Variable definitions and statistical descriptions
| Variable | Variable specification | Mean | SD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dependent variable | |||
| Soil and water conservation technology adoption | Whether a farmer has adopted or not? Yes = 1 and no = 0 | 0.64 | 0.48 |
| Core explanatory variables | |||
| Aging | The age of the head of household: age >60 years old = 1 and age < 60 years old = 0 | 0.30 | 0.46 |
| Off-farm employment social network | The proportion of non-agricultural income to total household income | 0.65 | 0.33 |
| Network learning | Do you often communicate with others about soil and water conservation measures? 1 = never, 2 = occasionally, 3 = generally, 4 = often and 5 = very frequently | 2.35 | 1.27 |
| Network interaction | Do you often walk with your relatives and friends? 1 = never, 2 = occasionally, 3 = generally, 4 = often and 5 = very frequently | 2.37 | 1.22 |
| Network reciprocity | Is the information and guidance provided by neighbors useful? 1 = never, 2 = occasionally, 3 = generally, 4 = often and 5 = very frequently | 3.06 | 1.21 |
| Technology cognition | |||
| Increase production value cognition | 1 = no effect, 2 = less effect, 3 = general, 4 = greater effect and 5 = very large effect | 3.48 | 1.01 |
| Increase revenue value cognition | 1 = no effect, 2 = less effect, 3 = general, 4 = greater effect and 5 = very large effect | 3.39 | 1.02 |
| Improving ecological environment value cognition | 1 = no effect, 2 = less effect, 3 = general, 4 = greater effect and 5 = very large effect | 3.78 | 0.84 |
| Control variables | |||
| Educational level | Illiteracy = 1, Primary school = 2, Junior middle school = 3, High school = 4 and College graduate or above = 5 | 2.44 | 0.95 |
| Gender | 1 = male and 0 = female | 0.97 | 0.18 |
| Agricultural machines quantity | Number of household farm machinery (unit) | 0.44 | 0.55 |
| Village cadres | Yes = 1 and no = 0 | 11.01 | 10.95 |
| Cultivated land area | Your cultivated and land area (mu) | 0.18 | 0.38 |
| Government investment | Yes = 1 and no = 0 | 0.64 | 0.499 |
| Severity of soil erosion | Soil erosion severity perception: 1 = no soil erosion, 2 = less serious, 3 = general, 4 = more serious and 5 = very serious | 2.57 | 1.12 |
| Variable | Variable specification | Mean | SD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soil and water conservation technology adoption | Whether a farmer has adopted or not? Yes = 1 and no = 0 | 0.64 | 0.48 |
| Aging | The age of the head of household: age >60 years old = 1 and age < 60 years old = 0 | 0.30 | 0.46 |
| Off-farm employment | The proportion of non-agricultural income to total household income | 0.65 | 0.33 |
| Network learning | Do you often communicate with others about soil and water conservation measures? 1 = never, 2 = occasionally, 3 = generally, 4 = often and 5 = very frequently | 2.35 | 1.27 |
| Network interaction | Do you often walk with your relatives and friends? 1 = never, 2 = occasionally, 3 = generally, 4 = often and 5 = very frequently | 2.37 | 1.22 |
| Network reciprocity | Is the information and guidance provided by neighbors useful? 1 = never, 2 = occasionally, 3 = generally, 4 = often and 5 = very frequently | 3.06 | 1.21 |
| Increase production value cognition | 1 = no effect, 2 = less effect, 3 = general, 4 = greater effect and 5 = very large effect | 3.48 | 1.01 |
| Increase revenue value cognition | 1 = no effect, 2 = less effect, 3 = general, 4 = greater effect and 5 = very large effect | 3.39 | 1.02 |
| Improving ecological environment value cognition | 1 = no effect, 2 = less effect, 3 = general, 4 = greater effect and 5 = very large effect | 3.78 | 0.84 |
| Educational level | Illiteracy = 1, Primary school = 2, Junior middle school = 3, High school = 4 and College graduate or above = 5 | 2.44 | 0.95 |
| Gender | 1 = male and 0 = female | 0.97 | 0.18 |
| Agricultural machines quantity | Number of household farm machinery (unit) | 0.44 | 0.55 |
| Village cadres | Yes = 1 and no = 0 | 11.01 | 10.95 |
| Cultivated land area | Your cultivated and land area (mu) | 0.18 | 0.38 |
| Government investment | Yes = 1 and no = 0 | 0.64 | 0.499 |
| Severity of soil erosion | Soil erosion severity perception: 1 = no soil erosion, 2 = less serious, 3 = general, 4 = more serious and 5 = very serious | 2.57 | 1.12 |