title: Knowledge training and the change of fertilizer use intensity: Evidence from wheat farmers in China.
abstract: High fertilizer use intensity is a serious issue throughout China, with adverse environmental and economic impacts. The lack of knowledge of Chinese farmers has been found to be the primary constraint. Using a propensity score matching (PSM) method to create a credible counterfactual analysis, this study examines the causal effects of two kinds of knowledge training approaches, traditional one-time training and in-field guidance, on the change of fertilizer use intensity of wheat farmers in China. The estimated results provide evidence that the traditional one-time training approach has a small effect on fertilizer use intensity reduction (only a 4% average), while the in-field guidance has a larger effect on fertilizer use intensity reduction (a 17% average). Moreover, we also found knowledge training has heterogeneous treatment effects. The reduction in fertilizer use intensity is larger for the farmers who are male and middle aged, have acquired a middle level of education, receive a lower share of off-farm income, collect a lower income, and operate a larger farm.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Poyang Lake Eco-economics, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang 330013, China. Electronic address: blesspanda@163.com.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Poyang Lake Eco-economics, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang 330013, China; Jiangxi Academy of Social Sciences, Nanchang 330077, China.
authors.forename: Fanbin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China; Institute of Resource, Environment and Sustainable Development, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China. Electronic address: zn928@naver.com.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Ruiyao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ying
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D002681:China; D000067565:Farmers; D005260:Female; D005308:Fertilizers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014908:Triticum
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers
keywords: China; Fertilizer use intensity; Knowledge training; Wheat production