Towards Sustainable Agricultural Development for Edible Beans in China: Evidence from 848 Households

Minor beans other than soybeans or peanuts are edible beans (EBs) that significantly contribute to the Chinese agricultural sector and play a vital role in the sustainability of agricultural production, diversification of food consumption, and income generation for producers. These beans are an important source of protein in a healthy diet, helping to improve national food security. In addition, adjusting and optimizing the industrial structure promotes the sustainable development of agriculture and diversifies staple food crops and introduction of new revenue streams for EB products. The current study examines the responses of mung bean and broad bean producers to environmental and internal input constraints. This study uses the production function with a multilevel mixed-effects method and is based on 848 households from two major EB-producing provinces of China in 2018 and 2019. The results show that local climatic conditions influence planting behavior. These types of beans are considered as a supplement and backup crop to the staple crop. Commercialization encourages cultivation. Producers show variable price responses to output prices, but very strong responses to product costs. Minor bean production is favored by small households because of its low labor intensity. For households growing these beans for consumption, soil fertility and environmental outcomes are improved. Findings from research on planting behavior have strong policy implications for guiding research and development for drought and pest resistance, market monitoring for price stabilization, promoting EB production through low-cost technologies, and encouraging sustainable agriculture.