Impact of multiple soil conservation practices on rice yields and chemical fertiliser use in China

Abstract

Purpose

This paper analysed survey data of 715 rice-producing households in China to assess the determinants of adoption of five mutually exclusive soil conservation practices (SCPs) and their impact on rice yield and chemical fertiliser use.

Design/methodology/approach

The multinomial endogenous treatment effects model was used to account for selection bias and endogeneity arising from both observed and unobserved heterogeneity.

Findings

Farms that adopted SCPs as a package experienced an increase in rice yield and decrease in chemical fertiliser use. Adoption of SCPs as a package led to a 12.0% increase in yield and 15.2% decrease in chemical fertiliser use; these results have policy implications for the non-point source pollution control in the agricultural sector. In contrast, adoption of straw retention only significantly reduced yield by 4.9% and increased chemical fertiliser use by 18.1%.

Originality/value

The authors evaluate and compare multi-type of SCPs, such as straw retention, deep tillage and use of organic fertiliser, separately or in combination, and their impacts on smallholder farmers’ rice yield and chemical fertiliser usage.

Citation

Yang, Z., Yin, N., Mugera, A.W. and Wang, Y. (2021), "Impact of multiple soil conservation practices on rice yields and chemical fertiliser use in China", China Agricultural Economic Review, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 851-871. https://doi.org/10.1108/CAER-06-2020-0116