Impact of the Cultivated-Land-Management Scale on Fertilizer Reduction—Empirical Evidence from the Countryside of China

Impacts of chemical fertilizer reduction on grain yield: A case study of China

Reducing fertilizer usage is a crucial measure for achieving high-quality development in Chinese agriculture. Utilizing panel data from 31 Chinese provinces spanning from 2004 to 2019, this study empirically analyzes the dynamic relationship between fertilizer application and grain production, exploring the underlying mechanisms. The study findings reveal that the application of fertilizers maintains a positive impact on grain production. The two variables will demonstrate a dynamic alternation between "strong decoupling" and "retreat decoupling," suggesting that grain production may either increase or gradually decline, while fertilizer application exhibits a decreasing trend. Mechanism analysis reveals a distinct substitution relationship between fertilizer use efficiency and application quantity. Increasing fertilizer use efficiency while reducing application quantity still facilitates the stable and increased production of grains. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the efficiency of fertilizer use has a more pronounced impact on grain yield in the eastern and western regions. Increasing fertilizer quantity is detrimental to wheat yield but has a promoting effect on corn yield. However, in the main grain-producing areas, increasing fertilizer quantity can enhance wheat yield but is unfavorable for the overall grain yield. Additionally, nitrogen fertilizer input has exceeded the optimal level compared to potassium fertilizer. Continuously increasing nitrogen fertilizer input will hinder the increase in grain yield. Therefore, there is a need to shift from the notion of "more fertilizer is better" and focus on improving fertilizer use efficiency to transition from the emphasis on "quantity" to "quality" of fertilizer application.

Impact of Agricultural Division of Labor on Fertilizer Reduction Application: Evidence from Western China

Nowadays, environmental friendly agriculture has become the world trend of modern agricultural development; fertilizer reduction application is an essential way to achieve sustainable development goals. With the deepening development of the agricultural specialized division of labor and socialized services, the division of labor economy can promote the economic input of fertilizer. Based on 540 survey data of farmers in the main rice-producing areas of Sichuan Province, this paper constructs a theoretical analytical framework for the impact of agricultural division of labor on fertilizer reduction application. A binary probit model was used to empirically analyze the effect of agricultural division of labor on fertilizer reduction application, and its mechanism was examined. The results show that: (1) both horizontal and vertical agricultural divisions of labor have positive and significant effects on the reduction in fertilizer application by rice farmers. All above results remain stable after treatment of endogeneity; (2) due to the migration of the rural labor, the horizontal division of labor is expressed as changes in the structure of labor and cultivation within the household which has changed. To achieve economies of scale, farmers increase specialization in production, resulting in reducing marginal cost and application of fertilizer; (3) the vertical division of labor is expressed in the adoption of external socialized services by farmers, which improves the land resource endowment of fragmentation and hydraulic conditions. Thus, it creates a good environment for fertilizer application to improve its application efficiency, which in turn promotes fertilizer reduction by farmers. Based on this, this paper proposes that the government should motivate farmers to deepen their participation in the horizontal and vertical division of labor. Meanwhile, it is also necessary to improve the agricultural specialization continuously and further promote the development of socialized services market.

Effects of risk perception and agricultural socialized services on farmers' organic fertilizer application behavior: Evidence from Shandong Province, China

Introduction

The application of organic fertilizer is an important measure to control agricultural non-point source pollution, improve the quality of cultivated land and enhance the degree of agricultural green development.

Methods

Based on the survey data of sample farmers in Shandong Province, China, the binary Probit model is used to analyze the influence of risk perception and agricultural socialized services and their interaction on farmers' organic fertilizer application behavior, and further analyze the difference of influence between groups of risk perception and agricultural socialized services on farmers' organic fertilizer application behavior with different characteristics.

Results and discussion

We found that risk perception has a significant negative impact on farmers' organic fertilizer application behavior. Farmers with stronger technical risk perception and market risk perception are less likely to apply organic fertilizer. Agricultural socialized services have a significant positive impact on farmers' organic fertilizer application behavior, and can effectively alleviate the inhibitory effect of risk perception on farmers' organic fertilizer application behavior. The roles of risk perception and agricultural socialized services vary greatly among different farmer groups. For older generation, large-scale and pure agricultural farmers, agricultural socialized services can more effectively alleviate the inhibitory effect of risk perception on organic fertilizer application behavior.