ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Synergy of Fertilizer and Pesticide Reduction
in China: Measurement and Driving Factors
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1
School of Law and Business, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, China
2
Rural Sustainable Development Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
Submission date: 2023-11-13
Final revision date: 2023-12-12
Acceptance date: 2023-12-25
Online publication date: 2024-04-10
Publication date: 2024-04-18
Corresponding author
Yurong Yang
School of Law and Business, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(4):3665-3675
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ABSTRACT
There are few studies on the correlation between fertilizer reduction and pesticide reduction
in agricultural production. However, exploring the synergy of fertilizer and pesticide reduction (SFPR)
is crucial to the comprehensive realization of sustainable agriculture. This study reveals the spatialtemporal
evolution patterns of the SFPR in China using the Thiel index and elasticity coefficient
methods. The influencing factors of SFPR are empirically based on Synergy Theory. The results show
that the proportion of China’s fertilizer reduction is 12.43% and pesticide reduction is 27.32% from
2014 to 2020. That is, the performance of pesticide reduction is more significant in China. And there
is a synergistic and positive correlation between fertilizer and pesticide reduction in the provinces
of China. The results of the panel data regression model show that the SFPR relies significantly
on government policy, financial support, agricultural planting structure, per capita GDP, and agricultural
output value. Therefore, this study recommends further strengthening the awareness of responsibility for
fertilizer and pesticide reduction at the provincial government and promoting the projects of fertilizer
and pesticide reduction via a systematic approach.