Part-time Farming Research Articles

The effect of perceived value on farmers' livestock manure resource utilization behavior: Evidence from Shandong, China.

The rapid development of animal husbandry has brought many problems such as ecological environmental pollution and public health damage. The resource utilization of livestock manure is the key way to deal with the above crisis and turn waste into treasure. Based on the theory of perceived value, this paper uses multi-group structural equation model to explore the driving mechanism of perceived value on the resource utilization behavior of livestock manure. The results showed that: (1) The resource utilization behavior of livestock manure followed the logic of "cognitive level → cognitive trade-off → perceived value → behavioral intention → behavioral performance." Perceived benefit and perceived risk have positive and reverse driving effects on perceived value, respectively. Perceived value has a positive driving effect on behavioral intention. The behavioral intention has a positive driving effect on utilization behavior. (2) Among the observed variables of perceived benefits, ecological benefits have the greatest impact; Among the observed variables of perceived risk, economic risk has the greatest impact. Among the observed variables of perceived value, Significance cognition has the greatest influence. Among the observed variables of behavioral intention, utilization intention has the greatest influence. (3) The perceived value has a differential effect on the utilization behavior of livestock manure resources of different part-time farmers, and the driving effect is more obvious for full-time farmers. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the resource utilization system of livestock manure, increase the channel for realizing the output of manure resources, strengthen technical assistance and policy subsidies, and implement policies according to local conditions to improve the overall perceived value of farmers.

Impact of Village Governance Quality on the Satisfaction of Farmers’ Life Experiences

This study presents a discussion concerning the impact of village governance quality on farmers’ life experience satisfaction using a multiple linear regression model. Accordingly, there is an analysis regarding the heterogeneity of the impact of village governance quality on farmers’ life experience satisfaction from the perspective of income differentiation and career differentiation. The results show the following: (1) The improvement of village governance quality is conducive to improving the satisfaction of farmers’ life experiences. Among them, the living and social conditions have the greatest impact, followed by village cohesion, and then village inclusiveness. (2) From the perspective of income differentiation, the quality of village governance plays the largest role in promoting the life experience satisfaction of middle-income farmers, followed by low-income farmers, and then high-income farmers. (3) From the perspective of occupational differentiation, the quality of village governance has the largest role in promoting the satisfaction of part-time farmers’ life experiences, followed by full-time farmers, and then non-agricultural farmers. Based on the research conclusion, it is suggested that strengthening the quality of village governance and paying attention to the differentiation of the farmers’ economy and occupation will improve the satisfaction of farmers’ life experiences.

The influence of asset specificity on farmers’ willingness to participate in fallow from the perspective of farmer differentiation

Fallow is an important institutional guarantee for green agricultural development and an important measure to promote rural revitalization. Asset specificity is a crucial factor that affects farmers’ willingness to participate in fallow. In order to improve farmers’ willingness of to fallow and promote the long-term promotion of fallow system, based on the perspective of farmer differentiation, a total of 1,240 micro survey data in four cities of Gansu province was used to quantify the asset specificity by the entropy method. A multivariate ordered Logit model and a double-hurdle model were established to explore the effects of asset specificity on the willingness of farmers with different degrees of differentiation. The results show that: 1) There are differences in fallow willingness among different types of farmers. The fallow willingness of non-farmers and II part-time farmers is generally stronger than that of pure farmers and I part-time farmers. 2) Geographical location specificity has a significant negative impact on the fallow willingness of the four types of non-fallow farmers, and has significant negative impacts on the subsequent fallow willingness and fallow degree of the four types of fallow farmers. 3) Physical asset specificity has a significant negative effect on the fallow willingness of pure farmers, I part-time and II part-time farmers among non-fallow farmers, but has little effect on the subsequent fallow willingness of fallow farmers. 4) Human capital specificity has a significant negative impact on the fallow willingness of the four types of non-fallow farmers, and has a significant negative impact on the subsequent fallow willingness and fallow degree of the four types of fallow farmers.

Determinants of heterogeneous farmers’ joint adaptation strategies to irrigation-induced landslides on the Loess Plateau, China

Understanding the determinants of farmers’ disaster adaptation is significant for risk reduction. This study explores farmers’ willingness and influencing factors to adopt various agricultural and non-agricultural adaptation measures to mitigate irrigation-induced landslides on the Loess Plateau, northern China. Multivariate probit models are applied to address the joint decision-making of multiple choices considering their inter-correlations, using data from 397 farmer survey questionnaires. The results reveal that farmers’ characteristics, landslide experience, social factors, landslide perception, and the present adaptation situation play important but different roles in their adaptation decisions regarding various measures (drip irrigation, drought-tolerant crops, income diversification, and migration). Heterogeneity among farmers is considered: Government support, social network, and perception of landslide causation are essential in affecting all of the farmers’ adaptation decisions, while the impacts of the annual income, gender, land scale, and risk perception on non-agriculture farmers and full-time or part-time farmers are opposite. Notably, current adaptation hinders farmers’ future actions. The probability of adopting a specific measure is estimated to be higher than that of joint adoption. Barriers to adaptation are also addressed, and policy implications are discussed. This study provides a theoretical and practical reference for mitigating landslide risks that are caused by artificial triggers.

A Simulation-Based Study on the Coupling Coordination of Farmers’ Livelihood Efficiency and Land Use: A Pathway towards Promoting and Implementing the Rural Development and Rural Revitalization Strategy

The interaction process between farmers’ livelihood and land use is a core link between the interaction and the coupling of the human–land system. It is a complex evolutionary process that involves several issues such as resource-intensive utilization and economic development. This study first constructs a dynamic model of the coupling system of farmers’ livelihood efficiency and land use and designs two types of 31 scenarios based on the farmer’s livelihood mode and land use. This study further simulates the coupling coordination relationship in different scenarios and then proposes suggestions for sustainable development. The findings of our study show that with the development of time, the livelihood capital, livelihood output, and land use level first showed a decline and then an increase. The results also reveal that livelihood efficiency and coordination degree are related to the livelihood mode and land use mode of farmers, while the land use level is not significantly associated with the livelihood mode of farmers. Pure-agriculture farmers have the lowest livelihood efficiency and coordination degree when they have no planting and breeding poultry, while part-time farmers have the highest land use level and coordination degree when they plant cash crops and breeding livestock. Besides, non-agriculture farmers have the highest livelihood efficiency and the lowest land use level when they neither plant crops nor breed livestock. To improve the level of coupling coordination, it is necessary not only to flexibly adjust the farmer’s livelihood and land use mode but also to optimize the allocation of various resources to promote the coordinated and sustainable development of farmers.

The Impact of Part-Time Employment on the Grain-Growing Decisions of Smallholder Farmers in the Main Grain-Producing Areas of China Based on the Mediating Effect of Agricultural Production Services

Part-time farming is a common characteristic of smallholder farmers in China at present, which is expected to persist in the long term. If China is to promote sustainable agricultural development, it is important to consider the impact of part-time employment characteristics on the grain-growing decisions of smallholder farmers. To analyze the impact mechanisms of smallholder farmers’ part-time employment on their grain-growing decisions, we used data consisting of 14,539 samples collected by a survey of the former Chinese Ministry of Agriculture National Rural Fixed Observation Point from 2009 to 2015 to empirically analyze the effect of the extent of smallholder farmers’ part-time employment on their grain-growing decisions using a dynamic panel regression model. Then, we constructed a mediating effect test model using the dynamic panel regression model as the benchmark model in order to empirically test the mediating effect of the adoption of agricultural production services. The results are as follows: as the extent of smallholder farmers’ part-time employment grows, smallholder farmers significantly reduce the sown areas of wheat and corn; furthermore, the adoption of agricultural production services is an important mediating variable to curb the negative effects of the extent of smallholder farmers’ part-time employment on their grain-sowing areas, and the “Extent of Smallholder Part-time Employment (EPE)→Adoption of Agricultural Production Services→Grain-Planting Decisions” is an important path by which the extent of smallholder farmers’ part-time employment affects their grain-growing decisions. Notably, all of the findings passed the influence mechanism test and, after a robustness test, remained valid. Based on the research findings, we propose policy recommendations, suggesting that the construction of agricultural production service systems should be improved with the orientation of high-quality agricultural development; the minimum purchase prices of wheat and corn should be appropriately increased in order to ensure that smallholder farmers receive reasonable economic returns from growing grain; and the attractiveness of growing grain to smallholder farmers should be improved.

Uncovering Stakeholders’ Participation to Better Understand Land Use Change Using Multi-Agent Modeling Approach: An Example of the Coal Mining Area of Shanxi, China

Recent decades have witnessed increasing human disruption and the acceleration of fragile natural habitats, especially in coal mining areas in developing countries or regions, which will inevitably lead to sharp land use and cover change (LUCC). Most LUCC models focus more on the research of “land” than “human” in human-land coupled systems, while the simulation and prediction of LUCC involving stakeholders are still deficient. Aiming to reveal the shaping process of LUCC through the stakeholders’ participation, we conducted an in-depth interview in a typical coal mining area of Shanxi, China, and developed an agent-based model by quantifying the stakeholders’ land-use decision-making rules to simulate and predict land use change in different scenarios. The analysis illustrated that the stakeholders’ participation in different periods had shaped the land use pattern in the coal mine area. The area of cultivated land has decreased from 272.34 hm2 to 118.89 hm2, while industrial and mining land increased dramatically by 78.66 hm2 from 2012 to 2019. The attitude and willingness of farmers towards land use varied greatly and were affected by livelihood capital. Part-time farmers whose agricultural income only accounted for 20–80% of the total income were in favor of farmland requisition by coal mining enterprises compared to full-time farmers. We quantified the rules between the attributes of the stakeholders at the micro level and land use changes at the macro level and proposed the multi-agent simulation model, which was effective and verified by a fitting test where the overall accuracy of the Kappa coefficient was 0.83 and could be used to predict future LUCC in research areas by setting the decision parameters in specific scenarios. These outcomes provided a scientific reference for landscape simulation and the prediction of a human-land coupling system while promoting the effectiveness of spatial planning policies.

Factors influencing the farmer's chemical fertilizer reduction behavior from the perspective of farmer differentiation

Farmers are the primary decision-makers in chemical fertilizer application. Identifying their chemical fertilizer reduction behavior and its influencing factors is critical to controlling the surface source pollution caused by excessive fertilizer. This paper incorporates farmer characteristic, technology cognition and social capital into the analytical framework of farmers' fertilizer reduction behavior. Based on 889 farmers' questionnaire data, this paper constructs a Structural Equation Model to analyze farmers' fertilizer reduction behavior and its influencing factors from the perspective of farmers' differentiation. The findings are as follows. (1) Farmer characteristics, technology cognition and social capital all positively influences farmers' chemical fertilizer reduction behavior. Among them, social capital has the highest degree of influence on farmers' chemical fertilizer reduction behavior, followed by farmer characteristics, while technology cognition shows the lowest influence. (2) The effect of technology cognition on small-scale pure farmers' chemical fertilizer reduction behavior is insignificant. However, the effect on part-time farmers and large professional farmers is significant, and the effect is higher for large professional farmers. (3) The effect of farmer characteristics on part-time farmers' chemical fertilizer reduction behavior is insignificant. However, the effect on small-scale pure farmers and large professional farmers is significant, and the effect is higher for large professional farmers. (4) The effect of social capital on chemical fertilizer reduction behavior of small-scale pure farmers, part-time farmers, and large professional farmers is significant. This effect is the highest for part-time farmers, followed by large professional farmers, and the lowest for small-scale pure farmers. Accordingly, to continuously promote chemical fertilizer reduction, the government should focus on strengthening policy support, technical support, education guidance and classification.

Sustainable Food Production from a Labor Supply Perspective: Policies and Implications

Sustainable food production is an important foundation for a country’s development. With the accelerated pace of China’s economic development, many farmers are relocating to cities. This change in farmers’ part-time employment may lead to a shortage of agricultural labor supply and can result in insufficient food production. Therefore, the government implemented grain subsidies to promote food production. This study investigates the impact of grain subsidies on the labor supply of farm households, using panel data from fixed observations in rural China. The results show that grain subsidies increase the agricultural labor time of incompletely divided part-time farmers, especially the time spent growing food. This increase is because the members of these households are more likely to be engaged in temporary-seasonal-nonfarm work, and they can switch between nonfarm and agricultural work more easily. Moreover, this study finds that as the total amount of subsidies received by farmers increases, the effect of per-unit subsidies becomes more pronounced. These findings may provide evidence of subsidy effects and present policy implications for ensuring adequate food supply and sustainable agricultural development in the future.

Animal welfare index: an animal welfare evaluation of beef production farms in Ireland

ABSTRACT The study objective was to examine the animal welfare status of Irish beef production farms using an animal welfare index (AWI). Beef production farms (n = 105) including suckler calf-to-beef (n = 30), suckler calf/weaning/finishing (n = 63), dairy calf-to-beef (n = 12) were assessed during the winter housing period using the AWI. Fifty-one indicators were grouped into six categories: ‘locomotion’; six indicators, ‘social interactions’; eight indicators, ‘flooring’; four indicators, ‘environment’; nine indicators, ‘stockperson’; thirteen indicators and ‘husbandry management’ eleven indicators. Two indicators relating to the size of the farm and number of animals on the farm were also collected. The overall mean AWI percentage for the suckler calf-to-beef, suckler calf/weaning/finishing, dairy calf-to-beef farms were 70.3%, 71.9% and 66.6%, respectively. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in AWI between full-time and part-time farmers. This study demonstrated the application of the AWI for use in beef production systems.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI HASIL PANEN UDANG VANAME (Litopenaeus vannamei) DI PERTAMBAKAN KECAMATAN DEKET DAN KECAMATAN KARANGBINANGUN KABUPATEN LAMONGAN

The Vannami Shrimp, also known as The White Shrimp, is one of many shrimp species, which is one of the most famous fish pond commodities with huge consumers. Deket and Karangbinangun District in Lamongan is the two district in East Java Province, Indonesia, that have massive produce and contribution to this Commodity Production. This Research uses Descriptive Methods; Descriptive Methods Research can usually be defined as the depiction or analysis of analytic descriptive or analytic quantitative. This Research used a survey method where the pond farmers from Deket District (n=48) and Karangbinangun District (58). The Average Age Farmers Data in Deket District is around 46 years old, while Karangbinangun District is approximately 53 years old. The Average Education Level Farmers Data in Deket District is about ten years old or in the Junior High School Level, while Karangbinangun is around seven years old. Also, in Deket District, about 37% are Full-Time Farmers while 63% are just Part-Time Farmers. The Width of Pond Data in Deket District is around 6158 Square Feet, while in Karangbinangun, around 4479,40 Square Feet. The result of this Research has been reserved, so the conclusion based on the statistic analysis using the T-Test and the Factors Correlation for Increasing Productivity has a significant impact in The T-Test on that Two District, The Significant Influencing Productivity Factor: “Age, Ponds Width, Community and Harvest Product” and The Factors that have a connection with Productivity including Respondent Factor (Age, Educational Level); Nature Factor (pond Width); and Input Factor (amount feed, fertilizer use).

Analysis of the Difference in Changes to Farmers’ Livelihood Capital under Different Land Transfer Modes—A Case Study of Manas County, Xinjiang, China

Farmers’ livelihoods alter as a direct result of land transfer. This study examined the impacts of land transfer on several indicators of farmers’ livelihood capital, as well as variations in the effects of different land transfer methods on farmers’ capital, in an effort more effectively to enhance farmers’ livelihoods. To compare the changes in farmers’ livelihood capital under four different modes—the farmers’ spontaneous model, centralized and continuous, joint-stock cooperative, and leaseback and re-contracting—this study calculated farmers’ livelihood capital index based on 600 questionnaires in accordance with the sustainable livelihood capital framework. The study’s findings indicate the following outcomes: (1) Farmers’ livelihood capital is significantly impacted favorably by land transfers. (2) Different types of farmers experienced different changes in their livelihood capital after land transfer: purely agricultural farmers’ livelihood capital value increased by 0.138, primarily due to an increase in physical capital; agricultural part-time farmers’ livelihood capital value increased by 0.105; non-agricultural part-time farmers’ livelihood capital value increased by 0.081; and non-agricultural farmers’ livelihood capital value increased by 0.081. (3) The most efficient strategy to increase livelihood capital was to use the leaseback and recontracting model with “village collective + planting leadership company” as the primary business organization. The results provide practical guidance for land transfer in Manas County, and valuable suggestions for improving farmers’ livelihoods in arid areas.

Farmers’ Livelihood Differentiation and Pesticide Application: Empirical Evidence from a Causal Mediation Analysis

As agriculture is becoming a less reliable source of income, many farmers are turning to other industries to supplement their lackluster profits from farming in a process known as farmers’ livelihood differentiation. Despite the existence of a voluminous literature on farmers’ livelihood differentiation, little is known about its effect on agricultural production behavior. To fill this knowledge gap, this study uses rice planting data from 537 Chinese farm households to analyze how farmers’ livelihood differentiation affects pesticide application among rural farmers in China. This study not only examines the effects of farmers’ livelihood differentiation on farmers’ pesticide application, but also underscores the potential pathways behind the effects of farmers’ livelihood differentiation according to land resource endowment via a causal mediation analysis. The results showed that (1) farmers’ livelihood differentiation had a direct effect on the amount of pesticide use. Compared to the full-time agricultural households, regular part-time farmers and ir-regular part-time farmers generally tend to use lower levels of pesticides. (2) The mediating effect of farmers’ livelihood differentiation on pesticide use was through land resource endowment. Compared to the full-time agricultural households, ir-regular part-time farmers reduce their pesticide use through maintaining better land resource endowment, while regular part-time farmers increase their pesticide application by maintaining poor land resource endowment. These results may provide important implications for policymakers to improve cultivated land protection policies and encourage the use of soil testing technology to determine the formulation of the fertilizer used in the agricultural ecological environment.

Do Livelihood Strategies Affect the Livelihood Resilience of Farm Households in Flooded Areas? Evidence From Hubei Province, China

Hubei Province, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, is a complex area of fragile ecological environment and traditional agricultural production in China. With the further intensification of the impact of global warming, flood disasters have brought a more severe threat to the sustainable development of farmers’ livelihoods. This paper therefore examines the livelihood resilience of farmers with different livelihood strategies in the region by constructing a livelihood resilience evaluation system based on three target levels: buffering capacity, Adaptation and restoration, and using a contribution model to identify the main contributing factors affecting the livelihood resilience of fa rmers. The following three conclusions were found: (1). The overall level of livelihood resilience of farmers in flood-affected areas in Hubei Province is not high, and the difference in livelihood resilience indices between farmers with different livelihood strategies is large; (2). Farming-led farmers and part-time balanced farmers can better adapt to external shocks brought about by floods; (3). The main contributing factors affecting the livelihood resilience of various types of farmers have Convergence.

Assessing the sustainability index of part-time and full-time hazelnut farms in Giresun and Ordu Province, Turkey.

The study's primary purposes were to assess the sustainability of hazelnut farms and explore the effects of part-time and full-time farming types on sustainability in hazelnut production in the Giresun and Ordu Province of Turkey. One hundred fifty-two hazelnut farms were selected using the stratified sampling method, and data were collected by using face-to-face questionnaires. Several steps were taken, including using factor analysis after standardizing the variables to determine their weights to calculate the composite hazelnut farms' sustainability index. The research findings showed that overall hazelnut sustainability scores of farms varied from 0.28 to 0.59, and the average score was 0.44 at sampled farms. The composite hazelnut sustainability index was at an unsatisfactory level. The social and economic sustainability index values of farms were equal, and they were higher than the environmental index value. The values were 0.50 and 0.30, respectively. The economic sustainability index score of full-time farms was higher than that of part-time farms, and part-time farms had higher environmental sustainability index scores than that of full-time farms. Social sustainability scores were not different in terms of farm type. It was recommended that when designing and regulating support policies, policy-makers should differentiate part-time and full-time farming. Training and extension programs must be planned to increase the level of knowledge of every willing farmer. To increase sustainability, specific policies are developed according to the farming type.

Changes in everyday life of rural China: a perspective of mobilities

This article aims to examine how rural everyday life has changed in the Chinese context in response to the process of urbanisation. Drawing on a mobilities perspective, changes in everyday life are represented by spatial mobilities and the impacts of social mobilities on them are assessed at a household level. Employing rural survey data for 2007 and 2017 conducted in Jianghan Plain, China, results reveal that everyday life in central rural China has undergone an uneven development and is significantly impacted by social mobilities. As one of the main agricultural production regions in China, the livelihood strategies in the study area have been shifting from full-time farming to part-time farming and non-farm. The effects of the process of social mobilities on working, consuming and leisure mobilities are also unevenly distributed. Our findings suggest that the perspective of everyday life deserves further investigation for its important role in exploring the human–land relationship in a rural context. And the mobilities paradigm can provide an alternative insight into rural restructuring and its social effects.

Multifunctional farming as successful pathway for the next generation of Thai farmers.

Young farmers play a significant role in sustaining food security and the communities’ and rural areas’ viability. However, as with many countries, Thailand is facing a decline in the number of young farmers who, if not productive and satisfied with their farm business, are likely to exit farming to take advantage of their increased educational level and off-farm job opportunities. Data were collected by interviewing young farmers in the Prachin Buri province, Thailand, with the aim of assessing their reason for farming in the long-term and the type of farming. Farming decisions can be categorised into three types: full-time profit-oriented farming with a focus on rice production (~53%), full-time multifunctional farming in innovative mixed or organic production systems (~23%), and part-time farming where young farmers work off-farm and farm outside regular working hours (~24%). Using path analysis, we investigated which physical and psychological factors affect young farmers’ decisions to pursue these three farming types. The results show that non-monetary farming’s benefits are as important as monetary benefits. Education, farming and regular off-farm work experience, farm production, market and pest problems, and government support directly affect the farming types. These effects were also mediated by attitudes towards farming and net farming income. Young farmers choosing to pursue multifunctional farming have higher incomes, more often apply sophisticated technologies, and farm more sustainably than those choosing the other types of farming. This indicates that a shift from conventional rice production to more diversified production systems using innovative technologies is needed to sustain farming success and retain young people in the farming sector.

Part-Time Farming, Diseases and Pest Control Delay and Its External Influence on Pesticide Use in China’s Rice Production

The highly intensive use of pesticide is a big threat to environmental sustainability in China. This study explains the increase of rice pesticide use in China’s rapid urbanization process from the perspective of changes in the delay of pest control. Based on multi-stage random sampling, 20 villages of five counties in central Jiangsu were selected, and the production data of 430 paddy fields were surveyed. Logit model results show that living outside village of agricultural labors will increase the probability of delay in control of diseases and pest, while the increase of farm size and the development of outsourcing services and public monitoring and forecasting services will help reduce the probability of delay. The OLS model results show that the delay in rice diseases and pest control has negative externalities. The delays of other farmers in the village will significantly increase the frequency of pesticide use. These results highlight important policy implications for the development of large-scale farming to substitute part-time farming and the development of diseases and pest control services.

Exploring The Effects of Part-Time Hazelnut Farming on Agricultural Land Use Characteristics and Its Social Cost

The purposes of the study purpose were (i) to explore the effects of part-time farming on land use characteristics, productivity, and efficiency, and (ii) to estimate the social cost of part-time farming in hazelnut production. The research data were gathered from randomly selected 152 hazelnut farmers in Ordu and Giresun provinces, Turkey. When estimating the part-time farming social cost in hazelnut production, sacrificed production cost, yield losses, and price losses were assessed and combined. The stochastic frontier production function model was used to measure farm-level productive efficiency. The research findings showed that excessive chemical usage, shorter harvesting time, ignoring soil and leaf analysis results when applying fertilizers, lack of investments among farmers were the reasons for inappropriate land use for the part-time farms in the research area. Full-time farmers had a higher technical efficiency score than part-time farmers. The social cost of part-time farming was ₺4424 per hectare and ₺1.47 billion in Black Sea Region. The study suggested using a legislative process to transfer hazelnut orchards to full-time farmers. Facilitating the transfer of unproductive part-time hazelnut orchards to full-time operations may decrease the adverse effects of part-time farming on the sustainability of land use and of externalities. The study also recommended that prescribing part-time farmers to reach direct government support or benefit farmers' education programs may also reduce the social cost of part-time farming. Developing education and extension programs for increasing the qualification of both family and hired labor may positively contribute the sustainable land use in the region.

Drivers of the peasant households’ part-time farming behavior in China

Rural households in China are now diversifying from full-time agriculture to part-time griculture where they are engaging in different off-farm activities along with farming. Understanding the driving factors that affect the peasant households' part-time farming behavior has significant implications for rural developing and farm income support policy. This study intend to identify the driving factors to affect the peasant households' part-time farming behavior and present some corresponding proposals. A total sample of 2074 households from 3 district 9 provinces was selected through purposive sampling technique. While confirming some findings of previous research with respect to the effects of human capital and household peasant characteristics on part-time farming participation, this study shows differential impact of those variables. The results show that the degree of part-time farming in eastern China is higher than that in central and western China. There is a small difference between central and western China. The top 5 factors influencing the peasant household's part-time behavior, in order, are the area of farmland per capita (AFC), the distance from village to county center (TCC), the proportion of paddy field (PPF), the distance from village to town center (TTC), and the householder's age (A). It shows that the influencing factors vary among different regions based on the analysis of eastern, central and western China. The study recommends the implementation of policies that facilitate rural off-farm activities and enhance balanced economic growth of the country.