Study on the Influence of Policy Guidance and Market-Driven Factors on Farmers’ Behavior Regarding Black Soil Protection

Enhancing black soil quality is essential for ensuring national food security and promoting sustainable economic development in Northeast China. This paper utilizes survey data from farmers in the typical black soil region of the Sanjiang Plain to establish a structural equation model. This study explores the theoretical mechanisms and practical logic behind the influence of policy guidance and market-driven factors on farmers’ black soil protection behavior. The research findings are as follows: The effect values of policy guidance and market-driven factors on farmers’ black soil protection behavior are 0.042 and 0.195, respectively, with the influence of market-driven factors being more significant. The linkage effect value between policy guidance and market-driven factors in promoting farmers’ black soil protection behavior is 0.396. There are differences in the influence pathways of policy guidance and market-driven factors on the black soil protection behavior of different types of farmers. Farmers managing dryland and those with smaller-scale operations are more significantly affected by both policy guidance and market-driven factors, with a noticeable linkage effect between the two. However, the issue of degradation in black soil quality remains severe, and the awareness of black soil conservation among farmers still requires reinforcement. Future research should continue to explore the driving mechanisms behind farmers’ behaviors regarding black soil conservation and compare the actual effects and efficacy of various black soil conservation techniques through impact evaluations. This will facilitate the continuous improvement of mechanisms for black soil protection, ensuring the sustainable development of black soil quality, ecology, and biodiversity.