Can socialized pest control service reduce the intensity of pesticide use? Evidence from rice farmers in China.

BACKGROUND: Although a great deal of research has examined the impact of socialized pest control service, few studies have discussed the relationship between socialized pest control service and pesticide use intensity. In particular, the literature ignores the impact of advanced application technologies (drone sprayers) on the intensity of pesticide use by farmers. RESULTS: Based on a survey of 1185 rice growers in Hubei Province, China, this study found that 64.13% of the sample farmers used pesticides more than three times in one rice season. Importantly, socialized pest control services have a significant negative effect on the pesticide use intensity of farmers. Compared to the sample that did not purchase the service, farmers who purchased socialized pest control services demonstrated 9.30% less pesticide intensity. Further, there was a significant difference among farmers using different application devices on pesticide use intensity. Compared to the sample using ground backpack sprayers, farmers using drone sprayers used 12.40% less pesticide intensity. CONCLUSION: This study found that the frequency of pesticide use by farmers during rice cultivation was generally high. Socialized pest control services have played a positive role in reducing the intensity of pesticide use, especially with the more obvious pesticide reduction effect of the adoption of drone sprayers. Therefore, improving socialized pest control services and promoting advanced equipment such as drone sprayers may be an important way to reduce the use of pesticides in China. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pest control ability, technical guidance, and pesticide overuse: evidence from rice farmers in rural China.

Pesticide overuse is still prevalent in many developing countries. And improving farmers' pest control ability is considered to be the key to achieve pesticide reduction. Based on the survey data of 822 rice farmers from Hubei, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces in the Yangtze River Basin, we demonstrated the impact of pest control ability and technical guidance on farmers' pesticide overuse. We find that rice farmers' insufficient pest control ability does not necessarily lead to pesticide overuse, which depends on whether there is external technical guidance. The technical guidance of government agrotechnical stations and pesticide retailers can weaken pesticide overuse caused by lack of personal ability. In terms of sample, variable and method substitution, the above estimated results are still robust. In addition, we find that different subjects and links of pesticide technical guidance will bring different impacts. The technical guidance of agrotechnical stations mainly plays a role in the time and type of pesticide application, while the pesticide retailers mainly play a role in the time and dosage of pesticide application. This paper emphasizes that strengthening the guidance and regulation of pesticide technology guidance subject is also an efficient way of pesticide reduction. This will help to improve the effect of agricultural extension and accelerate the realization of pesticide reduction target in China.