Calculation Of The Willingness Of Cotton Farmers In Aksu Region To Protect Their Cultivated Land Ecologically And The Level Of Compensation Received

Since 2007,the No.1 document of the Central Government for more than ten consecutive years has emphasized strict adherence to the red line of arable land,and the No.1 document of the Central Government for 2022 also proposes to implement "long teeth" hard measures to protect arable land.Strict protection of limited arable land has become the top priority in China’s current and future national economic and social development.The ecological environment is fragile and water resources are scarce in the southern border area.Since arable land is a public good,the phenomenon of "free-rider" has caused the asymmetry of cost and benefit between the main body of arable land ecological protection and the main body of beneficiaries,as well as the social inequity between regions.Therefore,it is important to study the impact of cotton farmers’ willingness to protect arable land ecologically on the ecological environment and economic development of the region.However,many cotton farmers are considering economic benefits while protecting the environment,so it is necessary to measure the expected level of compensation for cotton farmers.As the direct actors of arable land conservation,the main bearers of conservation costs and the biggest beneficiaries of conservation results,the study of their willingness to participate in arable land ecological protection and the level of compensation is an important element in the formulation of a scientific and reasonable compensation policy for arable land ecological protection.It is of great significance to promote the green development of agriculture.Based on the microscopic perspective of cotton farmers,this study takes Aksu region as the research area.Firstly,by studying domestic and foreign references,we discuss the concepts of ecological function of arable land,ecological protection of arable land and compensation for ecological protection of arable land,and analyze them by combining externality theory,public goods theory,sustainable development theory and welfare economics theory.Secondly,we analyze the cotton production in Aksu region and the ecological problems that occur in the process of cultivation.Then,based on 409 valid questionnaires from four counties(cities)in Aksu region,we conducted a descriptive statistical analysis on the basic characteristics of cotton farmers,their awareness of ecological conservation of arable land,and their willingness to conserve arable land.Based on the differences in the capital endowment characteristics,individual characteristics,and farmers’ perceptions of farmland ecological conservation,we first analyzed the factors influencing cotton farmers’ willingness to protect farmland ecologically using a binary logistic regression model,and then measured the level of compensation for farmland ecological conservation by using the CVM conditional value assessment method based on the research data.After that,the level of compensation for ecological conservation of cotton farmers’ farmland was further measured by the empirical results of Heckman’s two-stage model;the results of the two methods were compared and analyzed,and the level of compensation for ecological conservation of cotton farmers’ farmland in Aksu region was finally determined.The conclusions of the analysis are as follows:(1)Cotton farmers in the research area have a high level of awareness of the ecological protection of farmland.(2)The cotton farmers in the research area showed a strong willingness to protect their farmland ecologically on the whole.(3)The willingness of cotton farmers in the research area to protect the ecological level of cultivated land and the level of compensation are influenced by many factors.(4)The level of compensation for ecological protection of cultivated land of cotton farmers in the research area is 210.55 RMB/mu-years.Finally,combining with the research findings,the following suggestions were made: to strengthen cotton farmers’ awareness of cultivated land ecological protection and to enhance their ecological awareness to establish an effective incentive mechanism;to improve the information disclosure system and to establish a comprehensive management and supervision mechanism;and to strengthen the publicity on cultivated land ecological protection.