Effect of government regulation on promotion of soil restoration practices among farmers in the Loess plateau: Unveiling the role of green ecological cognition

Soil remediation practices by farmers are crucial for improving soil quality and ensuring stable agricultural production. To analyze the factors influencing these practices, we surveyed 403 farmers in the Loess Plateau of Shaanxi and Shanxi, China. Using an ordered Probit model and moderation effect analysis, we investigated the direct effects of government regulations—specifically subsidies and technical training and the moderating role of farmers' ecological cognition on technology adoption. Our findings indicate: (1) Farmers generally accept and implement soil remediation technologies, with deep plowing being the most prevalent; (2) Government regulations, particularly subsidies and training, significantly enhance farmers' soil restoration efforts; (3) Farmers' green ecological cognition positively influences their restoration practices and moderates the impact of government regulation; (4) The influence of government regulation and cognition varies among farmers types, with subsidies being more crucial for smallholder, while training benefits larger operations more. These insights offer a new perspective for refining soil remediation policies and examining the global applicability of government regulation and farmers' cognition.