IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i8p2621-d160050.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Adoption of Conservation Tillage on the Semi-Arid Loess Plateau of Northwest China

Author

Listed:
  • Qingfeng Han

    (State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystem, Institute of Arid Agroecology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Kadambot H. M. Siddique

    (The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia)

  • Fengmin Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystem, Institute of Arid Agroecology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

Abstract

Conservation tillage is an important approach to prevent water loss and soil erosion and promote soil fertility that has been adopted widely throughout the world. However, despite promotion of the benefits of conservation tillage, obstacles are still encountered in some regions. A survey of 385 farmer households in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China was conducted to assess the adoption of conservation tillage (ACT). This investigation was located in two counties that have run conservation tillage demonstrations with wheat for at least eight years. A binary logistic regression model was used to quantify the factors determining whether or not farmers adopt conservation tillage. Farmer’s education level, the influence of training, and field demonstrations by agricultural departments had significant positive effects on ACT. Although the adoption rate of conservation tillage in this paper was very high (89%), farmers were reluctant to continue practicing conservation tillage based on their experiences, which is contrary to the expectations of the government. The area available for planting winter wheat and the number of arable plots per household also had significant positive effects on ACT. However, the total cultivated area of land per household had a significant negative impact on ACT. Farmer awareness of conservation tillage technology, the distance from a farmer’s house to the nearest agricultural market, and the size of the active labor force in the family had significant negative impacts on ACT. These results will help in the development of more effective and targeted policies to improve the sustainability of farming systems on the semi-arid Loess Plateau.

Suggested Citation

  • Qingfeng Han & Kadambot H. M. Siddique & Fengmin Li, 2018. "Adoption of Conservation Tillage on the Semi-Arid Loess Plateau of Northwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:8:p:2621-:d:160050
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/8/2621/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/8/2621/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Miranowski, John & Shortle, J., 1986. "Effects of Risk Perceptions and Other Characteristics of Farmers and Farm Operations on the Adoption of Conservation Tillage Practices," Staff General Research Papers Archive 10703, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    2. Abdulai, Awudu & Owusu, Victor & Bakang, John-Eudes A., 2011. "Adoption of safer irrigation technologies and cropping patterns: Evidence from Southern Ghana," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(7), pages 1415-1423, May.
    3. Marenya, Paswel P. & Barrett, Christopher B., 2007. "Household-level determinants of adoption of improved natural resources management practices among smallholder farmers in western Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 515-536, August.
    4. Goswami, Kishor & Choudhury, Hari Kanta & Saikia, Jitu, 2012. "Factors influencing farmers' adoption of slash and burn agriculture in North East India," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(C), pages 146-151.
    5. Bortamuly, Alin Borah & Goswami, Kishor, 2015. "Determinants of the adoption of modern technology in the handloom industry in Assam," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 90(PB), pages 400-409.
    6. Kelvin J. Lancaster, 1966. "A New Approach to Consumer Theory," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 74(2), pages 132-132.
    7. D'Emden, Francis H. & Llewellyn, Rick S. & Burton, Michael P., 2008. "Factors influencing adoption of conservation tillage in Australian cropping regions," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 52(2), pages 1-14.
    8. Mazvimavi, Kizito & Twomlow, Steve, 2009. "Socioeconomic and institutional factors influencing adoption of conservation farming by vulnerable households in Zimbabwe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 101(1-2), pages 20-29, June.
    9. Knowler, Duncan & Bradshaw, Ben, 2007. "Farmers' adoption of conservation agriculture: A review and synthesis of recent research," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 25-48, February.
    10. Francis H. D'Emden & Rick S. Llewellyn & Michael P. Burton, 2008. "Factors influencing adoption of conservation tillage in Australian cropping regions ," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 52(2), pages 169-182, June.
    11. Somda, Jacques & Nianogo, A. Joseph & Nassa, Suleymane & Sanou, Seydou, 2002. "Soil fertility management and socio-economic factors in crop-livestock systems in Burkina Faso: a case study of composting technology," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2-3), pages 175-183, December.
    12. Cameron M. Pittelkow & Xinqiang Liang & Bruce A. Linquist & Kees Jan van Groenigen & Juhwan Lee & Mark E. Lundy & Natasja van Gestel & Johan Six & Rodney T. Venterea & Chris van Kessel, 2015. "Productivity limits and potentials of the principles of conservation agriculture," Nature, Nature, vol. 517(7534), pages 365-368, January.
    13. Clay, Daniel & Reardon, Thomas & Kangasniemi, Jaakko, 1998. "Sustainable Intensification in the Highland Tropics: Rwandan Farmers' Investments in Land Conservation and Soil Fertility," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 46(2), pages 351-377, January.
    14. Woldehanna, Tassew, 2003. "The Role Of Schooling In The Alleviation Of Rural Poverty In Ethiopia," 2003 Annual Meeting, August 16-22, 2003, Durban, South Africa 25877, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. Nyanga, Progress H., 2012. "Factors Influencing Adoption and Area under Conservation Agriculture: A Mixed Methods Approach," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 1(2).
    16. Su, Ziyou & Zhang, Jinsong & Wu, Wenliang & Cai, Dianxiong & Lv, Junjie & Jiang, Guanghui & Huang, Jian & Gao, Jun & Hartmann, Roger & Gabriels, Donald, 2007. "Effects of conservation tillage practices on winter wheat water-use efficiency and crop yield on the Loess Plateau, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(3), pages 307-314, February.
    17. Mariano, Marc Jim & Villano, Renato & Fleming, Euan, 2012. "Factors influencing farmers’ adoption of modern rice technologies and good management practices in the Philippines," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 41-53.
    18. Zhang, Wan-Shou & Li, Feng-Min & Xiong, You-Cai & Xia, Qing, 2012. "Econometric analysis of the determinants of adoption of raising sheep in folds by farmers in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 145-152.
    19. Ward, Patrick S. & Bell, Andrew R. & Droppelmann, Klaus & Benton, Tim G., 2018. "Early adoption of conservation agriculture practices: Understanding partial compliance in programs with multiple adoption decisions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 27-37.
    20. He, Xue-Feng & Cao, Huhua & Li, Feng-Min, 2007. "Econometric analysis of the determinants of adoption of rainwater harvesting and supplementary irrigation technology (RHSIT) in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(3), pages 243-250, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yanwei Zhang & Xinhai Lu & Yucheng Zou & Tiangui Lv, 2022. "Nudging Strategies for Arable Land Protection Behavior in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, October.
    2. Qian Li & Jingjing Wang & Xiaoyang Wang & Yubin Wang, 2022. "The Impact of Training on Beef Cattle Farmers’ Installation of Biogas Digesters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, April.
    3. Qi Luo & Lin Zhen & Yunfeng Hu, 2020. "The Effects of Restoration Practices on a Small Watershed in China’s Loess Plateau: A Case Study of the Qiaozigou Watershed," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Hongfei Zhao & Hongming He & Jingjing Wang & Chunyu Bai & Chuangjuan Zhang, 2018. "Vegetation Restoration and Its Environmental Effects on the Loess Plateau," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Nong, Yixin & Yin, Changbin & Yi, Xiaoyan & Ren, Jing & Chien, Hsiaoping, 2021. "Smallholder farmer preferences for diversifying farming with cover crops of sustainable farm management: A discrete choice experiment in Northwest China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    6. Haibo Zhang & Jianjun Zhang & Shouhong Zhang & Chunxue Yu & Ruoxiu Sun & Dandan Wang & Chunzhu Zhu & Jianan Zhang, 2020. "Identification of Priority Areas for Soil and Water Conservation Planning Based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Using Choquet Integral," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-22, February.
    7. Yilun He & Shaowen Zhan & Noshaba Aziz, 2023. "Quantifying the Contribution of Rural Residents’ Participation in the Cultural Tourism Industry to Improve the Soil Erosion Control Effect in Ecologically Fragile Areas: A Case Study in the Shaanxi–Ga," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, March.

    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. 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).
    2. Daniele Mozzato & Paola Gatto & Edi Defrancesco & Lucia Bortolini & Francesco Pirotti & Elena Pisani & Luigi Sartori, 2018. "The Role of Factors Affecting the Adoption of Environmentally Friendly Farming Practices: Can Geographical Context and Time Explain the Differences Emerging from Literature?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-23, August.
    3. Njabulo Lloyd Ntshangase & Brian Muroyiwa & Melusi Sibanda, 2018. "Farmers’ Perceptions and Factors Influencing the Adoption of No-Till Conservation Agriculture by Small-Scale Farmers in Zashuke, KwaZulu-Natal Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16, February.
    4. Wang, Zhenhua & Liu, Qiaochu & Yang, Jian & Jiang, Jinqi, 2021. "Can Technology Demonstration Promote Rural Households’ Adoption of Conservation Tillage in the Main Grain-Producing Areas of China?," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315171, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Hazarika, Bhabesh & Bezbaruah, Madhurjya Prashad & Goswami, Kishor, 2016. "Adoption of modern weaving technology in the handloom micro-enterprises in Assam: A Double Hurdle approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 344-356.
    6. Pannell, David J. & Llewellyn, Rick S. & Corbeels, Marc, 2013. "The farm-level economics of conservation agriculture for resource-poor farmers," Working Papers 166526, University of Western Australia, School of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    7. Caroline Roussy & Aude Ridier & Karim Chaïb, 2014. "Adoption d’innovations par les agriculteurs : rôle des perceptions et des préférences," Post-Print hal-01123427, HAL.
    8. Wade, Tara & Claassen, Roger, 2015. "Modeling No-Tillage Adoption by Corn and Soybean Producers: Insights into Sustained Adoption," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 204957, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Mohamed Ghali & Maha Ben Jaballah & Nejla Ben Arfa & Annie Sigwalt, 2022. "Analysis of factors that influence adoption of agroecological practices in viticulture," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Springer, vol. 103(3), pages 179-209, September.
    10. Ketema, Mengistu & Bauer, Siegfried, 2011. "Determinants of Manure and Fertilizer Applications in Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 50(3), pages 1-16.
    11. repec:ags:iaae12:126829 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Xin Yang & Yiming Sang, 2020. "How Does Part-Time Farming Affect Farmers’ Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Jianghan Plain, China?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-12, August.
    13. Tingting Liu & Randall J. F. Bruins & Matthew T. Heberling, 2018. "Factors Influencing Farmers’ Adoption of Best Management Practices: A Review and Synthesis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-26, February.
    14. Knowler, Duncan & Bradshaw, Ben, 2007. "Farmers' adoption of conservation agriculture: A review and synthesis of recent research," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 25-48, February.
    15. Yigezu, Yigezu Atnafe & Mugera, Amin & El-Shater, Tamer & Aw-Hassan, Aden & Piggin, Colin & Haddad, Atef & Khalil, Yaseen & Loss, Stephen, 2018. "Enhancing adoption of agricultural technologies requiring high initial investment among smallholders," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 199-206.
    16. Lalani, Baqir & Aminpour, Payam & Gray, Steven & Williams, Meredith & Büchi, Lucie & Haggar, Jeremy & Grabowski, Philip & Dambiro, José, 2021. "Mapping farmer perceptions, Conservation Agriculture practices and on-farm measurements: The role of systems thinking in the process of adoption," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    17. Noltze, Martin & Schwarze, Stefan & Qaim, Matin, 2013. "Impacts of natural resource management technologies on agricultural yield and household income: The system of rice intensification in Timor Leste," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 59-68.
    18. 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.
    19. Micheels, Eric T., 2015. "Pr - Factors Affecting Absorptive Capacity Among Western Canadian Grain Farms," 20th Congress, Quebec, Canada, 2015 345757, International Farm Management Association.
    20. Hongpeng Guo & Yujie Xia & Chulin Pan & Qingyong Lei & Hong Pan, 2022. "Analysis in the Influencing Factors of Climate-Responsive Behaviors of Maize Growers: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, April.
    21. Adam M. Komarek, 2018. "Conservation agriculture in western China increases productivity and profits without decreasing resilience," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(5), pages 1251-1262, October.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:8:p:2621-:d:160050. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.