IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0340885.html

The impact of training on farmers’ human capital accumulation in rural China

Author

Listed:
  • Junxia Zeng
  • Lei Wan
  • Wenjin Long

Abstract

Training represents a crucial pathway for enhancing farmers’ human capital. China currently invests over 2 billion CNY (310 million USD) annually to train nearly a million professional farmers. While previous studies have primarily focused on the direct effects of training on production and income, there is no consensus on how training specifically contributes to farmers’ human capital accumulation. This study employs panel survey data from 753 farmers across four Chinese provinces collected in 2016 and 2019, utilizing Propensity Score Matching-Difference in Differences (PSM-DID) methodology to examine the impact of farmer training on participants’ human capital. The empirical analysis reveals that farmers who participated in professional training programs experienced significant improvements in their explicit human capital, demonstrated by increases of 6.76% and 13.30% in obtaining national vocational qualification certificates and farmer technical staff titles, respectively. Additionally, their internalized human capital showed marked enhancement, with increases of 21.03% and 11.29% in utilizing digital platforms such as WeChat groups and Douyin (or Kuaishou) for agricultural knowledge and skill acquisition. These findings suggest that China should continue prioritizing farmers’ human capital development, particularly through professional training programs, as a key strategy for promoting agricultural transformation and rural revitalization.

Suggested Citation

  • Junxia Zeng & Lei Wan & Wenjin Long, 2026. "The impact of training on farmers’ human capital accumulation in rural China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 21(1), pages 1-16, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0340885
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0340885
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0340885
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0340885&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0340885?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hugh Waddington & Birte Snilstveit & Jorge Hombrados & Martina Vojtkova & Daniel Phillips & Philip Davies & Howard White, 2014. "Farmer Field Schools for Improving Farming Practices and Farmer Outcomes: A Systematic Review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(1), pages -335.
    2. Phillips, Joseph M, 1994. "Farmer Education and Farmer Efficiency: A Meta-Analysis," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 43(1), pages 149-165, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jinyang Cai & Fengxiang Ding & Yu Hong & Ruifa Hu, 2021. "An Impact Analysis of Farmer Field Schools on Hog Productivity: Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Coppola, A. & Ianuario, S. & Chinnici, G. & Di Vita, G. & Pappalardo, G. & D'Amico, D., 2018. "Endogenous and Exogenous Determinants of Agricultural Productivity: What Is the Most Relevant for the Competitiveness of the Italian Agricultural Systems?," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 10(2).
    3. Song, Lina & Appleton, Simon & Knight, John, 2006. "Why Do Girls in Rural China Have Lower School Enrollment?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 1639-1653, September.
    4. Oltmer, Katrin & Florax, Raymond J.G.M., 2001. "Impacts Of Agricultural Policy Reform On Land Prices: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Literature," 2001 Annual meeting, August 5-8, Chicago, IL 20507, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    5. Rickards, Chima & Marenya, Paswel & Chiduwa, Mazvita & Eitzinger, Anton & Fisher, Monica & Snapp, Sieglinde, 2025. "Enhancing farmers' agency is a more effective extension paradigm: The case of soil health management in Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    6. Depoorter, Charline & Bemelmans, Janne & Marx, Axel, 2025. "The role of intermediaries in the implementation of sustainability standards. A case study of buyer-driven Rainforest Alliance certification in the Indonesian cocoa sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    7. Bjorn Van Campenhout & David J. Spielman & Els Lecoutere, 2021. "Information and Communication Technologies to Provide Agricultural Advice to Smallholder Farmers: Experimental Evidence from Uganda," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(1), pages 317-337, January.
    8. Connor, John M. & Bolotova, Yuliya, 2006. "Cartel overcharges: Survey and meta-analysis," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 1109-1137, November.
    9. Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Higgins, Daniel & Arslan, Aslihan, 2020. "Irrigation infrastructure and farm productivity in the Philippines: A stochastic Meta-Frontier analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    10. Yang, Dennis Tao & An, Mark Yuying, 2002. "Human capital, entrepreneurship, and farm household earnings," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 65-88, June.
    11. Thiam, Abdourahmane & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Rivas, Teodoro E., 2001. "Technical efficiency in developing country agriculture: a meta-analysis," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 25(2-3), pages 235-243, September.
    12. Sharada Weir, 1999. "The effects of education on farmer productivity in rural Ethiopia," CSAE Working Paper Series 1999-07, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    13. Nyondo, Christone J. & Minofu, Joyce & Goeb, Joseph & Burke, William J. & Kambewa, Daemon & Chikowo, Regis & Snapp, Sieglinde, 2025. "The impact of site-specific soil-test-based extension advice on farm management in Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    14. Joab J. L. Osumba & John W. Recha & George W. Oroma, 2021. "Transforming Agricultural Extension Service Delivery through Innovative Bottom–Up Climate-Resilient Agribusiness Farmer Field Schools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-24, April.
    15. Ragasa, Catherine & Ma, Ning & Hami, Emmanuel, 2024. "Farmer groups as ICT Hubs: Findings from a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Malawi," IFPRI discussion papers 2261, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    16. Maredia, Mywish K., 2009. "Improving the proof: Evolution of and emerging trends in impact assessment methods and approaches in agricultural development," IFPRI discussion papers 929, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Griffin, Terry Wayne & Zapata, Samuel D., 2015. "Optimal Cotton Insecticide Application Termination Timing: A Meta-Analysis," 2015 Annual Meeting, January 31-February 3, 2015, Atlanta, Georgia 196815, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    18. Bonabana-Wabbi, Jackline & Mugonola, B. & Ajibo, S. & Kirinya, J. & Kato, Edward & Kalibwani, R. & Kasenge, Valentine & Nyamwaro, S. & Tumwesigye, S. & Chiuri, W. & Mugabo, J. & Fungo, B. & Tenywa, M., 2013. "Agricultural profitability and technical efficiency: the case of pineapple and potato in SW Uganda," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 8(3), pages 1-15, September.
    19. Stephen Dobson & Carlyn Ramlogan & Eric Strobl, 2006. "Why Do Rates Of Β‐Convergence Differ? A Meta‐Regression Analysis," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 53(2), pages 153-173, May.
    20. Emmy De Buck & Karin Hannes & Hans Van Remoortel & Thashlin Govender & Axel Vande Veegaete & Alfred Musekiwa & Vittoria Lutje & Margaret Cargo & Hans‐Joachim Mosler & Philippe Vandekerckhove & Taryn Y, 2016. "PROTOCOL: Approaches to Promote Handwashing and Sanitation Behaviour Change in Low‐ and Middle Income Countries: A Mixed Method Systematic Review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), pages 1-46.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0340885. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.