Impact of social capital on the provision of collective irrigation facilities—An analysis based on meso-level evidence from rural China

Effective farmland irrigation facility provision is not only a crucial indicator of high-standard farmland construction but also serves as an essential foundation for ensuring national food security and effective agricultural product supply. Based on mixed cross-sectional data from the 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 China Labour-force Dynamic Survey, this study measures village-level social capital from a meso-level perspective across social network, social trust, social harmony and organisational participation dimensions. Pooled cross-sectional probit and double-hurdle models are employed to empirically assess the impact of village-level social capital on village collective irrigation facility provision and supply. The findings indicate that (1) village-level social capital has a significant positive impact on the presence of irrigation facility provision, primarily through social network, social trust, social harmony and organisational participation pathways. (2) Village leaders' educational attainment and the public security environment positively moderate this process. (3) Heterogeneity analyses reveal that the positive effect of village-level social capital is particularly pronounced in lowly ‘hollowed-out’ villages, non-plains and eastern and central regions of China, emphasising its critical role as an institutional substitute when formal resources are scarce. Therefore, to overcome the dual constraints of capital and labour in rural public affairs, policymakers should actively cultivate village-level social capital, integrate formal governance with informal norms and leverage the catalysing role of capable village cadres.