Estimation of Ecological Compensation Standards for Fallow Heavy Metal-Polluted Farmland in China Based on Farmer Willingness to Accept

Abstract

Abstract:In the context of China's trial fallow policy; the heavy metal pollution of farmland is addressed via field surveys in Hunan Province, where the fallow policy has been implemented, and in Jiangxi Province, where it has not been implemented. We measured and analyzed willingness to accept (WTA) using the contingent valuation method (CVM). The conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) Farmer awareness of heavy metal pollution and pollution sources is higher in Jiangxi Province than in Hunan Province; (2) Ignoring the impact of other factors, the WTA of farmers is 902 (yuan /mu) in Jiangxi Province and 902.26 (yuan /mu) in Hunan Province. Considering the influence of the basic characteristics of the respondents using the parameter estimation method, the WTA of farmers is 839.34 (yuan/mu) in Jiangxi Province and 934.39 (yuan/mu) in Hunan Province. There is little difference in WTA between the two provinces, but both estimates are higher than the national compensation standards; (3) The factors that affect the WTA of farmers in Jiangxi Province are gender, education level, average annual income and per capita arable land. The factors that affect the WTA of farmers in Hunan Province are age, education level, family size, average annual income, per capita arable land area and farmer occupation; (4) At present, the means and methods of compensation for the implementation of the fallow policy are recognized by most farmers. The paper concludes with some policy suggestions based on above findings.

Effect of Irrigation Level and Irrigation Frequency on the Growth of Mini Chinese Cabbage and Residual Soil Nitrate Nitrogen

“…The planting area accounts for more than 60% of the province. However, it is common for farmers to apply excessive fertilization and poorly planned irrigation in the management process, and the soil environmental problems caused by these methods are substantial [6,7]. In the process of the growth and development of crops, the absorption and utilization of N nutrients are limited.…”

Public Preferences for the Design of a Farmland Retirement Project: Using Choice Experiments in Urban and Rural Areas of Wuwei, China

“…The possible reason is that the change of social benefits caused by FRP is not evenly distributed between urban and rural samples. Rural residents are more likely to take the risks caused by land retirement than urban residents [48]. Urban residents have higher WTPs for levels of vegetation type attribute, but lower WTPs for levels of priority zone attribute than that of the urban residents.…”

Regional Cooperation for the Sustainable Development and Management in Northeast Asia

“…Even if the farmers' awareness of heavy metal pollution and pollution sources is higher in Jiangxi province than in Hunan province, the WTA of farmers in Hunan Province is a little higher at 934.39 (yuan/mu), than the 839.34 (yuan/mu) in Jiangxi Province. It implies that the factors affecting the WTA of farmers in Hunan Province are much diverse due to the compensation incentives [9]. This comparison showed that too strong intervention by the policy regime may result in moral hazard among farmers.…”

“…In the early 2010s, most of the research focused on the regional or provincial difference, while during the middle of the 2010s, major focus moved to the city or county level. Xie et al analyzed the comparative advantages of the environmental incentives on the heavy metal-polluted farmland in China, based on farmers' willingness to accept (WTA) and its compensation for the land [9]. They compared the two provinces of Hunan, where the fallow policy has been implemented, and Jiangxi, where it has not been implemented yet.…”