Research on Contractual Relationships, Social Trust and Farmers’ Green Production Behaviors: Based on Investigation and Analysis of Farmers in Main Tea-producing Areas of Anhui Province

This paper used micro-survey data from 921 households in the main tea-producing areas of Anhui Province, and employed an ordered Probit model to empirically analyze the impact of contractual relationships on farmers’ green production behaviors, and to test the mechanism of social trust. The research showed that both contractual relationships and social trust had a positive impact on farmers’ green production behaviors. Different dimensions of social trust all promoted farmers’ green production behaviors. Social trust had a partial mediating effect in the influence of contractual relationships on farmers’ green production behaviors; both interpersonal trust and institutional trust dimensions exhibited partial mediating effects. Based on this, this paper suggested that it is necessary to give full play to the guiding role of new agricultural business entities, enhance the soft constraints of rural trust, build a coordinated mechanism of contract and trust, formulate differentiated development strategies, strengthen farmers’ green production behaviors, and promote the development of green agriculture.