Farmland pollution severely threatens humanity’s sustainable development. Exploring farmland quality protection behavior (FQPB) from the farmers’ perspective is considered one of the best ways to solve the farmland pollution problem. This study develops a theoretical framework for farmers’ FQPB from the perspectives of place attachment (consisting of place identity, dependency, and affection) and self-efficacy. We conducted a primary survey of 412 corn farmers from the northwestern Chinese province of Gansu and empirically examined the effects of place attachment and self-efficacy on farmers’ FQPB and verified the moderating effects that self-efficacy exerts on the influence of place attachment on FQPB by using hierarchical regression and propensity score matching models. The results indicate that: (1) among the three dimensions of place attachment, farmers with stronger place identity and place affection are more likely to implement FQPB; conversely, farmers who exhibit stronger place dependency are less likely to engage FQPB; and (2) self-efficacy not only effectively promotes farmers’ FQPB but also has an enhancing effect on the influence of place identity and place affection on FQPB. Our results suggest that policymakers should encourage farmers to maintain a place’s image and guide farmers to participate in place construction; thus, farmers’ place identity and place affection can be fostered. Meanwhile, the government should diversify the income sources of farmers to reduce their dependency on a single source. The finding that self-efficacy effectively promotes FQPB also implied that the formulation of farmland quality protection policies should shift from traditional command-based policies to participatory approaches, utilizing the initiative of farmers to enhance the policy’s effectiveness, which can not only promote farmers’ FQPB through self-efficacy but also strengthen the positive influence of place identity and place affection on FQPB.

Excess fertilization is a major cause of agricultural environmental pollution. However, different studies attribute farmers’ fertilization behavior to different factors, hindering theoretical and empirical development. Using a meta-analysis of 64 empirical studies on Chinese farmers’ fertilization behavior, this study first systematically collects, combines, and analyzes the existing studies to identify the key influencing factors that may affect farmers’ environment-friendly fertilization behavior (FEFB) in China. A meta-regression analysis is further applied to explore how the effects of the factors identified have changed over time. The results showed that the key factors include gender, health status, risk attitude, family size, farm size, environmental concern, social norms, cadre status, and policy propaganda. Over time, the influence of family size, environmental concern, cadre status, and policy propaganda is stable; the influence of social norms gradually strengthens; and the influence of risk attitude weakens. Although household income and the proportion of agricultural income have no significant effect, their influence gradually increases and changes positively and significantly over time; hence, they may become important factors in the future. Our results provide important policy implications for policymakers and agricultural managers to develop appropriate strategies to reduce the usage of chemical fertilizers in China.

Exploring farmers’ willingness for cultivated land quality protection (WCQP) is crucial for preserving land quality. The existing sociopsychological research often examines farmers’ WCQP from a single perspective—either self-identity or social identity—overlooking the structural relationship between the two. This oversight hinders the development of synergistic policies for cultivated land quality protection. Based on a micro-survey of 439 farm households in Shaanxi Province, China, this study constructs a theoretical analysis framework for farmers’ WCQP that integrates the structural relationships of self-identity and social identity. Self-identity is further subdivided into cognitive identity, emotional identity, and behavioral identity. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the study analyzes the impact of cognitive identity, emotional identity, behavioral identity, and social identity on farmers’ WCQP. Additionally, the moderating effects of social identity are explored. The results indicate that (1) based on the baseline regression results, farmers’ cognitive identity, emotional identity, behavioral identity, and social identity all promote WCQP among farmers; (2) the analysis of moderating effects further indicates that farmers’ social identity enhances the positive impact of cognitive identity on their WCQP. However, the moderating effect of social identity is conditional in shaping the impact of emotional identity on farmers’ WCQP. These findings remain valid after addressing endogeneity and conducting robustness tests. When farmers’ emotional identity is high, social identity strengthens its promotive effect on their WCQP, but when farmers’ emotional identity is low, social identity actually hinders this effect. Our research not only simultaneously considers both the self-identity and social identity of farmers but also delves into their structural relationship. This provides theoretical support and practical guidance for developing more targeted land quality conservation policies from a social–psychological perspective.

Farmers’ decision-making behavior is shaped by familial intergenerational ties and neighborhood relations, yet research often treats them as independent decision-makers, overlooking these critical dynamics. This oversight can undermine the effectiveness of policies on farmland quality. Using micro-survey data from 1045 maize farmers in Gansu Province, China, this study explores farmers’ fertilizer reduction behavior through a theoretical framework that incorporates intergenerational behavioral transmission and neighborhood effects. Economically optimal fertilizer usage was calculated using the Cobb–Douglas production function, with hierarchical regression models and instrumental variable methods employed for analysis. Our findings reveal the following: (1) The Cobb–Douglas production function indicates that 74.1% of farmers apply more fertilizer than the economically optimal amount. (2) Effective intergenerational behavioral transmission and positive neighborhood effects significantly promote farmers’ adoption of reduced fertilizer application practices, with neighborhood effects further enhancing the effects of intergenerational behavioral transmission. (3) Stronger neighborhood effects not only enhance the positive impact of effective intergenerational behavioral transmission but also mitigate the negative impact of ineffective transmission. Additionally, neighborhood effects mediate the relationship between intergenerational behavioral transmission and fertilizer reduction. This study highlights the importance of kinship and neighborhood dynamics in shaping farmers’ fertilizer use and provides insights for designing more effective farmland quality protection policies. By acknowledging these relational factors, governments can better promote sustainable agricultural practices and minimize excessive fertilizer application.