Can government intervention induce standardized waste management for small farmers: analysis based on the perspective of element transformation

Standardizing the green production behavior of small farmers is the due meaning of traditional agriculture. In this study, we first construct a theoretical framework for government interventions in the waste management behavior of small farmers. Second, based on micro research data, an empirical analysis was conducted on the impact of government interventions on the waste management behavior of small farmers and their impact mechanisms. The results show that incentivized government intervention has no significant impact on the standardized waste management behavior of small farmers. Guiding and constraining government interventions influence the waste management behavior of small farmers by “transforming” their production factors. Guiding government intervention promotes standardized waste management by improving small farmers’ productive fixed asset investments and technology application levels, whereas constraining government intervention mainly plays this role by improving the former. The older the small farmers, the greater is the impact of their productive fixed asset investment on waste management, and the younger the small farmers, the greater is the impact of their technology application level. In the future, it will be necessary to focus on improving subsidy policies for waste resource utilization to support small farmers. Meanwhile, we should continue to strengthen the “hematopoietic” function of guiding and constraining government intervention, induce small farmers to transform traditional production factors, and thereby improve their level of standardized management.