Research on the impact of non-agricultural labor allocation on the adoption of green agricultural technologies by grain farmers: Micro-level evidence based on 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 grain-growing farmers’ adoption of green agricultural technologies is crucial for advancing the green transformation of agriculture. Based on the Agricultural Technology Diffusion Theory and the Rational Smallholder Theory, this study constructs an analytical framework linking non-agricultural labor allocation and grain-growing farmers’ adoption of green agricultural technologies. Using typical survey data of 709 grain-growing farmers in Liaoning Province in 2022, we employ 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: 1) The adoption of green agricultural technology for grain-growing farmers has differentiated labor non-agricultural allocation and regional differences. 2) Non-agricultural labor allocation directly inhibits farmers’ adoption of green technologies. 3) Household income plays a mediating role in the process by 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 the adoption of green agricultural technologies by grain-growing farmers. Accordingly, this study proposes policy recommendations: Innovate incentive mechanisms for non-agricultural labor allocation and build a technology diffusion-oriented policy system for green agricultural transformation; establish dual mechanisms for risk mitigation and market incentives to stabilize household income and strengthen the willingness to engage in farming; implement differentiated technology promotion and supporting safeguards to optimize farmer adaptation mechanisms for green transition; and build a mechanism for connecting agriculture and leading agriculture with "village collective + new business entities" to promote high-quality agricultural development.