Does Cognition of Resources and the Environment Affect Farmers’ Production Efficiency? Study of Oasis Agriculture in China

Abstract

Improving production efficiency can help overcome the constraints of resource scarcity and fragile environments in oasis agriculture. However, there are few studies about the effect of farmers’ cognition of resources and the environment on their production efficiency. Taking farmers in the Ganzhou District of Zhangye—a typical representative of oasis agriculture in an inland river basin in Northwest China—this study empirically analyzed the effect of farmers’ cognition of resources and the environment on agricultural production efficiency. The average agricultural productivity of the surveyed farmers is 0.64, which is much lower than the average level in China. Farmers’ cognition of resources and the environment is related to green production willingness and behavior. Green production willingness, green production behavior between cognition of resources and the environment, and agricultural production efficiency play a chain mediating role, showing that farmers’ cognition of resources and the environment indirectly affects production efficiency. Green planting willingness is formed based on cognition of resources and the environment; when farmers translate willingness into behavior, it will further improve agricultural production efficiency. Recommendations are made based on the findings, such as strengthening the cognition of resources and the environment, mobilizing enthusiasm for green production, and promoting the practice of green planting.