IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/ajarec/v64y2020i4p1087-1112.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Internet Use, Sustainable Agricultural Practices and Rural Incomes: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Wanglin Ma
  • Xiaobing Wang

Abstract

Relatively little is known about the association between Internet use and environmentally‐friendly agricultural innovation adoption. To fill this void, this study examines the impact of Internet use on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) and their heterogeneous effects on farm income and household income. Unlike previous studies that analyse the dichotomous decision of agricultural innovation adoption, this study captures the number of SAPs adopted. We apply both endogenous‐treatment Poisson regression model and unconditional quantile regression model to analyse unique farm‐level data collected from China. The empirical results show that Internet use exerts a positive and statistically significant impact on the number of SAPs adopted, and the joint effects of Internet use and SAP adoption on farm income and household income are heterogeneous. In particular, we show that Internet use has a larger impact at the upper tail of household income but it has no significant impact on farm income. SAP adoption is negatively associated with farm income and household income across the selected quantiles.

Suggested Citation

  • Wanglin Ma & Xiaobing Wang, 2020. "Internet Use, Sustainable Agricultural Practices and Rural Incomes: Evidence from China," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 64(4), pages 1087-1112, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ajarec:v:64:y:2020:i:4:p:1087-1112
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8489.12390
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8489.12390
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1467-8489.12390?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chenxin Leng & Wanglin Ma & Jianjun Tang & Zhongkun Zhu, 2020. "ICT adoption and income diversification among rural households in China," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(33), pages 3614-3628, June.
    2. Julius Manda & Arega D. Alene & Cornelis Gardebroek & Menale Kassie & Gelson Tembo, 2016. "Adoption and Impacts of Sustainable Agricultural Practices on Maize Yields and Incomes: Evidence from Rural Zambia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 130-153, February.
    3. Tambo, Justice A. & Mockshell, Jonathan, 2018. "Differential Impacts of Conservation Agriculture Technology Options on Household Income in Sub-Saharan Africa," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 95-105.
    4. Kiiza, Barnabas & Pederson, Glenn, 2012. "ICT-based market information and adoption of agricultural seed technologies: Insights from Uganda," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 253-259.
    5. Penard, Thierry & Poussing, Nicolas & Mukoko, Blaise & Tamokwe Piaptie, Georges Bertrand, 2015. "Internet adoption and usage patterns in Africa: Evidence from Cameroon," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 71-80.
    6. Menale Kassie & Precious Zikhali & Kebede Manjur & Sue Edwards, 2009. "Adoption of sustainable agriculture practices: Evidence from a semi‐arid region of Ethiopia," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 33(3), pages 189-198, August.
    7. Jianyun Hou & Xuexi Huo & Runsheng Yin, 2018. "Does computer usage change farmers’ production and consumption? Evidence from China," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 11(2), pages 387-410, September.
    8. Hailemariam Teklewold & Menale Kassie & Bekele Shiferaw, 2013. "Adoption of Multiple Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Rural Ethiopia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(3), pages 597-623, September.
    9. Ashok K. Mishra & Kh. A. Mottaleb & Samarendu Mohanty, 2015. "Impact of off-farm income on food expenditures in rural Bangladesh: an unconditional quantile regression approach," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 46(2), pages 139-148, March.
    10. D'souza, Gerard & Cyphers, Douglas & Phipps, Tim, 1993. "Factors Affecting the Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(2), pages 159-165, October.
    11. Fentie, Amare & Beyene, Abebe D., 2019. "Climate-smart agricultural practices and welfare of rural smallholders in Ethiopia: Does planting method matter?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 387-396.
    12. Menale Kassie & Precious Zikhali & John Pender & Gunnar Köhlin, 2010. "The Economics of Sustainable Land Management Practices in the Ethiopian Highlands," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(3), pages 605-627, September.
    13. Kishor Atreya & Fred Johnsen & Bishal Sitaula, 2012. "Health and environmental costs of pesticide use in vegetable farming in Nepal," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 477-493, August.
    14. Wilson, Clevo & Tisdell, Clem, 2001. "Why farmers continue to use pesticides despite environmental, health and sustainability costs," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 449-462, December.
    15. Manda, J. & Gardebroek, C. & Kuntashula, E. & Alene, A.D., 2018. "Impact of Improved Maize Varieties on Food Security in Eastern Zambia: a doubly robust analysis," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277004, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    16. Tesfamicheal Wossen & Thomas Berger & Salvatore Di Falco, 2015. "Social capital, risk preference and adoption of improved farm land management practices in Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 46(1), pages 81-97, January.
    17. Wanglin Ma & Awudu Abdulai, 2018. "IPM adoption, cooperative membership and farm economic performance," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 11(2), pages 218-236, September.
    18. Massimiliano Bratti & Alfonso Miranda, 2011. "Endogenous treatment effects for count data models with endogenous participation or sample selection," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(9), pages 1090-1109, September.
    19. Pénard, Thierry & Poussing, Nicolas & Suire, Raphaël, 2013. "Does the Internet make people happier?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 105-116.
    20. Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng & Okello, Julius Juma & Otieno, David Jakinda, 2014. "Impact of Information and Communication Technology-Based Market Information Services on Smallholder Farm Input Use and Productivity: The Case of Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 311-321.
    21. Mishra, Ashok K. & Williams, Robert P. & Detre, Joshua D., 2009. "Internet Access and Internet Purchasing Patterns of Farm Households," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 38(2), pages 1-18, October.
    22. Soul‐kifouly G. Midingoyi & Menale Kassie & Beatrice Muriithi & Gracious Diiro & Sunday Ekesi, 2019. "Do Farmers and the Environment Benefit from Adopting Integrated Pest Management Practices? Evidence from Kenya," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(2), pages 452-470, June.
    23. Robert J. Farquharson & Oscar J. Cacho & John D. Mullen & Graeme D. Schwenke, 2008. "An economic approach to soil fertility management for wheat production in north-eastern Australia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 38(2), pages 181-192, March.
    24. Awudu Abdulai & Wallace Huffman, 2014. "The Adoption and Impact of Soil and Water Conservation Technology: An Endogenous Switching Regression Application," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 90(1), pages 26-43.
    25. Kabunga, Nassul S. & Dubois, Thomas & Qaim, Matin, 2014. "Impact of tissue culture banana technology on farm household income and food security in Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 25-34.
    26. Bijan J. Borah & Anirban Basu, 2013. "Highlighting Differences Between Conditional And Unconditional Quantile Regression Approaches Through An Application To Assess Medication Adherence," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(9), pages 1052-1070, September.
    27. Ndiritu, S. Wagura & Kassie, Menale & Shiferaw, Bekele, 2014. "Are there systematic gender differences in the adoption of sustainable agricultural intensification practices? Evidence from Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(P1), pages 117-127.
    28. Hung‐Hao Chang & David R. Just, 2009. "Internet Access and Farm Household Income – Empirical Evidence using a Semi‐parametric Assessment in Taiwan," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 348-366, June.
    29. Liu, Mingyue & Feng, Xiaolong & Wang, Sangui & Qiu, Huanguang, 2020. "China’s poverty alleviation over the last 40 years: successes and challenges," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 64(1), January.
    30. Choi, Changkyu & Hoon Yi, Myung, 2009. "The effect of the Internet on economic growth: Evidence from cross-country panel data," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 105(1), pages 39-41, October.
    31. Salim, Ruhul & Mamun, Shamsul Arifeen Khan & Hassan, Kamrul, 2016. "Role of communication technologies in broadacre agriculture in Australia: an empirical analysis using panel data," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 60(2), April.
    32. Wanglin Ma & Xiaoshi Zhou & Min Liu, 2020. "What drives farmers’ willingness to adopt e‐commerce in rural China? The role of Internet use," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(1), pages 159-163, January.
    33. Wanglin Ma & Awudu Abdulai & Renan Goetz, 2018. "Agricultural Cooperatives and Investment in Organic Soil Amendments and Chemical Fertilizer in China," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 100(2), pages 502-520.
    34. Julius Manda & Cornelis Gardebroek & Elias Kuntashula & Arega D. Alene, 2018. "Impact of improved maize varieties on food security in Eastern Zambia: A doubly robust analysis," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 1709-1728, November.
    35. John M. Antle & Bocar Diagana, 2003. "Creating Incentives for the Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Developing Countries: The Role of Soil Carbon Sequestration," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 85(5), pages 1178-1184.
    36. Sergio Firpo & Nicole M. Fortin & Thomas Lemieux, 2009. "Unconditional Quantile Regressions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 77(3), pages 953-973, May.
    37. Islam, Asadul & Ushchev, Philip & Zenou, Yves & Zhang, Xin, 2019. "The Value of Information in Technology Adoption," IZA Discussion Papers 12672, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    38. Kassie, Menale & Jaleta, Moti & Shiferaw, Bekele & Mmbando, Frank & Mekuria, Mulugetta, 2013. "Adoption of interrelated sustainable agricultural practices in smallholder systems: Evidence from rural Tanzania," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 80(3), pages 525-540.
    39. Williams, Deborah & Paudel, Krishna P. & Pandit, Mahesh, 2013. "Remittance And Conservation Technology Adoption," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 150468, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    40. Liu, Yuying & Renwick, Alan & Fu, Xinhong, 2019. "The role of agricultural cooperatives in serving as a marketing channel: evidence from low-income regions of Sichuan province in China," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 22(2).
    41. Alan De Brauw & Scott Rozelle, 2008. "Reconciling the Returns to Education in Off‐Farm Wage Employment in Rural China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(1), pages 57-71, February.
    42. D'Souza, Gerard E. & Cyphers, Douglas & Phipps, Tim T., 1993. "Factors Affecting The Adoption Of Sustainable Agricultural Practices," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 22(2), pages 1-7, October.
    43. Adolwa, Ivan Solomon & Schwarze, Stefan & Buerkert, Andreas, 2019. "Impacts of integrated soil fertility management on yield and household income: The case of Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 186-192.
    44. Tambo, J. & Mockshell, J., 2018. "Differential impacts of conservation agriculture technology options on household welfare in sub-Saharan Africa," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277035, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    45. Deng, Xin & Xu, Dingde & Zeng, Miao & Qi, Yanbin, 2019. "Does Internet use help reduce rural cropland abandonment? Evidence from China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    46. Goldfarb, Avi & Prince, Jeff, 2008. "Internet adoption and usage patterns are different: Implications for the digital divide," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 2-15, March.
    47. Philip Brown & Simon Roper, 2017. "Innovation and networks in New Zealand farming," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 61(3), pages 422-442, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yang, Qi & Zhu, Yueji & Liu, Ling & Wang, Fang, 2021. "Land tenure stability and adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural practices: Evidence from banana farmers in China," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315254, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Ma, Wanglin, 2020. "Heterogeneous effects of Internet use and adoption of sustainable production practices on rural incomes: Evidence from China," 2020 Conference (64th), February 12-14, 2020, Perth, Western Australia 305240, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    3. repec:ags:aaea22:335656 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Hongyun Zheng & Wanglin Ma, 2023. "Smartphone-based information acquisition and wheat farm performance: insights from a doubly robust IPWRA estimator," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 633-658, June.
    5. Pham, Huong-Giang & Chuah, Swee-Hoon & Feeny, Simon, 2021. "Factors affecting the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: Findings from panel data for Vietnam," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    6. Giuseppe Maggio & Marina Mastrorillo & Nicholas J. Sitko, 2022. "Adapting to High Temperatures: Effect of Farm Practices and Their Adoption Duration on Total Value of Crop Production in Uganda," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(1), pages 385-403, January.
    7. Zheng, Hongyun & Ma, Wanglin & Wang, Fang & Li, Gucheng, 2021. "Does internet use improve technical efficiency of banana production in China? Evidence from a selectivity-corrected analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    8. Hong, Yan-Zhen & Chang, Hung-Hao, 2020. "Does digitalization affect the objective and subjective wellbeing of forestry farm households? Empirical evidence in Fujian Province of China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    9. Hörner, Denise & Wollni, Meike, 2021. "Integrated soil fertility management and household welfare in Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    10. Ankrah Twumasi, Martinson & Jiang, Yuansheng & Asante, Dennis & Addai, Bismark & Akuamoah-Boateng, Samuel & Fosu, Prince, 2021. "Internet use and farm households food and nutrition security nexus: The case of rural Ghana," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    11. Kihara, Job & Manda, Julius & Kimaro, Anthony & Swai, Elirehema & Mutungi, Christopher & Kinyua, Michael & Okori, Patrick & Fischer, Gundula & Kizito, Fred & Bekunda, Mateete, 2022. "Contributions of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) to various sustainable intensification impact domains in Tanzania," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    12. Hongyun Zheng & Wanglin Ma & Gucheng Li, 2021. "Adoption of organic soil amendments and its impact on farm performance: evidence from wheat farmers in China," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 65(2), pages 367-390, April.
    13. Ignaciuk, A. & Maggio, G. & Mastrorillo, M. & Sitko, N., 2021. "Adapting to high temperatures: evidence on the impacts of sustainable agricultural practices in Uganda," ESA Working Papers 309364, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    14. Hongyun Zheng & Wanglin Ma & Yanzhi Guo, 2023. "Does nutrition knowledge training improve dietary diversity and nutrition intake? Insights from rural China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(S1), pages 1417-1436, December.
    15. Teklewold, Hailemariam & Kassie, Menale & Shiferaw, Bekele & Köhlin, Gunnar, 2013. "Cropping system diversification, conservation tillage and modern seed adoption in Ethiopia: Impacts on household income, agrochemical use and demand for labor," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 85-93.
    16. Cai, Yi & Sun, Yucheng & Qi, Wene & Yi, Famin, 2022. "Impact of smartphone use on production outsourcing: evidence from litchi farming in southern China," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 25(4), September.
    17. Edinam Dope Setsoafia & Wanglin Ma & Alan Renwick, 2022. "Effects of sustainable agricultural practices on farm income and food security in northern Ghana," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, December.
    18. Wanglin Ma & Peng Nie & Pei Zhang & Alan Renwick, 2020. "Impact of Internet use on economic well‐being of rural households: Evidence from China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 503-523, May.
    19. Tolulope E. Oladimeji & Oyakhilomen Oyinbo & Abubakar A. Hassan & Oseni Yusuf, 2020. "Understanding the Interdependence and Temporal Dynamics of Smallholders’ Adoption of Soil Conservation Practices: Evidence from Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-21, March.
    20. Ali M. Oumer & Michael Burton & Atakelty Hailu & Amin Mugera, 2020. "Sustainable agricultural intensification practices and cost efficiency in smallholder maize farms: Evidence from Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(6), pages 841-856, November.
    21. Aslihan Arslan & Kristin Floress & Christine Lamanna & Leslie Lipper & Solomon Asfaw & Todd Rosenstock, 2020. "IFAD RESEARCH SERIES 63 - The adoption of improved agricultural technologies - A meta-analysis for Africa," IFAD Research Series 304758, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:ajarec:v:64:y:2020:i:4:p:1087-1112. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aaresea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.