IMPACTS OF TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT ON THE ADOPTION OF ORGANIC FERTILIZERS AND BIOPESTICIDES AMONG FARMERS:EVIDENCE FROM HEILONGJIANG PROVINCE,CHINA

Excessive application of mineral fertilizers and synthetic pesticides poses a substantial threat to the soil and water environment and food security.Organic fertilizer and biopesticides have gradually become essential technology for reducing mineral fertilizer and pesticide inputs.In the process,the technical environment is critical for promoting farmer behavior related to the adoption of organic fertilizer and biopesticides.This paper analyzes the influence of the technical environment on farmer behavior related to the adoption of organic fertilizer and biopesticides based on a survey of 1282 farmers in Heilongjiang Province,China,using the bivariate probit model.The results indicate that(1)farmer behavior related to the adoption applying organic fertilizer and biopesticides were positively correlated;(2)the technical environment had a significant positive impact on farmer behavior related to the adoption of organic fertilizer and biopesticides;and(3)the technical environment had a heterogeneous effect across different groups of farmers.This research provides insights useful for promoting organic fertilizer and biopesticides to farmers.It can be helpful to bundle relevant environmental technologies,conduct technology training for farmers and strengthen the construction of rural information networks.

Environmental Technical Standards and the Green Transition of China’s Manufacturing Industry

Distinct from the existing literature conforming to the Porter hypothesis which emphasizes the technological innovation mechanism,this paper examines the mechanism of technological transformation through which environmental technical standards influence the manufacturing industry in reducing emissions and improving efficiency(i.e.green transition).Furthermore,drawing upon enterprise samples from the databases of Chinese Industrial Enterprises and Chinese Industrial Pollution Sources from Major Monitored Enterprises,it empirically validates the results of the theoretical analysis.Overall,our research reveals that environmental technical standards can propel manufacturing enterprises to reduce pollution and increase productivity by following an incremental path of technological transformation,thereby achieving a green transition.Moreover,environmental technical standards indirectly promote green technology innovation in the upstream equipment manufacturing enterprises.Heterogeneity analysis further shows that environmental technical standards have a stronger effect of green transition on those companies with higher pollution emission intensity,lower productivity,slower capital renewal and stronger financing capacity prior to implementing the environmental policies.