Multidimensional factors are associated with farmers’ management-entity choices in Guizhou under China’s new round of the sloping land conversion program

A recent study examines the factors influencing farmers' decisions regarding management entities for sloping land conversion program (SLCP) projects in Guizhou Province, China. Utilizing data from 626 participating households, the research employs a Lasso-Logistic model to identify key variables and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to analyze their hierarchical relationships.

The findings reveal that off-farm employment, SLCP-converted forestland area, risk preference, irrigation convenience, and forest tenure certificates are positively associated with organized management decisions. Conversely, the number of acquaintances managing the same tree species negatively impacts this choice. ISM highlights risk preference and SLCP-converted forestland area as foundational factors, while acquaintances and irrigation convenience act as intermediate transmitters.

Off-farm employment and forest tenure certificates are positioned as surface-level proximate factors. These results demonstrate how labor allocation, resource endowments, social networks, management conditions, and tenure security collectively shape farmers' management choices. The study suggests that tailored management support, improved infrastructure and tenure services, and enhanced technical and market services could optimize SLCP-converted forestland management and bolster household income.