Research on the impact of non-agricultural labor allocation on the adoption of green agricultural technologies by grain farmers: Micro-level evidence based on a typical survey in Liaoning Province

The diversification of rural household income structures through non-agricultural labor allocation has become a significant trend. A deeper analysis of the impact and mechanisms of non-agricultural labor allocation on the adoption of green agricultural technologies by grain farmers is vital for advancing the green transformation of agriculture. Based on the agricultural technology diffusion and rational smallholder theories, in this study, we construct an analytical framework linking non-agricultural labor allocation and the adoption of green agricultural technologies by grain farmers. Using typical survey data from 709 grain-growing farmers in Liaoning Province in 2022, we employed Poisson regression, propensity score matching (PSM), and mediation effect models to systematically examine the effects of non-agricultural labor allocation on farmers’ adoption behaviors. The findings reveal the following: 1) the adoption of green agricultural technology by grain-growing farmers has differentiated between non-agricultural labor allocation and regional differences. 2) Non-agricultural labor allocation directly inhibits the adoption of green technologies by farmers. 3) Household income plays a mediating role in the process through which non-agricultural labor allocation influences technology adoption. 4) The willingness to engage in farming plays a positive moderating role between the non-agricultural allocation of the labor force and adoption of green agricultural technologies by grain-growing farmers. Accordingly, we propose the following policy recommendations: establishment of innovate incentive mechanisms for non-agricultural labor allocation and a technology diffusion-oriented policy system for green agricultural transformation; establishment of dual mechanisms for risk mitigation and market incentives to stabilize household income and strengthen the willingness to engage in farming; implementation of differentiated technology promotion and supporting safeguards to optimize farmer adaptation mechanisms for green transition; and development of a mechanism for connecting and leading agriculture with “village collective + new business entities” to promote high-quality agricultural development.