Contiguous planting on fragmented cultivated land and reduction of chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizers: Evidence from rice farmer in China

Abstract

In China, the environmental pollution caused by excessive use of chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizers (P&F) has received wide attention. Currently, research on P&F reduction mainly focuses on large-scale plains' cultivated land, while research on fragmented cultivated land is severely limited. This study employs the 2021-2023 tracking data of Zhejiang's fragmented cultivated land farmers to analyze the impacts of new agricultural technologies, plot expansion, and contiguous planting on P&F reduction. Firstly, the findings show that on fragmented land, farmers have difficulty in reducing P&F by adopting new technologies and expanding plots, but contiguous planting significantly reduces P&F usage. These results pass the robustness test. Secondly, mechanism analysis shows that contiguous planting reduces P&F by increasing the outsourcing of machinery service. Finally, heterogeneity analysis reveals that small-scale farmers and those with small-sized plots achieve greater P&F reduction after contiguous planting. The findings of this study may provide a new approach for protecting fragmented cultivated land and promoting green agriculture.

Keywords: China; Contiguous planting; Fragmented cultivated land; Reduction of P&F.