Liu Peiyuan, Zheng Xiaodong, Shangguan Shuangyue, Zhao Lina, Fang Xiangming, Huang Yuxiong, Hermanowicz Slav W
Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
School of Economics, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 Apr 11;12(8):1292. doi: 10.3390/nano12081292.
The usage of pesticides is deemed essential to ensure crop production for global food security. Conventional chemical pesticides have significant effects on ecosystems. Nanopesticides are increasingly considered an emerging alternative due to their higher efficiency and lower environmental impacts. However, large knowledge gaps exist in the public perceptions and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for nanopesticides. Thus, we conducted a regional survey of pesticide users and food consumers on perceptions and WTP for nanopesticides across China. We found that 97.4% pesticide users were willing to pay for nanopesticides, with a main price from 25% to 40% higher than for conventional pesticides. Experience with applying pesticides, income, familiarity with and attitude toward nanopesticides, and trust in industries were significant determinants of WTP. Although the public were not familiar with nanopesticides, they had positive attitudes toward their future development and supported labeling nanoscale ingredients on products. Pesticide users presented high trust levels in governments and industries, while 34% of food consumers neutrally or distrusted industries in selling and production. This study highlights the socioeconomic and technological aspects of nanopesticides, which could provide guidance for industries to develop market strategies and for governments to design relevant regulation policies effectively, contributing to crop yield improvement and sustainable agriculture.
农药的使用被认为对确保全球粮食安全的作物生产至关重要。传统化学农药对生态系统有重大影响。纳米农药因其更高的效率和更低的环境影响而越来越被视为一种新兴替代品。然而，公众对纳米农药的认知和支付意愿（WTP）存在很大的知识差距。因此，我们在中国各地对农药使用者和食品消费者进行了一项关于纳米农药认知和支付意愿的区域调查。我们发现，97.4%的农药使用者愿意为纳米农药付费，主要价格比传统农药高出25%至40%。农药使用经验、收入、对纳米农药的熟悉程度和态度以及对行业的信任是支付意愿的重要决定因素。尽管公众对纳米农药并不熟悉，但他们对其未来发展持积极态度，并支持在产品上标注纳米级成分。农药使用者对政府和行业表现出高度信任，而34%的食品消费者对行业的销售和生产持中立或不信任态度。本研究强调了纳米农药的社会经济和技术方面，可为行业制定市场战略以及政府有效设计相关监管政策提供指导，有助于提高作物产量和可持续农业发展。
