Does e-commerce participation affect green agrotechnology adoption among reservoir resettlers? The case of China’s Three Gorges Reservoir area

Abstract

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This study explores how promoting e-commerce participation impacts the adoption of green agrotechnology by resettlers in China’s Three Gorges Reservoir area and helps rural revitalization and the realization of value from ecological produce. First, we combine induced innovation model theory with the risk perception factor of expected utility theory. A model of resettlers’ green agrotechnology adoption under different levels of e-commerce participation is constructed, and research hypotheses are proposed accordingly. Survey data gathered from resettled farmers in Zigui, the first county of the studied area, are tested empirically with an ordered probit model. The results show first, that e-commerce participation significantly and positively affects the level of green agrotechnology adoption at the 1% level; and second, that expectations of the ecological value of agricultural products and the agrotechnology support provided by e-commerce are important driving factors. The promotion effect of different modes of e-commerce participation on agrotechnology adoption differ. The risk-averse behavior of resettlers can weaken the promotion effect of e-commerce participation on agrotechnology adoption.

Keywords

• e-commerce participation
• green agrotechnology adoption
• risk perception
• reservoir resettlers
• ordered-probit model