Time Preference, Perceived Value, and Farmers’ Adoption of Biopesticides

Green agricultural technologies play a vital role in enhancing ecological quality, and biopesticides, as a key component, can reduce chemical pollution while improving soil health. Drawing on micro-level survey data from farmers in Sichuan Province, China, this study employs an ordered probit model to assess the effect of farmers’ time preferences on their willingness to adopt biopesticides. It examines the underlying mechanisms through the lens of perceived value theory. The results indicate that farmers with a stronger orientation toward future returns are significantly more likely to adopt. Time preference influences adoption decisions by shaping the perceived value of biopesticides in terms of ecological improvement, intergenerational health protection, and food safety assurance, with mediating effects accounting for 22.90%, 57.18%, and 26.14% of the total effect, respectively. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the influence of time preference is weaker among farmers with higher educational attainment, and that larger cultivated areas further attenuate its impact on large-scale farmers’ adoption willingness. These findings provide micro-level evidence and targeted policy insights to foster the adoption of green agricultural technologies.