Does Culture Affect Farmer Willingness to Transfer Rural Land? Evidence from Southern Fujian, China

This research explored the impact of culture on farmer willingness to transfer rural land. Data from 30 interviews and 537 valid survey questionnaires were collected in three villages in Zhangzhou, Fujian, China that are representative of typical Southern Fujian culture. First, a qualitative analysis was conducted based on interview data using NVivo11. Thereafter, a quantitative analysis using structural equation modeling was completed. The results of the field interviews indicated that cultural, economic, and individual factors were the three main influences on willingness of farmers to transfer land. Cultural factors were further classified into folk, religious, language, and family cultures. Religious belief culture had a significant negative impact on farmer willingness to transfer land, while language, family, and folk cultures had significant positive associations with farmer land transfer intentions. It was found that rural culture had a significant influence on farmer willingness to transfer land. The findings will help in developing a more comprehensive theoretical framework for research on this topic.