Does Buddhist belief matter to pesticide application? Evidence from rice farmers in southern China

Excessive pesticide use in agriculture poses significant environmental and health risks, making it crucial to understand the factors influencing farmers’ pesticide use. While previous research has examined individual, economic, social and political factors, the impact of religious beliefs, particularly Buddhism, remains underexplored. This study uses the control function approach to analyze survey data from 3410 rice farmers in China (2018–2019), assessing how Buddhist belief affects pesticide use. The results indicate that Buddhist farmers use fewer pesticides per hectare and incur lower pesticide costs compared to non-Buddhist farmers. Robustness checks confirm the reliability of the findings. The negative effect of Buddhist belief on pesticide use is more pronounced among farmers who have received rice cultivation training, have a high level of risk perception, and hold cooperative membership, while this effect is weaker for farmers with more farming experience. Furthermore, the influence of Buddhist belief varies with farmers’ propensity to believe in Buddhism. These findings highlight the potential of integrating cultural and religious dimensions into agricultural policies to promote rational and sustainable pesticide application.