The Effect Of Internet Use On The Household Food Safety Behavior Of Rural Residents

Internet penetration is growing rapidly in rural areas,which provides the environmental basis for improving household food safety behaviors.The spread of the Internet in rural areas stimulates the initiative of rural residents and promotes information sharing,facilitating the transmission of food safety information.On the one hand,with the acquisition of Internet information,the traditional thinking,knowledge,and cognitive viewpoint systems of rural residents will be expanded and updated,which will help stimulate their subjective initiative and improve their attitudes towards food safety knowledge acquisition.On the other hand,the level of food safety knowledge is a key factor influencing food safety behavior,and the Internet has greatly reduced information barriers,lowered the communication cost of residents,promoted information sharing between residents,and improved residents’ food safety knowledge level.Therefore,it is important to explore the relationship between the development of the Internet and the food safety behavior of rural households in order to promote the Internet to improve livelihood issues and enhance food safety in rural areas.This study mainly analyzes the impact of Internet use on the household food safety behavior of rural residents.The specific research contents are as follows:(1)describe the current situation of Internet use and household food safety behavior of rural residents using data from a sample of 1080 in three provinces in central China in 2019,and analyze the factors influencing household food safety behavior of two types of rural residents(Internet users and non-Internet users)using an ESR model;(2)evaluate the impact of Internet use on household food safety behavior of rural residents by estimating treatment effects and analyzing heterogeneity in terms of education,age,household income and non-farm employment;(3)based on existing findings,this paper explores the possible mechanisms of the influence of Internet use on rural residents’ household food safety behavior,using food safety knowledge acquisition and food safety knowledge level as examples.From the above study,this paper concludes the following:(1)There are differences in the factors influencing household food safety behavior between the two categories of rural residents who use and do not use the Internet.Whether rural residents use the Internet is influenced by the age,education level,employment status,household income,household size,and arable land area of the primary household decision maker;household food safety behavior of rural residents who use the Internet is influenced by education level and health status,while household food safety behavior of rural residents who do not use the Internet is influenced by education level,health status,household income,and household size.(2)Internet use has a significant improvement effect on rural residents’ household food safety behaviors,and the improvement effect is influenced by individual characteristics.Improvements in household food safety behaviors are more pronounced among rural residents who do not use the Internet than among those who use;improvements in household food safety behaviors are more pronounced among rural residents who has low levels of education,is young,have no non-farm employment,and had high household incomes.(3)Internet use may improve household food safety behaviors through two influential mechanisms: food safety knowledge acquisition and food safety knowledge.Internet use promotes food safety knowledge acquisition and food safety knowledge among rural residents,and the promotion effect is more pronounced for rural residents who already used the Internet.After drawing these conclusions,this paper makes several policy recommendations:(1)Focusing on the intersection of individual characteristics and Internet applications,precisely helping people lagging behind in rural Internet applications,and improving the inclusiveness of Internet applications;(2)Pay attention to the role of Internet use in improving household food safety behaviors,promote Internet coverage and use rates in rural areas,and strengthen rural residents’ Internet application skills training;(3)Increase the importance of food safety in rural areas and strengthen the self-awareness of rural residents.