Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2023.2179512
Can pro-environmental behavior increase farmers’ income?—Evidence from arable land quality protection practices in China
Jin Liu
Qing Xu
Tianshu Zhou
Abstract
In China, agricultural non-point source pollution is one of the key
factors limiting farmers’ income growth, and pro-environmental
behavior can address agricultural surface pollution. Based on field
survey data from 591 farmers in Xinjiang, China, this study empirically
estimates the impact of pro-environmental behavior on
farmers’ income growth. The results show that pro-environmental
behavior plays a significant positive role in increasing farmers’
income, and the positive effect continues in the long run.
Specifically, pro-environmental behavior can optimize the allocation
of agricultural production factors, thus resulting in farmers’
income growth. The mechanism analysis shows that pro-environmental
behavior affects farmers’ income growth by promoting
the increase in the size of arable land and farmers’ willingness to
transfer their land in the future. These findings indicate that a
sound reward–punishment system for pro-environmental behavior
should be established; training on pro-environmental behavior
should be strengthened, and a mechanism for linking the benefits
of pro-environmental behavior among stakeholders should be
constructed.
Keywords
Pro-environmental behavior; factor allocation; farmers’ income growth; arable land quality protection
Hrčak ID:
306505
URI
Publication date:
31.3.2023.
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