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15 pages, 1554 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding the Relationship between Financial Literacy and Chinese Rural Households’ Entrepreneurship from the Perspective of Credit Constraints and Risk Preference

by Silin Liu, Jia He and Dingde Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 4981; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064981 - 11 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2843

Abstract

Farmers’ entrepreneurship is an important factor in promoting rural economic growth, yet few studies have systematically discussed the impact of financial literacy. Using the 2021 China Land Economic Survey data, this study analyzes the relationship between financial literacy and Chinese rural households’ entrepreneurship [...] Read more.

Farmers’ entrepreneurship is an important factor in promoting rural economic growth, yet few studies have systematically discussed the impact of financial literacy. Using the 2021 China Land Economic Survey data, this study analyzes the relationship between financial literacy and Chinese rural households’ entrepreneurship from the perspective of credit constraints and risk preferences by the IV-probit, stepwise regression, and moderating effects methods. This study finds that: (1) the financial literacy of Chinese farmers is low, with only 11.2% of the sample households starting businesses; and (2) Financial literacy can promote rural households’ entrepreneurship. After introducing an instrument variable to control endogenous problems, the positive correlation is still significant; (3) financial literacy effectively alleviates the traditional credit constraints of farmers, thereby promoting entrepreneurship; (4) risk preference weakens the positive impact of financial literacy on rural households’ entrepreneurship. This study provides a reference for optimizing entrepreneurship policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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16 pages, 2364 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measurement of Common Prosperity of Chinese Rural Households Using Graded Response Models: Evidence from Zhejiang Province

by Mei Zhang and Xinliang Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4602; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054602 - 5 Mar 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2290

Abstract

Common prosperity is an important feature of Chinese-style modernization. The difficulty and focus of promoting the construction of common prosperity in China lies in rural areas and rural households. How to evaluate the common prosperity of rural households is becoming an important research [...] Read more.

Common prosperity is an important feature of Chinese-style modernization. The difficulty and focus of promoting the construction of common prosperity in China lies in rural areas and rural households. How to evaluate the common prosperity of rural households is becoming an important research topic. Based on the perspective of meeting the people’s needs for a better life, this study designed 14 items or indicators from the dimensions of affluence, commonality, and sustainability. The common prosperity of rural households is regarded as a potential structure. Based on the survey data of 615 rural households in Zhejiang Province, graded response models were used to estimate the discrimination and difficulty coefficient, and an indicator selection and characteristics analysis were carried out. The research results show that there are 13 items suitable for measuring the common prosperity of rural households, and these indicators have strong distinguishing ability. However, different dimension indicators have different functions. In particular, the affluence dimension, the sharing dimension, and the sustainability dimension are suitable for distinguishing families with a relatively high level of common prosperity, a medium level of common prosperity, and a low level of common prosperity, respectively. Based on this, we propose policy recommendations such as building diversified governance strategies, formulating differentiated governance policies, and supporting the corresponding basic policy reform. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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17 pages, 934 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Agricultural Division of Labor on Fertilizer Reduction Application: Evidence from Western China

by Shiyao Zhou, Chen Qing, Jia He and Dingde Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 3787; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053787 - 21 Feb 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2054

Abstract

Nowadays, environmental friendly agriculture has become the world trend of modern agricultural development; fertilizer reduction application is an essential way to achieve sustainable development goals. With the deepening development of the agricultural specialized division of labor and socialized services, the division of labor [...] Read more.

Nowadays, environmental friendly agriculture has become the world trend of modern agricultural development; fertilizer reduction application is an essential way to achieve sustainable development goals. With the deepening development of the agricultural specialized division of labor and socialized services, the division of labor economy can promote the economic input of fertilizer. Based on 540 survey data of farmers in the main rice-producing areas of Sichuan Province, this paper constructs a theoretical analytical framework for the impact of agricultural division of labor on fertilizer reduction application. A binary probit model was used to empirically analyze the effect of agricultural division of labor on fertilizer reduction application, and its mechanism was examined. The results show that: (1) both horizontal and vertical agricultural divisions of labor have positive and significant effects on the reduction in fertilizer application by rice farmers. All above results remain stable after treatment of endogeneity; (2) due to the migration of the rural labor, the horizontal division of labor is expressed as changes in the structure of labor and cultivation within the household which has changed. To achieve economies of scale, farmers increase specialization in production, resulting in reducing marginal cost and application of fertilizer; (3) the vertical division of labor is expressed in the adoption of external socialized services by farmers, which improves the land resource endowment of fragmentation and hydraulic conditions. Thus, it creates a good environment for fertilizer application to improve its application efficiency, which in turn promotes fertilizer reduction by farmers. Based on this, this paper proposes that the government should motivate farmers to deepen their participation in the horizontal and vertical division of labor. Meanwhile, it is also necessary to improve the agricultural specialization continuously and further promote the development of socialized services market. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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16 pages, 865 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantifying the Income-Increasing Effect of Digital Agriculture: Take the New Agricultural Tools of Smartphone as an Example

by Xin Luo, Shubin Zhu and Zhenjiang Song

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3127; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043127 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1882

Abstract

Smartphones are increasingly used in rural areas and have become indispensable new farming tools in farmers’ production and their lives. Based on data from the 2018 China Household Tracking Survey, this study uses ordinary least squares regression with two-stage least squares as a [...] Read more.

Smartphones are increasingly used in rural areas and have become indispensable new farming tools in farmers’ production and their lives. Based on data from the 2018 China Household Tracking Survey, this study uses ordinary least squares regression with two-stage least squares as a benchmark regression to investigate the impact of the extent of smartphone use on farm household income. Our findings are as follows. ① The degree of use of new smartphone farming tools has a significant income-increasing effect on farm households. ② There is variability in the impact of the use of new smartphone farming tools on the income of farmers in different regions. The highest income-generating effects on the use of smartphone tools were found in the western region, followed by the eastern region, with the smallest effects found in the central region. ③ Low-income farmers have the highest income effects from using new smartphone farming tools. We therefore recommend further improving the digital infrastructure in rural areas to give full play to the driving force of digital technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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20 pages, 3809 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantifying the Effectiveness of Environmental Regulations on Green Total Factor Productivity: Evidence Based on China’s Environmental Protection Interview Program

by Dan Pan, Yi Yu and Fanbin Kong

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 2980; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20042980 - 8 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1692

Abstract

The effectiveness of environmental regulations on green total factor productivity (GTFP) is controversial, and the mechanisms of the relationship between environmental regulation and GTFP are unknown. In this article, we take advantage of the Environmental Protection Interview (EPI) program—the harshest environmental monitoring program [...] Read more.

The effectiveness of environmental regulations on green total factor productivity (GTFP) is controversial, and the mechanisms of the relationship between environmental regulation and GTFP are unknown. In this article, we take advantage of the Environmental Protection Interview (EPI) program—the harshest environmental monitoring program in Chinese history—to carry out a natural experiment to estimate the effect of environmental regulation on GTFP. Applying a time-varying difference-in-differences model based on city panel data from 2003 to 2018 in China, we determined that the EPI can lead to an average GTFP promotion of 35.6%, but the effect of the EPI is not consistent in the long term. A heterogeneity analysis documented that the effect of the EPI on GTFP is more significant in cities with low initial GTFP levels and low economic levels. A mechanism analysis showed that the EPI increases GTFP, basically, through technical creativity and industrial structure upgrading. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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17 pages, 1009 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Consumption Structure and Influencing Factors of Farmers in China from the Perspective of Labor Transfer

by Jiaojiao Wu, Chen Qing, Wenfeng Zhou, Shili Guo and Dingde Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1430; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021430 - 12 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1383

Abstract

Under the background of carbon peak and carbon neutralization, the transformation and upgrading of energy consumption structure is crucial to achieve sustainable environmental development. Based on the questionnaire data of 1080 farmers in Sichuan province in 2021, the IV-Probit model was used to [...] Read more.

Under the background of carbon peak and carbon neutralization, the transformation and upgrading of energy consumption structure is crucial to achieve sustainable environmental development. Based on the questionnaire data of 1080 farmers in Sichuan province in 2021, the IV-Probit model was used to explore the impact of labor from off-farm employment on farmers’ energy consumption structure and its specific mechanism. The results show the following: (1) the overall proportion of off-farm employment is not high, only 23%; in cooking energy, the most farmers use high-quality energy, accounting for up to 94%; (2) in addition to high-quality energy, off-farm employment of labor force is positively and significantly correlated with the remaining six types of energy consumption structure. The results of a heterogeneity analysis show that the proportion of off-farm employment of farmers with a high education level and above has the greatest positive effect on the use of high-quality energy; (3) the results of the mediating effect show that the off-farm employment can affect the energy consumption structure of farmers through the two paths of annual cash income and population structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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20 pages, 2401 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measuring Community Resilience and Its Determinants: Relocated Vulnerable Community in Western China

by Wei Liu, Jingxuan Zhang and Long Qian

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010694 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2023

Abstract

With the full implementation of poverty alleviation resettlement (PAR), the restoration and improvement of the comprehensive living standards of relocated households have received increasing attention from policy researchers. The measurement of resilience and its determinants provides new ideas for PAR at the community [...] Read more.

With the full implementation of poverty alleviation resettlement (PAR), the restoration and improvement of the comprehensive living standards of relocated households have received increasing attention from policy researchers. The measurement of resilience and its determinants provides new ideas for PAR at the community level. This article proposes a method for examining community resilience in the context of PAR through a survey of 459 relocated households in western China and uses regression analysis to identify the determinants of community resilience. The results showed that the four dimensions of community resilience, in descending order, included: environmental resilience, economic resilience, management resilience, and social resilience. Income level and livelihood diversification were positively correlated with the community resilience index. Relocation time, relocation type, and resettlement mode were all essential determinants of the community resilience of relocated households. Finally, some suggestions were put forward, such as the need to build an interpersonal relationship network, guide pure farmers and non-farmers to transform into diversified livelihood households, and formulate a unified community action plan and interest protection mechanism so as to provide a reference for decision-making among managers to make decisions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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27 pages, 2633 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Framework for Quantifying the Strength of Partnerships between Agricultural Cooperatives and Development Actors: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia

by Ahmed Herab, Ahmad Al-Ghamdi, Khodran Alzahrani, Khalid M. Elhindi, Muhammad Muddassir and Hazem S. Kassem

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010364 - 26 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2710

Abstract

The issue of the agricultural cooperatives’ sustainability in developing their businesses is gaining increasing prominence. Building partnerships between development actors and agricultural cooperatives has been considered an effective strategy for supporting financial capital and addressing sustainability issues collectively. Therefore, this study aimed to [...] Read more.

The issue of the agricultural cooperatives’ sustainability in developing their businesses is gaining increasing prominence. Building partnerships between development actors and agricultural cooperatives has been considered an effective strategy for supporting financial capital and addressing sustainability issues collectively. Therefore, this study aimed to address the features and strengths of 33 partnerships established between the Beekeeping Cooperative Association in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia, and other actors between 2016 and 2021. The analysis of the collaborations was based on six criteria: motivations, partnership planning, outputs, governance practices, outcomes, and sustainability of a partnership. Furthermore, we developed a weighted scoring model to control variable selection and submit the strength of each partnership. The findings indicated that most collaborations (45.5%) were signed with the private sector. Furthermore, the honey value chain development was the most frequent reason (69.7%) attracting the partners to engage in the partnerships. Some of the most critical environmental objectives targeted by the partnerships examined were enhancing bee habitat by the diversification of pasture species, management to increase the flowering period, and proper grazing management. All partners achieved their individual goals jointly in 54.5% of the partnerships analyzed. In terms of a partnership’s strength, the findings also revealed that only three partnerships (9.1%) were characterized as strong partnerships. This study provides a better understanding of how agricultural cooperatives collaborate with other actors and a basis for assessing the strength of the partnerships. Such information is crucial for developing relevant policies to encourage cooperatives to engage in future sustainability partnerships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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15 pages, 360 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Health Risk, Income Effect, and the Stability of Farmers’ Poverty Alleviation in Deep Poverty Areas: A Case Study of S-County in Qinba Mountain Area

by Jie Song, Yaping Cai, Yahong Wang and Salim Khan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16048; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316048 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1765

Abstract

Health status and income level are both important factors in reducing poverty and accomplishing sustainable development in deep poverty areas of China. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide policy support for the sustainable poverty alleviation of farmers by analyzing the [...] Read more.

Health status and income level are both important factors in reducing poverty and accomplishing sustainable development in deep poverty areas of China. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide policy support for the sustainable poverty alleviation of farmers by analyzing the net effect of health risk on Farmers’ income poverty and its impact mechanism. Based on the data of more than 199,000 farmers, this study uses the Difference in Difference (DID) model to empirically analyze the effect of health-risk on farmers’ income poverty. The empirical findings obtained from DID model show that health risk has a significant and positive impact on income poverty, where the impact of disability is higher. Furthermore, the mechanism shows that the impact of health risks on income poverty is mainly influenced by farmers’ off-farm working choices and time. The heterogeneity analysis shows that the health risk significantly impacts non-vulnerable farmers’ poverty. With outdated healthcare facilities in poverty-stricken areas, people are more likely to fall into income poverty. Therefore, the study concludes that establishing an effective long-term mechanism of health risk prevention is essential to improving the endogenous development power of poor farmers and decreasing income poverty. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

19 pages, 541 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Impact of Rural Land Transfer on Non-Farm Employment of Farm Households: Evidence from Hubei Province, China

by Lili Chen, Jiquan Peng and Yibei Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15587; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315587 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1849

Abstract

Agricultural scale operations and industrialization promote the transfer of the rural labor force to the industry sector, and the non-farm employment of farmers plays a great role in increasing their income and reducing poverty. It is of great significance to explore the non-farm [...] Read more.

Agricultural scale operations and industrialization promote the transfer of the rural labor force to the industry sector, and the non-farm employment of farmers plays a great role in increasing their income and reducing poverty. It is of great significance to explore the non-farm employment of farmers for the governance of relative poverty and the achievement of common prosperity. The propensity score matching (PSM) and generalized propensity score matching (GPSM) were used to analyze the impact of rural land transfer on farm households’ non-farm employment. According to the PSM estimation, compared to the farmers’ land not transferred, the rural land transfer significantly increased the proportion of non-farm employment personnel in farm households and the months of per year non-farm employment per person. The total land transfer, paddy land transfer and dry land transfer could significantly increase the proportion of non-farm employment personnel in farm households by 0.074, 0.029 and 0.085 units, respectively, and could significantly increase the months of per year non-farm employment per person by 0.604, 0.394 and 0.617 units, respectively. According to the GPSM estimation, different types of rural land transfer areas have significant positive effects on the proportion of non-farm workers and the months of per year non-farm employment per person, and show an obvious increasing trend of returns to scale, that is, the proportion of non-farm workers and the months of per year non-farm employment per person of farmers are higher than the increase in rural land transfer area. Additionally, the return to scale effect of dry land transfer area is more obvious. In order to raise the income of farm households and narrow the gap between urban and rural areas, the land transfer system can be further improved, urbanization with the county town as an important carrier can be vigorously promoted, the participation of farm households in non-farm employment in the local area can be promoted and the support policy system for non-farm employment of rural labor force can be improved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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20 pages, 800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Voting with Your Feet: The Impact of Urban Public Health Service Accessibility on the Permanent Migration Intentions of Rural Migrants in China

by Qingjun Zhao, Meijing Song and Hanrui Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14624; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214624 - 8 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2196

Abstract

The accessibility of urban public health services is not only relevant to the health status of rural migrants but also plays an increasingly important role in their migration decisions. Most existing studies have focused on the effects of the level of public health [...] Read more.

The accessibility of urban public health services is not only relevant to the health status of rural migrants but also plays an increasingly important role in their migration decisions. Most existing studies have focused on the effects of the level of public health service provision and parity on rural migrants’ migration behavior, ignoring the role of public health service accessibility. This paper systematically examines the overall impact, heterogeneous impact and mechanism of action of public health service accessibility on rural migrants’ intentions to migrate permanently based on data from the 2017 China Mobile Population Dynamics Monitoring Survey using probit, IVprobit, eprobit, omitted variable test model and KHB mediating effect model. It was found that: (1) public health service accessibility significantly increased rural migrants’ intentions to migrate permanently, and the results remained robust after using instrumental variables to mitigate endogeneity problems and omitted variable tests. (2) Heterogeneity analysis shows that public health service accessibility has a greater effect on enhancing the intentions to migrate permanently among females and rural migrants born in 1980 and later. (3) Further mechanism testing revealed that public health service accessibility could indirectly increase rural migrants’ intentions to migrate permanently by improving health habits, health status, identity, and social integration, with identity playing a greater indirect effect. The findings of this paper not only provide empirical evidence for the existence of Tiebout’s “voting with your feet” mechanism in China but also contribute to the scientific understanding of the role of equalization of public health services in the process of population migration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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27 pages, 1039 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Multidimensional Poverty on Rural Households’ Health: From a Perspective of Social Capital and Family Care

by Hui Xiao, Xian Liang, Chen Chen and Fangting Xie

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14590; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114590 - 7 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2397

Abstract

Although absolute poverty has been eliminated in rural China, multidimensional poverty has an unstoppable impact on the self-rated health of rural households through multiple dimensions. This study constructed a moderated mediation model with multidimensional poverty as the independent variable to explore the impact [...] Read more.

Although absolute poverty has been eliminated in rural China, multidimensional poverty has an unstoppable impact on the self-rated health of rural households through multiple dimensions. This study constructed a moderated mediation model with multidimensional poverty as the independent variable to explore the impact on rural households’ self-rated health, social capital as a mediating variable, and family care as a moderating variable. We used the survey data of 382 sample out-of-poverty rural households in Jiangxi, China, in 2020. Our results indicated that multidimensional poverty had a detrimental impact on the self-rated health and social capital of rural households, both of which were significant at the 1% level (β = −0.751, t = −4.775, and β = −0.197, t = −7.08). A test of the mediating effect of social capital using the mediation model found the mediating effect accounting for 84.95% of the entire effect of multidimensional poverty on rural households’ self-rated health. Further, the interaction term between family care and multidimensional poverty and its beneficial effect on social capital as well as the interaction term between family care and social capital and its negative effect on rural household’ self-rated health are both statistically significant at the 1% level (β = 0.558, t = −5.221 and β = −2.100, t = −3.304). It is revealed that multidimensional poverty affects rural households’ self-rated health through social capital and that family care moderates the mediating pathway. Family care exacerbates the negative effect of multidimensional poverty on rural households’ self-rated health and weakens the beneficial effect of social capital on rural households’ self-rated health. The lower (higher) the level of family care, the more significant the positive (negative) effect of social capital on rural households’ health. Therefore, rural households should prioritize building social capital and shifting the responsibility for family care. First, through enhancing housing infrastructure and establishing cultural and educational initiatives, households can improve their viability. Second, increasing engagement in group activities will enhance social networks and boost interpersonal connections. Finally, to lessen the stress on family caregivers, building socialized care services can cover the gap in family care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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20 pages, 1092 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Technical Training Provided by Agricultural Cooperatives on Farmers’ Adoption of Organic Fertilizers in China: Based on the Mediation Role of Ability and Perception

by Yuying Liu, Kaiyao Shi, Ziqi Liu, Ling Qiu, Yan Wang, Hao Liu and Xinhong Fu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14277; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114277 - 1 Nov 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2520

Abstract

Organic fertilizers can be crucial in promoting sustainable agricultural development, but they are not used in a wide-ranging way among smallholder farmers in many developing countries. In China, cooperatives are considered essential subjects of agricultural technical training, but it is more common to [...] Read more.

Organic fertilizers can be crucial in promoting sustainable agricultural development, but they are not used in a wide-ranging way among smallholder farmers in many developing countries. In China, cooperatives are considered essential subjects of agricultural technical training, but it is more common to join cooperatives without participating in their technical training. Thus, joining cooperatives or not cannot simply be used to assess the role of cooperatives in influencing the farmers’ production behavior. Based on survey data of 1160 citrus farmers in Sichuan Province, China, this study estimated the effect of the technical training provided by agricultural cooperatives on farmers’ adoption of organic fertilizers, taking into account the farmers’ ability and perception as the mediation variables. The findings showed that participating in the technical training provided by agricultural cooperatives could significantly enhance the likelihood that farmers will adopt organic fertilizers. The impact was 81.6% in influencing the farmer’s abilities and 7.64% in their perceptions of organic fertilizers. Furthermore, other variables, such as farm sizes, land transfers, and education levels, also make a difference in the effectiveness of the agricultural cooperatives’ technical training. This study provides support for developing pertinent policies to promote the complete adoption of agricultural cooperatives’ technical training functions and the widespread use of organic fertilizers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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14 pages, 2214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Perception and Attitude of Farmers toward Domestic Waste Classifications: A Case Study on Wusheng County, Sichuan Province, China

by Xuxi Wang and Jing Tan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13499; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013499 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1993

Abstract

The effective treatment of rural domestic waste is the key to solving rural environmental pollution and realizing rural ecological revitalization. Giving full play to the main role of farmers’ domestic waste classification can improve the efficiency and effect of domestic waste treatment. To [...] Read more.

The effective treatment of rural domestic waste is the key to solving rural environmental pollution and realizing rural ecological revitalization. Giving full play to the main role of farmers’ domestic waste classification can improve the efficiency and effect of domestic waste treatment. To explore the key factors affecting the farmers’ perception, attitude, and behavior of domestic waste classification, this study with 318 farmers in Sichuan Province as the research object, the research framework of domestic waste classification behavior was constructed based on the theory of planned behavior, and then, the logistic regression model was used for the empirical test. The results show that the farmers’ education levels, subjective norms, relatives’ and neighbors’ views on waste classification, farmers’ awareness regarding the negative environmental impacts caused by waste, farmers’ private benefits, and farmers’ views on the waste management ability of local governments are significantly positively correlated with the classification behavior of farmers’ domestic waste. The distance between farmers’ houses and waste collection points is significantly negatively correlated with the classification behavior of farmers’ domestic waste. This paper provides a certain theoretical reference for realizing the reduction, resourcization, and positive development of rural domestic waste management in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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16 pages, 352 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Research on the Impact of Digital Literacy on Farmer Households’ Green Cooking Energy Consumption: Evidence from Rural China

by Lei Zhao, Yongqi Zhang and Haixia Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13464; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013464 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2899

Abstract

In the era of the digital economy, farmers’ digital literacy has a profound impact on household green cooking energy consumption. Based on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2018, this paper constructs a digital literacy index using an entropy method [...] Read more.

In the era of the digital economy, farmers’ digital literacy has a profound impact on household green cooking energy consumption. Based on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2018, this paper constructs a digital literacy index using an entropy method and employs the Probit model regression and mediation effect model test to study the impact effect and theoretical mechanism of individual digital literacy on household green cooking energy consumption. The research results show that the improvement of digital literacy can effectively promote the consumption of green cooking energy in households. After using the IV-Probit model and CMP model to solve the endogeneity, this conclusion remains valid; The heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of digital literacy on green cooking energy consumption of households in different regions and different income stages is different. This performance is specific to the eastern and western regions and low-income households. The improvement in digital literacy can significantly promote green cooking energy consumption in rural households; however, in the central region and high-income households the improvements were insignificant. Mechanism analysis shows that digital literacy has a significant positive impact on household green cooking energy consumption through non-agricultural employment and information acquisition. Based on this, it is suggested that the construction of a digital countryside should not only consider the construction of digital infrastructure, but also reasonably guide the cultivation of the internal digital literacy of the construction subject. Moreover, the cultivation of digital literacy should not only focus on regional differences, but also focus on key subjects and implement precise cultivation. We should give full play to the synergistic effect of digital literacy, and pay attention to the non-agricultural employment of farmers and information elements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

18 pages, 724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Age of Mobility: Can Equalization of Public Health Services Alleviate the Poverty of Migrant Workers?

by Ziming Zhou, Yumeng Jiang, Haitao Wu, Fan Jiang and Zhiming Yu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13342; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013342 - 16 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2075

Abstract

Migrants workers are important participants in and contributors to economic and social construction, but they still face the reality of being marginalized. Based on data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey in 2018, this paper systematically investigated the impact of public health services [...] Read more.

Migrants workers are important participants in and contributors to economic and social construction, but they still face the reality of being marginalized. Based on data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey in 2018, this paper systematically investigated the impact of public health services on the multidimensional poverty of migrant workers. The research found that, first, the current mean of the multidimensional poverty deprivation value of migrant workers is 0.1806, which is one dimension of poverty that exists on average. In addition, migrant workers do not have high access to public health services. The proportions of migrant workers who have not established residents’ health files and who have not received public health education are 74.22% and 29.92%, respectively. Second, public health services can significantly alleviate the multidimensional poverty of migrant workers. After mitigating the potential endogeneity problem by the IV-2SLS method and conducting robustness tests by the PSM method, the conclusion is still robust. Further research found that the impact of public health services on the multidimensional poverty alleviation of migrant workers is heterogeneous. The improvement of public health services has the greatest effect on the multidimensional poverty alleviation of the new generation of migrant female workers in the western region. The research in this paper helps to examine and clarify the policy significance of public health services for the multidimensional poverty alleviation of migrant workers and provides empirical evidence for the use of public health services to tackle the poverty problem. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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22 pages, 3393 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Ecological Connectivity in the Ethnic Areas, Sichuan Province, China

by Shili Guo, Xian Deng, Jiaxuan Ran and Xiangyu Ding

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12941; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912941 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2103

Abstract

With ongoing economic and social development, natural habitats are becoming increasingly fragmented, blocking habitat connections and reducing landscape connectivity. The study of changes in ecological connectivity can provide valuable information for habitat and landscape restoration, which are necessary for sustainable regional development. Despite [...] Read more.

With ongoing economic and social development, natural habitats are becoming increasingly fragmented, blocking habitat connections and reducing landscape connectivity. The study of changes in ecological connectivity can provide valuable information for habitat and landscape restoration, which are necessary for sustainable regional development. Despite the growing interest in this issue, studies that reveal the change in ecological connectivity in the compounded areas of ecological vulnerability and deep poverty are still lacking. In this paper, one of the most underdeveloped and ecologically fragile southwestern ethnic regions of China, the Sanzhou region of Sichuan Province, was the study area. Based on a vector map of current land-use status and vector data on ecosystem factors and nature reserves in 2010 and 2015, the change in ecological connectivity was analyzed using the minimum cumulative resistance model using GIS spatial analysis method. Firstly, ecological sources were identified based on the distribution of ecological functional areas. Secondly, the ecological resistance surface based on ecosystem service value is revised by integrating the three dimensions of topography and hydrology, ecological environment and development, and utilization intensity. Finally, the ecological connectivity of ethnic areas in southwest China in 2010 and 2015 was compared and analyzed through the perspective of ecological resistance. The results show that: (1) From 2010 to 2015, the overall ecological connectivity decreased. (2) There were six areas of high ecological resistance featuring human activity and ecological degradation: the Anning River Valley in Liangshan Prefecture, Ganzi, Dege and Luho counties in Ganzi Prefecture, and Ruoergai and Hongyuan counties in Aba Prefecture. (3) Low ecological resistance areas were more numerous and widely distributed, forming an ecological protection barrier for the three autonomous prefectures, and regulating and protecting their natural environments. It is necessary to maintain and strengthen this protection; accordingly, measures are proposed to improve ecological connectivity. This study provides a reference for achieving ecological security and harmonious coexistence between humans and nature in this region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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16 pages, 1637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rural Farmers’ Cognition and Climate Change Adaptation Impact on Cash Crop Productivity: Evidence from a Recent Study

by Nawab Khan, Jiliang Ma, Hazem S. Kassem, Rizwan Kazim, Ram L. Ray, Muhammad Ihtisham and Shemei Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12556; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912556 - 1 Oct 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2809

Abstract

The world faces a once-in-a-century transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adversely affecting farmers’ employment, production practices, and livelihood resilience. Meanwhile, climate change (CC) is a crucial issue limiting agricultural production worldwide. Farmers’ lives, severely affected by extreme weather conditions, are resulting in [...] Read more.

The world faces a once-in-a-century transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adversely affecting farmers’ employment, production practices, and livelihood resilience. Meanwhile, climate change (CC) is a crucial issue limiting agricultural production worldwide. Farmers’ lives, severely affected by extreme weather conditions, are resulting in the reduced production of major economic crops. The CC has drastically influenced the major agricultural sectors of Pakistan, leading to a significant decline in farmers’ living standards and the overall economy. Climate-smart and eco-friendly agricultural practices can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and ameliorate agricultural productivity under extreme environmental conditions. This paper highlights farmers’ autonomous CC adaptation strategies and their influence on cash crop (maize for this study) yield under prevailing circumstances. The current study used a simultaneous equation model to examine the different adaptation impacts on adapters and non-adapters. The survey results of 498 maize farmers in rural Pakistan revealed that growers were aware of the recent CC and had taken adequate adaptive measures to acclimatize to CC. Farmers’ arable land area, awareness level, and information accessibility to CC are the most crucial factors that impart a significant role in their adaptation judgments. However, most growers have inadequate adaptation strategies, including improved irrigation and the utilization of extensive fertilizers and pesticides. Using a simultaneous equation model of endogenous switching regression, the study found that farmers not adapted to CC were negatively affecting maize productivity. Therefore, this study suggests that policymakers pay attention to the countermeasures farmers have not taken to mitigate the impact of CC. In addition, policymakers should deliver appropriate adaptation strategies to assist growers in coping with climate-related natural hazards and ensure farmers’ livelihood security, rural revitalization, and sustainable agricultural development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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24 pages, 2188 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatio-Temporal Analysis and Influencing Factors of Rural Resilience from the Perspective of Sustainable Rural Development

by Mei Yang, Mengyun Jiao and Jinyu Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12294; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912294 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3241

Abstract

Rural resilience is not only a comprehensive reflection of “thriving businesses, pleasant living environments, social etiquette and civility, effective governance, and prosperity”. It is also the unity of resilience in industry, ecology, culture, organization and livelihood. This paper uses the entropy weight-TOPSIS method [...] Read more.

Rural resilience is not only a comprehensive reflection of “thriving businesses, pleasant living environments, social etiquette and civility, effective governance, and prosperity”. It is also the unity of resilience in industry, ecology, culture, organization and livelihood. This paper uses the entropy weight-TOPSIS method to measure the rural resilience level in 31 regions in China and analyzes the configuration of influencing factors with the Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results of the study are as follows: (1) The level of rural resilience in China showed a stable increase from 2010 to 2019, but the overall level was low, with large regional disparities, showing a significant positive spatial correlation. (2) In the high-level rural resilience explanatory path, labor-driven, cultural-driven and market–labor–technology linkage-driven play a core role, while administrative force is not playing a significant role. In the explanation path of non-high level rural resilience, the market–labor absent, administrative–market absent and cultural absent hinder the improvement of rural resilience. In summary, we put forward the following suggestions. Policy renovation and support should be strengthened. Adaption to local conditions should be considered in order to achieve sustainable and differentiated development. Development should be coordinated and balanced in different regions so as to achieve an overall resilience level in rural areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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22 pages, 1471 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Policy Evaluation of Demonstration Cooperative Construction: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China

by Rui Chen, Nawab Khan and Shemei Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12259; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912259 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1955

Abstract

Agricultural cooperatives are professional organizations that increase farmers’ incomes through market failure corrections, livelihood resilience, and sustainable rural development. The main purpose of this paper was to evaluate the policy effects of the construction of demonstration cooperatives for farmers in China. The authors [...] Read more.

Agricultural cooperatives are professional organizations that increase farmers’ incomes through market failure corrections, livelihood resilience, and sustainable rural development. The main purpose of this paper was to evaluate the policy effects of the construction of demonstration cooperatives for farmers in China. The authors of this paper used the propensity score matching (PSM) method to evaluate the policy effect of the construction of demonstration cooperatives based on questionnaire survey data on 509 farmer cooperatives in 10 counties in Sichuan Province of China. On this basis, the inverse probability weighting-regression adjustment (IPWRA) method was used as a robustness test. The authors of this study were the first to systematically and comprehensively assess the policy effects of demonstration cooperatives while considering selectivity effects. The empirical results show that the Chinese government’s construction of demonstration cooperatives has significant policy effects, especially regarding policy support in improving the economic strength, service capacity, product quality, and social response of demonstration cooperatives. However, the policy effect of improving the democratic management of cooperatives is not significant. It is recommended that the government continue to strengthen policy support in improving the economic strength, service capacity, product quality, and social response of demonstration cooperatives. Simultaneously, more effective measures should be taken to promote the democratic management of model cooperatives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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16 pages, 631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Common Prosperity Level and Regional Difference Analysis along the Yangtze River Economic Belt

by Yuhan Wang, Zenghui Huo, Dongpo Li and Mei Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 11851; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911851 - 20 Sep 2022

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3130

Abstract

Common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism as well as the common aspiration of social people. This article constructed an evaluation index system of 25 indicators for common prosperity, covering four dimensions of material wealth, harmonious social life, rich spiritual life, and [...] Read more.

Common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism as well as the common aspiration of social people. This article constructed an evaluation index system of 25 indicators for common prosperity, covering four dimensions of material wealth, harmonious social life, rich spiritual life, and livable ecological environment. The TOPSIS method was used to comprehensively rank nine provinces and two municipalities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The results show that the level of common prosperity along the Yangtze River Economic Belt increased significantly from 2010 to 2019, and the level of common prosperity in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River Economic Belt is much higher than that in the middle and upper reaches. According to the differences in common prosperity levels among regions, provinces and cities are divided into three categories: high, unbalanced, and low. Combined with the characteristics of each type of region, policy suggestions were put forward from the perspectives of strengthening the regional industrial cooperation mechanism, deepening the construction of regional livelihood infrastructure and basic public services, and improving the ability of regional environmental coordination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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15 pages, 923 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Mobile Payment Increase Household Income and Mitigate the Lower Income Condition Caused by Health Risks? Evidence from Rural China

by Weisong Qiu, Tieqi Wu and Peng Xue

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11739; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811739 - 17 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1923

Abstract

China has moved into a new stage of its fight against poverty, where the further raising of rural household income is of great importance. Health risk is one of the biggest obstacles to the poverty reduction progress. Therefore, how to cope with the [...] Read more.

China has moved into a new stage of its fight against poverty, where the further raising of rural household income is of great importance. Health risk is one of the biggest obstacles to the poverty reduction progress. Therefore, how to cope with the negative effects of health risks has attracted the attention of scholars, especially in the background of the global outbreak of COVID-19. In this paper, we try to explore whether mobile payment, a new form of payment, can improve the income of rural households and mitigate the lower income condition caused by health risks in China. Using data from the 2017 China Household Finance Survey, we found: (1) mobile payment can substantially increase rural household income; (2) health risks will lower the income of rural residents, but mobile payment can lessen this negative effect. Mechanism analysis indicates that mobile payment is likely to ease liquidity constraints, increase social interaction, and stimulate entrepreneurship for rural households. We advised the government to promote mobile payment adoption in rural areas and enhance its design. Additionally, better medical resources should also be made available to rural households. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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15 pages, 1145 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Land Attachment on Land Abandonment from the Perspective of Generational Difference: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China

by Yue Zhang, Guihua Liu, Zhixing Ma, Xin Deng, Jiahao Song and Dingde Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11651; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811651 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2070

Abstract

The deepening of rural population aging and the lack of labor transfer cause the phenomenon of land abandonment to become more serious, which threatens regional and even national food security. Based on the survey data of 540 farmers in Sichuan Province, the theoretical [...] Read more.

The deepening of rural population aging and the lack of labor transfer cause the phenomenon of land abandonment to become more serious, which threatens regional and even national food security. Based on the survey data of 540 farmers in Sichuan Province, the theoretical analysis framework of land attachment, intergenerational difference and land abandonment was constructed, and Probit and Tobit models were constructed to empirically analyze the influence of land attachment and intergenerational difference on land abandonment. Research results show that: (1) 10.9% of the farmers abandoned their arable land, with an average area of 0.17 mu; the interviewed farmers are mainly of the middle-aged generation; the scores of the three dimensions of farmers’ land attachment were all at the above average level. (2) Land dependence has no significant effect on land abandonment, while satisfaction and embeddedness have significant negative effects on land abandonment. (3) There are generational differences in the influence of land attachment on land abandonment. Among them, the land attachment of the middle-aged generation had no significant effect on land abandonment; the satisfaction and embeddedness of the older generation of farmers have negative effects on land abandonment; the satisfaction of the new-generation farmers has a significant negative effect on farmland abandonment. Based on this research, countermeasures and suggestions are put forward: (1) Pay attention to the emotional appeals of farmers and improve their well-being. (2) Cultivate new types of agricultural business entities and stimulate the potential of new human resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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12 pages, 362 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Impact of Members’ Social Capital within Agricultural Cooperatives on Their Adoption of IPM in China

by Yuying Liu, Ziqi Liu, Jingzheng Liu, Ling Qiu, Yulin Wang and Xinhong Fu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11538; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811538 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2239

Abstract

Agricultural cooperatives are effective facilitators of green production technology promotion. What is the role of social capital within agricultural cooperatives with the most competitive advantage in technology promotion? Using the survey data of 465 citrus-planting cooperative members in Sichuan Province, this study uses [...] Read more.

Agricultural cooperatives are effective facilitators of green production technology promotion. What is the role of social capital within agricultural cooperatives with the most competitive advantage in technology promotion? Using the survey data of 465 citrus-planting cooperative members in Sichuan Province, this study uses the IV-probit model and mediating effect model to analyze the impact role of social capital within agricultural cooperatives on its members’ adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) technology. The bootstrap method is also used to test the robustness of the parameter estimates. The results show that: (1) the social capital within agricultural cooperatives has a significant positive impact on IPM adoption; (2) cooperative members’ IPM cognition has a partial mediating effect on the impact of the social capital within agricultural cooperatives on its members’ adoption of IPM technology (more than 51.37%). Therefore, among all the optional IPM technology promotion measures of cooperatives, multi-dimensional accumulation of the social capital within agricultural cooperatives and promotion of IPM technology awareness level of members is a viable path. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

22 pages, 2205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heterogeneous Effects of Skill Training on Rural Livelihoods around Four Biosphere Reserves in China

by Qi Sun, Yunli Bai, Chao Fu, Xiangbo Xu, Mingxing Sun, Baodong Cheng and Linxiu Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11524; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811524 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1687

Abstract

The growing contradiction between protection and livelihood is a common challenge for most protected areas in developing countries. Skill training is an important way to increase household income and alleviate the dilemma between conservation and development. However, its effects on household income around [...] Read more.

The growing contradiction between protection and livelihood is a common challenge for most protected areas in developing countries. Skill training is an important way to increase household income and alleviate the dilemma between conservation and development. However, its effects on household income around protected areas have rarely been explored. This paper aims to evaluate the effect of skill training on the income of households around four Biosphere Reserves in China and explore its mechanism. Based on the information collected from 381 households through face-to-face interviews, this study adopted descriptive analysis and multiple regression to yield consistent results. The results showed that agricultural and off-farm skill training had no impact on the total household income. The results from the mechanism analysis found that participation in off-farm skill training had a significant and positive effect on the total income of the households outside protected areas and participation in agricultural training had a positive effect on agricultural income. The findings indicate that the local government and protected area administration should increase the publicity for skill training, enrich the types training, appropriately supply livelihood support projects that reconcile conservation and development, and strengthen the infrastructure development around protected areas to promote off-farm employment and the circulation and sale of agricultural products. However, the impacts of any associated intensification should be carefully monitored. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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17 pages, 2492 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Fragmentation to Intensification: Land Reform in China’s “New Era”

by Qiang Wang, Liying Yu and Yueling Yang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11223; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811223 - 7 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2138

Abstract

Combining the current national conditions of China and the status quo of rural land, realizing the transformation of land from fragmentation to intensification is the only way for China to move towards agricultural modernization. We selected Feicheng City, Shandong Province, as the research [...] Read more.

Combining the current national conditions of China and the status quo of rural land, realizing the transformation of land from fragmentation to intensification is the only way for China to move towards agricultural modernization. We selected Feicheng City, Shandong Province, as the research area, conducted regression analysis on the data by means of questionnaires and key interviews, and identified the influencing factors that can affect and change farmers’ willingness to transfer (WTT) their land and willingness to the duration (WTD) of land transfer. The study found that 82.54% of farmers are willing to transfer land, and the WTD is 9.34 years. Among them, five factors, including job stability, purchased houses in urban area, cultivated land roads, degree of policy understanding, and emotion for the land, can significantly affect the farmers’ WTT. Six factors, namely, age, job stability, number of family members, purchased houses in urban area, non-agricultural income, emotion for the land, can significantly affect the farmers’ WTD. Based on this, we propose the “MPEU theory” of farmers’ land transfer. That is, by allowing farmers to change their minds, understand policies, increase the non-agricultural employment rate, and improve the level of urbanization, the farmers’ WTT/WTD can be improved, and the level of land intensification can be improved. Finally, agricultural modernization, peasant citizenization, and rural urbanization will be realized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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14 pages, 547 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Public Health Services, Health Human Capital, and Relative Poverty of Rural Families

by Yingya Yang, Liangliang Zhou, Chongmei Zhang, Xin Luo, Yihan Luo and Wei Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 11089; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191711089 - 4 Sep 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2945

Abstract

With the successful completion of the battle against poverty, after 2020, the focus and difficulty of China’s poverty governance will change from solving absolute poverty to alleviating relative poverty. Analyzing and studying the alleviation of relative poverty from the perspective of public health [...] Read more.

With the successful completion of the battle against poverty, after 2020, the focus and difficulty of China’s poverty governance will change from solving absolute poverty to alleviating relative poverty. Analyzing and studying the alleviation of relative poverty from the perspective of public health services is in line with the current needs of consolidating and expanding poverty alleviation in China, and it is also of great significance to building a long-term solution mechanism for relative poverty. In this study, basic panel data were constructed by using the data of five CFPS surveys in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 and matched with the macro data. The correlation between public health services and rural households’ relative poverty was also analyzed by using logit regression analysis and the KHB mediation effect decomposition method. The results show that (1) public health services play a significant role in promoting the accumulation of health human capital, improving individual feasible ability, and alleviating the relative poverty of rural families; (2) the improvement of public health services is conducive to the alleviation of the relative poverty of rural families; (3) we should continue to increase investment in public health care in underdeveloped areas and strive to promote the balanced development of public health services, so as to further consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty eradication. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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22 pages, 3148 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Forms, Channels and Conditions of Regional Agricultural Carbon Emission Reduction Interaction: A Provincial Perspective in China

by Yanqiu He, Hongchun Wang, Rou Chen, Shiqi Hou and Dingde Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10905; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710905 - 1 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1732

Abstract

Agricultural emission reduction is a key objective associated with sustainable agricultural development and a meaningful way to slow down global warming. Based on the comprehensive estimation of agricultural carbon emissions, this study applied the traditional spatial Durbin model (SDM) to analyze the type [...] Read more.

Agricultural emission reduction is a key objective associated with sustainable agricultural development and a meaningful way to slow down global warming. Based on the comprehensive estimation of agricultural carbon emissions, this study applied the traditional spatial Durbin model (SDM) to analyze the type of regional emission reduction interaction and explore whether it is a direct or an indirect interaction caused by technology spillovers. Moreover, geographic, economic, and technical weights were used to discuss the channels of emission reduction interactions. The partitioned spatial Durbin model was applied to explore the realization conditions of regional emission reduction interactions. We found that: (1) comprehensive emission reduction interactions were identified in various regions of China, including direct and indirect interactions, in which geographic and technical channels were the major pathways for direct and indirect emission reduction interactions, respectively; (2) regions with similar economic development levels are more likely to have direct interactions, whereas regions with low technical levels are more willing to follow the high-tech regions, and the benchmarking effect is noticeable; (3) emission reduction results promoted by economic cooperation may be offset by vicious economic competition between regions, and more emission reduction intervention measures should be given to regions with high economic development levels; (4) to achieve better technological cooperation, regions must have similar technology absorption capabilities and should provide full play to the driving force of technical benchmarks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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25 pages, 1793 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatio-Temporal Variation and Decomposition Analysis of Livelihood Resilience of Rural Residents in China

by Shulei Cheng, Yu Yu, Wei Fan and Chunxia Zhu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10612; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710612 - 25 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1924

Abstract

The key to sustainable rural development and coordinated regional development is to properly measure the livelihood resilience of rural residents (LRRR), and investigate its regional differences, distribution characteristics, and evolutionary patterns. This study combined the entropy method, the Dagum Gini coefficient and decomposition, [...] Read more.

The key to sustainable rural development and coordinated regional development is to properly measure the livelihood resilience of rural residents (LRRR), and investigate its regional differences, distribution characteristics, and evolutionary patterns. This study combined the entropy method, the Dagum Gini coefficient and decomposition, kernel density estimation, and convergence analysis to measure the LRRR in 30 provinces of China from 2006 to 2020, and to analyze its regional differences and sources, dynamic distribution, and characteristics of convergence. The LRRR in China overall declined 2006–2020, with an east-to-west spatial gradient toward lower livelihood resilience. Intra-regional differences in LRRR narrowed in the Eastern and Central Regions, while those in the Western Region widened. Inter-regional differences were the main source of differences in LRRR. The LRRRs in most provinces in China were gradually reaching the same level over time (i.e.,

σ

convergence and

β

convergence). This research provides a factual reference for policies related to reducing inter-provincial differences in the LRRR in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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26 pages, 2597 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Household Groups’ Land Use Decisions Investigation Based on Perspective of Livelihood Heterogeneity in Sichuan Province, China

by Hong Tang, Jian Liu, Xiaowen Dai, Yun Zhang, Wendai He, Qi Yin, Feng Huang, Ruiping Ran and Yunqiang Liu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9485; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159485 - 2 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2047

Abstract

Land use decision-making is a vital livelihood strategy associated with the rational collocation of livelihood asset endowments by rural households. Based on the perspective of livelihood heterogeneity, this paper collected the data from 540 farm households in 27 villages in three Sichuan Province [...] Read more.

Land use decision-making is a vital livelihood strategy associated with the rational collocation of livelihood asset endowments by rural households. Based on the perspective of livelihood heterogeneity, this paper collected the data from 540 farm households in 27 villages in three Sichuan Province counties to identify the land use decision-making characteristics of the household groups. A land use decision-making framework (LUDF) based on the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF) was established and dynamic and dual indicators were developed to divide the sample into six household groups. The household livelihood capital, livelihood strategies, and livelihood diversity were then analyzed at the regional and household group level, and the land use decisions of these household groups were explored, from which the following was found. (1) Overall livelihood capital in the study area was low, and except for human assets, there were few other assets, with households in the survey areas being more inclined to engage in non-farming livelihood activities; however, households in Nanjiang and Qionglai had greater livelihood activities choices than Luxian. (2) The LL-type household was the chief household group; the household group distribution in Qionglai was well-proportioned but uneven in Nanjiang and Luxian; and the HL-type, ML-type, and LL-type household livelihood strategy choices were polarized. (3) Most households were involved in land self-cultivation, followed by land transfer-in, land transfer-out, and land abandonment households. Specifically, there were more households that cultivated fragmented landholdings than specialized households with large-scale landholdings, the land transfer rate was relatively low, the transfer-in land area was far greater than the transfer-out land areas, and a small number of households that had abandoned their land were still involved in agricultural production. (4) There were obvious discordant human–land relationships and inefficient land uses in the study area. Based on these findings, relevant policy recommendations are given to improve farm household livelihood capital, optimize livelihood strategies, and assist in land use decision-making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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15 pages, 390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Tibetan Household Livelihood Capital Enhance Tourism Participation Sustainability? Evidence from China’s Jiaju Tibetan Village

by Wei Shui, Yiyi Zhang, Xinggui Wang, Yuanmeng Liu, Qianfeng Wang, Fei Duan, Chaowei Wu and Wanyu Shui

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9183; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159183 - 27 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2099

Abstract

Identifying effective transformations to reduce poverty and approach rural sustainability is at the core of the first sustainable development goal of the United Nations. This article offers scientific support for continued efforts in sustaining rural development and livelihood resilience. Many studies have examined [...] Read more.

Identifying effective transformations to reduce poverty and approach rural sustainability is at the core of the first sustainable development goal of the United Nations. This article offers scientific support for continued efforts in sustaining rural development and livelihood resilience. Many studies have examined drivers of livelihood transition from farming to non-farm activities, especially participation in tourism against the backdrop of rural tourism development. However, few studies have identified ways to measure the level of tourism participation or have discussed how household-level capital influences decisions regarding tourism participation made by Tibetan ethnic households. This article assesses the role of livelihood capital in the adoption of tourism activities at the household level in Jiaju Tibetan Village, an ethnic region that is experiencing struggling agricultural business and developing tourism sector. Using household survey data, this study presents an ordinal logistic regression model to identify the determinants of the household tourism participation level. The results showed that households’ tourism participation was influenced by physical capital (e.g., proximity to major roads, odds ratio = 2.83 at p = 0.024; fixed capitals, odds ratio = 101.19 at p = 0.039), human capital (e.g., availability of family labor, odds ratio = 0.25 at p = 0.004; availability of skilled member, odds ratio = 2.91 at p = 0.002), and social capital (e.g., relatives in governmental sectors, odds ratio = 5.22 at p = 0.044; government payments, odds ratio = 8.78 at p = 0.04), while the influence of financial capital was not significant. The proximity to major roads, availability of skilled members, fixed assets, and direct and indirect support from the government to households were significantly and positively associated with tourism participation level. The effects of household labor availability and annual family income remain unclear. Overall, household livelihood capital plays a critical role in the enhancement of tourism participation in Jiaju Tibetan Village. Our findings have implications for understanding the shift of on-farm occupation to off-farm activities in tourism and for the pursuit of policies contributing to poverty reduction and rural revitalization in China as well as to the Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

14 pages, 334 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Influence of Informal Employment on Residents’ Happiness in China: Empirical Analysis Based on CLDS Data

by Guangyan Chen, Feng Qiu, Xiaowen Dai, Hongxing Lan and Jiahao Song

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9085; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159085 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2284

Abstract

The influence of informal employment on residents’ happiness has gained wide attention around the world. However, few studies focus on this topic in China. Using the 2016 wave of the China Labor Force Dynamics Survey (CLDS) data, we examined the effect of informal [...] Read more.

The influence of informal employment on residents’ happiness has gained wide attention around the world. However, few studies focus on this topic in China. Using the 2016 wave of the China Labor Force Dynamics Survey (CLDS) data, we examined the effect of informal employment and its mechanisms on residents’ happiness in China. Our study shows there is a significant negative correlation between informal employment and residents’ happiness in China. Moreover, the correlation between informal employment and residents’ happiness is stronger for residents who are female, migrating, and with a rural household registration. In addition, we investigated possible mechanisms of the effect, including individual income, social respect, unemployment expectations, and social security, and found that informal employment reduces the happiness of residents by widening the gap in unemployment probability and social insurance level among residents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

19 pages, 4837 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial–Temporal Features and Correlation Studies of County Rural Hollowing in Sichuan

by Shili Guo, Qiuyan Chen, Yao He and Dingde Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9075; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159075 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2041

Abstract

The research on rural hollowing is necessary for policy making related to rectifying hollow villages in the Rural Revitalization Strategy. In this context, Sichuan was chosen as a typical region to explore the spatial–temporal features and relevant factors of rural hollowing. The results [...] Read more.

The research on rural hollowing is necessary for policy making related to rectifying hollow villages in the Rural Revitalization Strategy. In this context, Sichuan was chosen as a typical region to explore the spatial–temporal features and relevant factors of rural hollowing. The results show that (1) from 2010 to 2018, rural hollowing shows a downward trend. The average of comprehensive hollowing dropped by 0.028, and 119 counties have a decrease in the degree of comprehensive hollowing. (2) During the same study period, the regional characteristics of the rural hollowing degree were significant. High and higher degrees of comprehensive hollowing have an obvious decrease in number and have a trend of agglomeration in Central Sichuan. High and higher degrees of land hollowing have an obvious decrease in number, and they were mainly distributed in Northwest Sichuan in 2018. The degree of population hollowing gradually increases from west to east, and high and higher degrees of population hollowing have a significant increase in number, mainly concentrated in East Sichuan. The degree of economic hollowing has obvious spatial characteristics from west to east, and high and higher degrees of economic hollowing have an increase in number, mainly concentrated in Chengdu Plain. (3) During the same study period, the spatial distribution characteristics of rural hollowing degree at the county level in Sichuan Province were obvious. The high-value clustering is mainly concentrated in Chengdu Plain Economic Zone, and the range of clustering is decreasing. Low-value clustering was mainly distributed in Northeast Sichuan Economic Zone and Northwest Sichuan Economic Zone. (4) Rural hollowing in Sichuan Province is negatively correlated with average elevation and per capita arable land area; rural hollowing is positively correlated with urbanization rate and industrial output value. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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14 pages, 1004 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Adoption of Honeybee Pollination Promote the Economic Value of Kiwifruit Farmers? Evidence from China

by Shemei Zhang, Jiliang Ma, Liu Zhang, Zhanli Sun, Zhijun Zhao and Nawab Khan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8305; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148305 - 7 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2326

Abstract

Honeybee pollination plays a significant role in sustaining the balance and biodiversity of sustainable rural development, agricultural production, and environments. However, little research has been carried out on the agricultural and economic benefits of pollination, especially for small farmers. This study investigated the [...] Read more.

Honeybee pollination plays a significant role in sustaining the balance and biodiversity of sustainable rural development, agricultural production, and environments. However, little research has been carried out on the agricultural and economic benefits of pollination, especially for small farmers. This study investigated the adoption of honeybee pollination and its impact on farmers’ economic value using primary data from 186 kiwifruit farmers in three major producing districts, such as Pujiang, Cangxi, and Dujiangyan, in the Sichuan province of China. This study was conducted in two different steps: first, we used a bivariate probit model to estimate factors influencing honeybee pollination and artificial pollination adoption; second, we further used the Dynamic Research Assessment Management (DREAM) approach to analyze the influence of the adopted honeybee pollination economic impact. The results showed that: (1) growers with higher social capital, proxied by political affiliation, are more aware of quality-oriented products, and older growers tend to choose less labor-intensive pollination technology; (2) with the increase in labor costs, more kiwifruit growers would choose honeybee pollination, and more educated growers, measured by the number of training certificates, are more likely to adopt honeybee pollination; (3) the lack of awareness and access to commercial pollinating swarms hinders the adoption of honeybee pollination; (4) in addition to the economic benefit to producers, honey pollination also brings an even larger consumer surplus. This study suggests some policy recommendations for promoting bee pollination in China: raising farmers’ awareness and understanding of bee pollination through training, promoting supply and demand in the pollination market, and optimizing the external environment through product standardization and certification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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19 pages, 2126 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Digital Inclusive Finance Mitigate the Negative Effect of Climate Variation on Rural Residents’ Income Growth in China?

by Chunyan He, Anjie Li, Ding Li and Junlin Yu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8280; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148280 - 6 Jul 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3460

Abstract

Global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have exacerbated climate variation. Climate variation impacts the agricultural production and rural residents’ income negatively, further widening the urban-rural income gap and harming the co-benefits. Narrowing the income gap has always been a global concern and an important [...] Read more.

Global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have exacerbated climate variation. Climate variation impacts the agricultural production and rural residents’ income negatively, further widening the urban-rural income gap and harming the co-benefits. Narrowing the income gap has always been a global concern and an important part of China’s rural revitalization strategy. However, little is known about whether digital inclusive finance can mitigate the negative impact of climate variation on rural residents’ income growth in China. Using panel data from 31 provinces in China from 2011 to 2019 and a digital inclusive finance index developed by Peking University, together with historical temperature data, this study examined the impact of digital inclusive finance on Chinese rural residents’ income growth in response to climate variation. It was found that digital inclusive finance could promote rural resident operating, wage, and transfer income growth. A heterogeneity analysis revealed that rural residents in central and western regions experienced larger digital inclusive finance facilitating effects on income growth than the eastern regions. Further analyses using the Spatial Dubin Model found that digital inclusive finance had a spatial spillover effect as it could significantly promote income growth in neighboring provinces. Although climate variation reduced rural residents’ income and increased their risks, digital inclusive finance significantly mitigated this negative effect. Digital information infrastructure construction, financial risk prevention, digital financial knowledge, and e-commerce popularization were practical paths to optimizing inclusive finance development in rural areas and promoting poverty alleviation and rural revitalization to resist climate risks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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19 pages, 1085 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does the Application of ICTs Improve the Efficiency of Agricultural Carbon Reduction? Evidence from Broadband Adoption in Rural China

by Pan Rao, Xiaojin Liu, Shubin Zhu, Xiaolan Kang, Xinglei Zhao and Fangting Xie

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7844; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137844 - 26 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2077

Abstract

Based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, this paper examines whether rural broadband adoption affects agricultural carbon reduction efficiency (ACRE), using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2019. This paper achieves a measurement of ACRE by taking the carbon [...] Read more.

Based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, this paper examines whether rural broadband adoption affects agricultural carbon reduction efficiency (ACRE), using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2019. This paper achieves a measurement of ACRE by taking the carbon sink of agricultural as one of the desired outputs and using a Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model and the global Malmquist–Luenberger (GML) index. The results show that: (1) Rural broadband adoption has a positive effect on ACRE. The relationship between the income of rural residents and ACRE was an inverted U-shaped, which confirms the EKC hypothesis. (2) Land transfer has a significant promoting effect on the relationship between rural broadband adoption and ACRE. When the land transfer rate is high, the positive effect of broadband adoption is obvious. (3) The positive effect of broadband adoption on ACRE was more obvious when farmers invested more in production equipment, that is to say, it has a significant positive moderating effect. As farmers in many developing countries suffer from increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events, we believe that the results of this study also have implications for the implementation of agricultural carbon reduction and smart agricultural equipment roll-out in many countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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17 pages, 1099 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Land Policy Promote Farmers’ Subjective Well-Being? A Study on Withdrawal from Rural Homesteads in Jinjiang, China

by Fachao Liang, Zehua Wang and Sheng-Hau Lin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7414; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127414 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2875

Abstract

Urbanization and aging populations are threatening the sustainability of rural development around the world. Improving the happiness of rural residents is closely related not only to rural development but also to the harmony and stability of a country. Sustainable development has become an [...] Read more.

Urbanization and aging populations are threatening the sustainability of rural development around the world. Improving the happiness of rural residents is closely related not only to rural development but also to the harmony and stability of a country. Sustainable development has become an important strategy for China’s rural areas. Although withdrawal from rural homesteads is an important issue in rural land policy, few researchers have examined the determinants of the subjective well-being of farmers following withdrawal. The current paper investigated 315 rural residents under three models of the “withdrawal from homestead” policy in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China. The application of the orderly probit model revealed how satisfaction with economic, social, environment, cultural, and policy factors impacted their subjective well-being. The pooled results showed that satisfaction with cultural and policy factors had no significant impact; however, the other aspects significantly promoted their subjective well-being. The empirical model with interaction terms indicated the significant positive impact of economic, environmental, and social factors on subjective well-being under the index replacement model, while only environment and social factors exerted a significant positive impact under the asset replacement and monetary compensation models. Corresponding policy implications are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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18 pages, 1323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Peer Effects on Farmers’ Purchases of Policy-Based Planting Farming Agricultural Insurance: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China

by Xueling Bao, Fengwan Zhang, Shili Guo, Xin Deng, Jiahao Song and Dingde Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7411; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127411 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2269

Abstract

The tendency to conform with peers, and learning by imitation, have become new influencing factors that affect farmers’ purchases of policy-based planting agricultural insurance. Based on the survey data of 540 farmers in Sichuan Province in 2021, this study empirically analyzed the impact [...] Read more.

The tendency to conform with peers, and learning by imitation, have become new influencing factors that affect farmers’ purchases of policy-based planting agricultural insurance. Based on the survey data of 540 farmers in Sichuan Province in 2021, this study empirically analyzed the impact of peer effects on farmers’ purchases of policy-based planting agricultural insurance and its mechanism. The results show that: (1) Regardless of whether farmers’ relatives and friends visit during the New Year period, the purchase of policy-based planting agricultural insurance by relatives and friends will positively and significantly affect the purchasing behavior of the farmers. (2) The impact of the peer effect on the behavior of farmers purchasing policy-based planting agricultural insurance is related to the relationship between the strengths and weaknesses. (3) The results of the mechanism analysis show that, through the mediating variables of social network and trust, the influence of the peer effect is weakened. (4) Heterogeneity analysis shows that farmers having a larger land scale and higher educational background are more influenced by the same peer effect. The results of the study emphasize the importance of the peer effect on the behavior of farmers purchasing policy-based planting agricultural insurance, and can provide a decision-making reference for the formulation of related policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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19 pages, 666 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Self-Employment on the Health of Migrant Workers: Evidence from China Migrants Dynamic Survey

by Wanting Huang, Lei He and Hongxing Lan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 5868; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105868 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2837

Abstract

Rural-to-urban migrant workers are at high risk of health inequalities in cities. Since labor is a central social determinant of health, this paper provided evidence on the health consequences of self-employment among mobile populations in developing countries. The cross-sectional data from the 2017 [...] Read more.

Rural-to-urban migrant workers are at high risk of health inequalities in cities. Since labor is a central social determinant of health, this paper provided evidence on the health consequences of self-employment among mobile populations in developing countries. The cross-sectional data from the 2017 data of the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) and the IV-Oprobit model are used to examine the effects of self-employment on health. The results showed that: (1) Self-employment was positively related to health; (2) among the self-employed, the health effects of opportunity self-employed are larger than those of necessity self-employed; (3) in the subsample analysis, the health effect of self-employment was greater for male and Han nationality migrant workers; (4) self-employment promotes health primarily through reducing manual labor, increasing flexibility time, job stability, financial rewards, and social integration directly or indirectly. Thus, focusing on improving the social security system, granting entrepreneurial subsidies, and optimizing the business environment mean boosting the positive effect of self-employment on economic development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 3796 KiB

Open AccessReview

Bibliometric Analysis in the Field of Rural Revitalization: Current Status, Progress, and Prospects

by Leng Liu, Congjie Cao and Wei Song

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 823; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010823 - 1 Jan 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4655

Abstract

Rural areas play an important role in global sustainable development. In recent years, however, rural development has experienced global crises, such as issues in public education, health care, roads, water and sanitation, along with environmental pollution and a lack of natural resources. It [...] Read more.

Rural areas play an important role in global sustainable development. In recent years, however, rural development has experienced global crises, such as issues in public education, health care, roads, water and sanitation, along with environmental pollution and a lack of natural resources. It is therefore important to promote rural revitalization in the process of modernization. To objectively reveal the current research status in the field of rural revitalization, we analyzed relevant publications in the Web of Science from 1991 to 2021. The results are as follows: (1) In the past 30 years, the number of publications on rural vitalization has increased, and the period from 1991 to 2021 can be divided into three stages, the initial period (1991–2004), the development period (2005–2016), and the high-yield period (2017–2021). (2) Research on rural revitalization covered 60 countries or regions around the world, involving a total of 3099 authors. China, the United States, and Canada published most of the articles. (3) High-frequency keywords were migration, management, and urbanization, indicating that scientists considered the role of sustainable urban and rural development, policy formulation, and urbanization. We highlight that for the development of the field of rural vitalization, scientists need to further strengthen theoretical research, fully absorb the development achievements of advanced countries and regions, understand the laws and trends of urban and rural development in their own countries, and explore new paths to achieve rural vitalization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Livelihoods Resilience and Sustainable Rural Development)

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