“Unlocking Sustainable Farming: How Information Awareness Influences Green Technology Adoption Among Chinese Farmers” – Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Sample Description

Table 3 details the demographic information from the farmers surveyed. Among them, 55.9% were male, and over half (52.5%) were aged 55 or older. A notable 93.8% had less than nine years of formal education. For income sources, 24.9% of the farmers reported earning 60–80% of their total income from non-agricultural activities. Additionally, most households (62.3%) had 3–4 laborers, aligning with data from the Third Agricultural Census of China, confirming the representativeness of our respondents.

Farmers’ Adoption of GPCT

We conducted a multicollinearity test before our regression analysis. The maximum variance inflation factor was 1.0148, indicating no multicollinearity issues among the variables.

Table 4 summarizes our findings on how information awareness impacts GPCT adoption. Model 1 shows the results without control variables, while Model 2 includes them. The chi-square test results were significant, suggesting that each model fits well. In Model 3, we applied OLS estimation for robustness checks. Across Models 1 to 3, the signs and significance of each variable were consistent, indicating reliable results. Our main analyses rely primarily on Model 2.

Model 2 reveals a positive effect of information awareness, with a statistically significant increase in GPCT adoption probability by 14.89% for each unit increase in information awareness. This supports our first hypothesis. Previous studies, like those by Thuo et al. (2014) and Nikam et al. (2022), have highlighted the vital role of information awareness in technology adoption. Farmers who are well-informed benefit from easier access to GPCT resources, enhancing their likelihood of adoption.

Model 4 of Table 4 further breaks down the various aspects of information awareness. The results show that information value awareness, information access awareness, and information sharing awareness all significantly impact GPCT adoption, especially information sharing. Farmers who are more inclined to share knowledge can exchange experiences and challenges related to GPCT, which boosts overall understanding and adoption.

Factors such as age, education, non-agricultural income share, and the number of wheat plots also affect GPCT adoption. Younger farmers tend to adopt GPCT more than older farmers due to a tendency for older generations to be more conservative. Education positively relates to GPCT adoption, while higher non-agricultural income can reduce interest in agricultural technologies. Lastly, farmers with more wheat plots might be less inclined to adopt GPCT because a larger number of plots can complicate agricultural practices.

To verify these results, we performed a robustness check by excluding cooperative farmers, as they are often compelled to adopt GPCT. The Model 1 results in Table 5 reaffirm the significant role of information awareness. We also categorized farmers by age for a more nuanced understanding. The direction and significance of the results remained consistent across different groups.

Endogeneity Test

This study explores the causal link between information awareness and GPCT adoption, mindful of potential endogeneity issues. To address this, we used an IV-Probit model with the highest years of schooling among farmers’ parents as an instrumental variable for information awareness. This approach assumes that parental education impacts a farmer’s information disposition without directly affecting GPCT adoption.

Table 6 illustrates the results of this two-stage regression model. The Wald statistic confirms the necessity of using instrumental variables, while the F-value indicates the relevance of the chosen variable. The findings suggest that heightened information awareness leads to increased GPCT adoption, reinforcing the reliability of our study’s conclusions.

Indirect Mechanism of Information Awareness

Table 7 highlights the indirect role of information awareness. The results show a positive coefficient at the 1% significance level, suggesting that enhanced information awareness fosters broader social networks among farmers. This supports our second hypothesis. Given the limited GPCT information available to farmers, boosting their initiative to engage with information helps in effective dissemination and network expansion.

Additionally, Table 7 examines the effect of information awareness on both homogeneous and heterogeneous social networks. The coefficients indicate a positive impact on both types, with a stronger effect on homogeneous networks. Farmers with robust information awareness tend to build strong connections within these networks, facilitating information sharing and effective dissemination.

To further validate this indirect mechanism, we used the number of relatives visiting during the Spring Festival as a proxy for kinship networks. The positive result at the 10% level reinforces the idea that social networks bolster GPCT adoption influenced by information awareness.

Reinforcing Effect of Environmental Values

Table 8 demonstrates that the interactions between information awareness and various environmental values show statistical significance. A greater sense of environmental responsibility enhances the positive influence of information awareness on GPCT adoption, aligning with prior studies. Farmers who prioritize environmental protection are likelier to seek out and use information on GPCT effectively.

To illustrate the interaction effects of information awareness and environmental values, we used a simple slope analysis shown in Figure 3. The results indicate that as environmental value increases, the positive influence of information awareness on GPCT adoption also strengthens.

Heterogeneity Analysis

Farmers with different education levels and wheat planting areas show notable differences in how information awareness influences GPCT adoption. To analyze this, we grouped farmers based on education (fewer than nine years vs. nine years or more) and their wheat planting areas (<5.24 mu vs. ≥5.24 mu).

As shown in Table 9, significant variances exist in how information awareness affects GPCT adoption among these groups. The effect is stronger for educated farmers, likely due to their better comprehension and acceptance of technical information. Similarly, farmers with larger planting areas experience greater benefits from GPCT adoption, as scale often yields higher returns.