Impact of cadmium risk communication on household cadmium reduction technology adoption: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in China

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination is a significant threat to food safety and human health in China. A stratified randomized controlled trial was conducted in rice-growing areas in China to examine how different communication modes of soil cadmium contamination information affect smallholder household producers' adoption of cadmium reduction technology. The study finds that none of the three information intervention methods (manual, short message service, and combination) have significant effects on adopting cadmium reduction technology of smallholder households. Furthermore, the living environment of households is identified as a key threshold for effective information intervention. The manual intervention is more effective in promoting technology adoption of smallholder households living in cadmium risk areas. In addition, online social media and offline communication with village cadres can help strengthen the positive effects of three information intervention methods in cadmium risk areas. These findings suggest that low-cost information interventions are not always effective; the effectiveness of information interventions is affected by the living environment. Thus, low-cost information campaigns can help facilitate pollution control in cadmium risk areas.