chinese Agriculture: Moderating Effects of Economic and Informational Development

Commodity Market Segmentation Hinders Carbon Productivity Gains in Chinese Agriculture: Moderating Effects of Economic and Informational Development

Inequality in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions intensity has risen in rural China from 1993 to 2020.

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in crop production while ensuring emission equity is crucial for sustainable agriculture in China, yet long-term large-scale data on GHG emissions intensity (GEI) are limited. Using an extensive dataset based on surveyed farm households (n > 430,000 households) from 1993 to 2020, we reveal that 2015 was a turning point for GEI levels, which dropped 16% in 2020, while inequality-measured as average GHG emissions per unit planted area-increased 13%. The key driving forces behind such trends included farmland input, all other inputs, agricultural labour input and total factor productivity but not capital input. Notably, farmland input and all other inputs contributed to 80% of the inequality, while contribution of total factor productivity gradually declined and was replaced by migration-induced agricultural labour input differences. Reducing GEI levels and guarding against widening inequality require optimizing production factor inputs.

The Adaptability of Beet Webworm (Loxostege sticticalis) to Soybeans and Other Different Host Plants

The beet webworm Loxostege sticticalis has caused significant economic losses to the production of agriculture and animal husbandry in China. Preference testing of larva feeding and adult oviposition and flight capability tests were carried out on five host plants: soybean, pigweed, pea, broad bean, and alfalfa. An experimental population life table and population growth trends over the subsequent 200 days were constructed. The test results show that the larvae showed no significant preference among different plants. However, adults lay more eggs on soybeans. The pests failed to complete a generation when fed on broad beans and alfalfas. When fed on pigweed, they showed the shortest larvae development period, the heaviest pupal weight, the longest adult longevity, and the largest egg-laying amount. The net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and simulated population growth trend of the pests fed on pigweed show the highest values, and those fed on peas showed the lowest values. The total flight distance and flight time of adults fed on pigweed and soybeans were significantly greater compared to those fed on peas. In summary, beet webworms fed on pigweed showed the fastest development and reproduction, the largest population, and the strongest flight capability.

Pecan-medicinal crops intercropping improved soil fertility and promoted interactions between soil microorganisms and metabolites

BackgroundPecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) Koch] is a widely cultivated dried fruit and woody oil tree with high economic value. Continuous sole planting of pecan caused some land to lie idle and deterioration of soil conditions. Tree and medicinal crops intercropping represents an environmental-friendly and economically feasible solution to these issues. Thus, we aimed to explore the underlying mechanism by which intercropping improved soil condition by regulating the interactions of the soil microbiome and metabolome. In this study, pecans were intercropped with medicinal crops caper spurge and honeysuckle on a tree farm in China. A combined analysis of soil microbiomes and metabolomes was performed to discover the effects of intercropping on bulk and rhizosphere soils.ResultsThe results showed that intercropping improved the edaphic properties of bulk soil and promoted the growth of pecan and caper spurge. Intercropping also significantly altered the structures of both bacterial and fungal communities in bulk soil, stabilised the enrichment of nitrogen-cyclic bacteria, for instance, Bacillus, and decreased the relative abundances of plant–pathogenic fungi, for instance, Fusarium. In addition, the result of metabolomic analysis showed that intercropping promoted the synthesis of functional compounds, such as trehalose and ethanolamine, which enhanced plant disease resistance in bulk soils. Moreover, the co-occurrence networks of microbiomes and metabolomes of bulk soils revealed that Bacillus was significantly correlated with Fusarium, Alternaria, and trehalose under intercropping patterns. Furthermore, analysis of microbiomes and metabolomes in the rhizosphere soil of caper spurge and honeysuckle revealed that Penicillium and Rhizomicrobium were significantly increased by intercropping and showed more dynamic connections with other genera and metabolites compared with single planting.ConclusionsOverall, intercropping pecans with caper spurge and honeysuckle can improve soil conditions and promote plant growth through microbiological and metabolomics integrated analyses. This study provides valuable information and theoretical basis for optimizing land resource utilisation and improving soil conditions in tree fields like pecan fields via intercropping, thereby reducing production losses and ensuring economic benefits.Graphical

Climate change, agricultural transformation and climate smart agriculture development in China

Against the backdrop of increasingly severe global climate change, it has become an inevitable choice to promote the transformation of agriculture oriented to climate smart agriculture. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate realistic problem faced by China's agricultural transformation and identify key factors affecting agricultural development under the background of climate change. The paper constructs a linear econometric model and employes time series data from 1990 to 2019 to empirically test the impact of climate change and agricultural investment on agriculture in China. The results indicate that climate change has a negative impact on agriculture, while agricultural investment has a positive impact. Therefore, it is necessary to promote agricultural transformation oriented to climate smart agriculture. To this end, China must vigorously promote agricultural system reform, accelerate agricultural technological innovation, accelerate the development of agricultural big data and informatization, and strengthen financial support for agriculture.

Narrowing the gaps between perception and adoption behavior of integrated pest management by farmers: Incentive and challenge

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an important strategy in global agriculture, aimed at maintaining the growth trend of food production without compromising environmental integrity or human health. Despite various measures taken by the government to encourage farmers to adopt IPM technologies, the adoption rate of IPM in China remains insufficient. This study finds that the number of farmers who adopt IPM to a high degree is significantly lower than those who view IPM as a win-win solution for profits and the environment. To address the gap between attitudes and behaviors, this research utilizes data from a survey of 480 households in Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia, China, employing structural equation modeling to analyze the impact of farmers' perceived factors on IPM adoption rates. Additionally, a generalized linear mixed model is used to assess farmers' attitudes toward financial subsidies, while an Ordered Logit model conducts an empirical analysis of the factors influencing barriers to IPM adoption. The findings indicate that: (1) Farmers' overly optimistic expectations regarding the initial costs of IPM hinder their adoption; (2) Farmers who are skeptical about the economic benefits of IPM demonstrate greater interest in cash subsidies; (3) Land characteristics and farmer attributes influence farmers' evaluations of barriers to IPM adoption. To develop reasonable and effective policies aimed at narrowing the adoption gap for IPM, it is essential to thoroughly understand the characteristics of farmers and their perceptions of IPM, and to design incentive measures that account for group differences. Findings of the study provide information regarding the IPM adoption gap among farmers in China, thereby offering practical insights and empirical evidence to assist policymakers in developing appropriate policies. It also provides a framework for countries in similar situations globally to examine and address the adoption gap.

Introducing artificial intelligence in Chinese agriculture (review)

Introducing artificial intelligence in Chinese agriculture (review)

Impacts of soil type on the temporal dynamics of antibiotic resistance gene profiles following application of composted manure

Farmland application of composted manure is associated with a risk of dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in agricultural soils. However, the impact of soil type on the temporal dynamics of ARGs in agricultural soil remains largely unclear. The aims of this study were to study the persistence of composted manure-derived ARGs in six soil types representative for Chinese agriculture and to explore the underlying environmental drivers of soil ARG profiles in a controlled greenhouse experiment. Temporal dynamics of manure-derived ARGs was strongly affected by soil type. High persistence of fertilizer-derived ARGs was evident in red soil, yellow soil and sierozem soil, while a rapid decrease to near pre-fertilization levels (low persistence) was observed in yellow-brown soil, black soil and brown earth soil. The distribution of ARGs was linked to soil properties such as soil texture, pH and concentrations of heavy metals. More complex co-occurrence networks of ARGs and bacteria in red soil, yellow soil, and sierozem soil suggested a higher dissemination potential, which was consistent with the significantly increased abundance of MGEs in these three types of soils. Our findings highlight the necessity for developing tailored fertilization strategies for different soil types to mitigate environmental dissemination of ARGs.

How Does the Adoption of e‐Commerce Impact the Selling Prices of Agricultural Products? Empirical Evidence From Apple Farmers in China

ABSTRACTThe sale of products through e‐commerce is emerging in rural China, and it cuts out intermediaries and allows farmers direct access to the market. To understand how adopting e‐commerce impacts the selling prices of agricultural products and who benefits more from adopting e‐commerce, we interviewed 480 apple farmers from the three representative provinces in China. The Propensity Score Matching approach combined with sensitivity analysis is employed to address the potential self‐selection bias in estimating the impacts of adopting e‐commerce. We find that adopting of e‐commerce drives significant increases in the selling prices of apple products, including the average price, the maximum price and the minimum price. The heterogeneity analysis suggests that the adoption of e‐commerce has significant heterogeneous effects on selling prices across various ages and education of household heads, land area, distance to the local town centre and social capital. The analysis of potential pathways reveals that increases in selling prices are attributed to farmers achieving more marketing flexibility through more adaptable sale times and extended sale periods due to adopting e‐commerce. The research findings provide rigorous evidence on optimal future policy design regarding the development of rural e‐commerce for poverty alleviation in China and other developing countries.

Epidemiological study of Newcastle disease in chicken farms in China, 2019-2022.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a significant poultry pathogen, causing ongoing economic losses in China's poultry industry. To understand its circulation and risk factors associated with farm infection, we carried out an epidemiological study on 1,065 farms across 18 provinces from 2019 and 2022. We collected a total of 43,696 swabs and tested them for NDV using an RT-PCR that targets the partial F gene. The overall bird-level NDV prevalence in the 4 years (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022) were 1.49% (95%CI: 1.27, 1.71%), 1.24% (95%CI: 1.04, 1.44%), 0.59% (95%CI: 0.45, 0.74%), and 0.44% (95%CI: 0.31, 0.58%) respectively, while the farm-level prevalence of the 4 years were 11.27% (95%CI: 7.93, 14.60%), 13.85% (95%CI: 10.10, 17.61%), 12.63% (95%CI: 8.00, 17.26%), and 10.71% (95%CI: 6.38, 15.04%), respectively. The result also showed a high degree of variation in farm-level prevalence (ranging from 0 to 90%) across the provinces. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that four factors, namely layer farm (OR = 2.282, 95% CI: 1.211, 4.298), broiler farm (OR = 2.339, 95% CI: 1.206, 4.534), using mixed feed (OR = 2.973, 95% CI: 1.962, 4.505), and indoor housing with some free-range access (OR = 1.788, 95%CI: 1.096, 2.917), increased the risk of NDV infection on farms. We isolated 104 NDVs, which were all classified into Class II by the phylogenetic analysis, but from two genotypes: four belonged to genotype I, while the remaining 100 mainly belonged to genotype II, indicating that the circulating NDVs were primarily LaSota-like low pathogenic viruses. We used random forest algorithm to established an occurrence risk model, The accuracy of the model was 90.81%. This large-scale investigation revealed NDV prevalence at bird, farm, and province levels over the 4 years. It also identified risk factors associated with farm NDV infections. The findings provide new insights into the epidemiology of NDV in China and offer references for global NDV control.

Self-Owned or Outsourced? The Impact of Farm Machinery Adoption Decisions on Chinese Farm Households’ Operating Income

Using farm machinery plays a significant role in easing the issue of slowing growth of operating income among farm households in China. Drawing data from CFPS2018, this study adopts a multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) to analyze the factors influencing farm households’ choices regarding self-owned farm machinery and outsourced machinery services, as well as their subsequent impact on operating income. The results of the study show that the characteristics of the head of household, family, village, and region have a significant impact on the farm households’ selection of whether to use self-owned machinery or outsourced services. Furthermore, the exclusive use of self-owned farm machinery and the combined use of both self-owned and outsourced machinery substantially enhance farm households’ operating income. An additional analysis indicates that these two types of machinery are complementary, and their combined use generates a superimposed effect that further boosts income. These findings suggest that the combined use of self-owned and outsourced machinery is optimal for farm households who wish to expand their operating income.

Agricultural carbon emissions in China: measurement, spatiotemporal evolution, and influencing factors analysis

IntroductionThe agricultural sector is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 23% of global anthropogenic carbon emissions. Analysis of the basic state of carbon emissions from China's agriculture is helpful to achieve carbon reduction targets.MethodsAgricultural carbon emissions were calculated using the emission factor method, based on data from the China Rural Statistical Yearbook and various provincial statistical yearbooks. To analyze spatial patterns, the standard deviation ellipse method and the center of gravity migration model were employed, uncovering the migration path of agricultural carbon emissions. Regional disparities and the driving factors of agricultural carbon emissions were further examined using the Theil index and the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model.ResultsThe analysis indicated that the emissions center has gradually shifted towards the central and western regions, reflecting changes in agricultural production activity areas. Intraregional differences are the primary contributors to the imbalance in agricultural carbon emissions, with pronounced disparities in grain production and consumption balance regions. Key influencing factors include agricultural production efficiency, adjustments in agricultural industrial structure, economic structure and output, and urbanization levels. The economic output effect and urbanization effect are identified as the main drivers of increased carbon emissions, while declining production efficiency has hindered emission reduction efforts.ConclusionThe findings provide valuable insights for regional management and policymaking in China's agricultural sector, highlighting the need to enhance production efficiency and optimize agricultural structure to reduce emissions.

Analysis and Performance Evaluation of Decoupling Relationship between Carbon Emissions and Economic Development in Chinese Agriculture

Analysis and Performance Evaluation of Decoupling Relationship between Carbon Emissions and Economic Development in Chinese Agriculture

A novel interpretation of farmland abandonment: evidence from the famine experience

The growing severity of farmland abandonment in rural areas has sparked concerns about the lack of people willing to cultivate the land. This study attempts to find the endogenous factors of farmland land abandonment among Chinese farmers and to curb land degradation to stabilize food security. Based on the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (2016–2018), this paper explores the effect of famine experience on farmland abandonment using logit and DID models. We find that famine experience does increase the probability and extent of farmland abandonment, and undergo a series of robustness tests. We also find that the famine stigma effect increases the likelihood and extent of farmland abandonment by increasing risk aversion and reducing social trust and investment in agriculture. The growth of urbanization in China worsens the effects of famine, whereas local communal production services remove the effects of famine. The overall findings of this study provide useful insights for the government to protect land quality and food security and to carefully consider the role played by communities.