The Impact of Institutional Pressures on Farmers’ Willingness to Transition to Green Production: A Perspective of New Institutional Theory

Promoting farmers’ transition to green production has become a critical issue for advancing green agriculture. Most previous studies have focused on the “efficiency mechanism” in understanding farmers’ transition to green production, which cannot fully explain farmers’ decision-making. From the lens of new institutional theory, this study emphasizes a “legitimacy mechanism.” Using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, this study examines the impact of institutional pressures on farmers’ willingness to transition to green production. In-depth interviews with 47 Chinese farmers reveal three key institutional pressures, which are regulatory pressures, normative pressures, and cultural-cognitive pressures. These pressures significantly constrain the green transition as farmers seek legitimacy and support within the existing system. These findings are further validated through empirical analysis. Our findings highlight the critical role of the institutional environment in the green transition of agriculture and offer practical guidance on reducing institutional pressures to facilitate farmers’ transition to green practices.