Impact of social capital on the provision of collective irrigation facilities—An analysis based on meso-level evidence from rural China
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24214862 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yu Luo (0000-0001-6450-9410), Siyang Zhang (0000-0001-5540-0069), Wene Zhang, Baozhong Su (0000-0002-7564-341X) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 128 |
| Pages | 104442 |
| Publication date | 2026-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Rural Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0743-0167 • E-ISSN: 1873-1392 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2026.104442 |
| OpenAlex | W7214070483 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 27 |
Effective farmland irrigation facility provision is not only a crucial indicator of high-standard farmland construction but also serves as an essential foundation for ensuring national food security and effective agricultural product supply. Based on mixed cross-sectional data from the 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 China Labour-force Dynamic Survey, this study measures village-level social capital from a meso-level perspective across social network, social trust, social harmony and organisational participation dimensions. Pooled cross-sectional probit and double-hurdle models are employed to empirically assess the impact of village-level social capital on village collective irrigation facility provision and supply. The findings indicate that (1) village-level social capital has a significant positive impact on the presence of irrigation facility provision, primarily through social network, social trust, social harmony and organisational participation pathways. (2) Village leaders' educational attainment and the public security environment positively moderate this process. (3) Heterogeneity analyses reveal that the positive effect of village-level social capital is particularly pronounced in lowly ‘hollowed-out’ villages, non-plains and eastern and central regions of China, emphasising its critical role as an institutional substitute when formal resources are scarce. Therefore, to overcome the dual constraints of capital and labour in rural public affairs, policymakers should actively cultivate village-level social capital, integrate formal governance with informal norms and leverage the catalysing role of capable village cadres.
Food security · Harmonious Society · rural China · rural public goods · Social capital · Social networks · Social trust · village leaders · China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance · Regional Development and Environment · Social Capital and Networks
Methods for studying collective action in rural development
The Struggle to Govern the Commons
Power to the people
The impacts of land fragmentation on irrigation collective action
Demonstrated Benefits from Social Capital
What Explains Collective Action in the Commons? Theory and Evidence from the Philippines
The Effects of Migration on Collective Action in the Commons
Determinants of collective action on the local commons
Impact of environmental regulation perception on farmers' agricultural green production technology adoption
The Paradox of Group Size in Collective Action
Background on the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework
How Types of Goods and Property Rights Jointly Affect Collective Action
Enchantment and Disenchantment
Social and ecological resilience
Why some rural areas decline while some others not
Irrigation and Cooperation
Applying information network analysis to fire-prone landscapes
Shadow Spaces for Social Learning
Coping with Asymmetries in the Commons
Moral Ecological Rationality, Institutions and the Management of Common Property Resources
Social Capital and Community Resilience
| Highly cited | No |
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