Effect of Agricultural Social Services on Green Production of Natural Rubber: Evidence from Hainan, China
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This paper proposes the green production efficiency of natural rubber, and this paper introduces the impact of agricultural social services on the green production of rubber, taking natural rubber farmers in Hainan Province as the target. The structure is reasonable and logical, and the design principle is clearly and moderately illustrated. To further improve this manuscript, I have the following suggestions:
1. There were too many tables and figures in this paper. “Table 6. Propensity score matching results” needs to be adjusted.
2. Are there other productive inputs that produce CO2 in addition to fertilizer inputs, pesticide inputs and fuel inputs that produce CO2 in the input variables of rubber farmers?
3. Are there other types of socialized agricultural services that rubber farmers in Hainan receive besides technical extension services, market information services, and financial and insurance services?
4. How were the control variables affecting the green production efficiency of rubber farmers selected?
5. The quality of English needs improving.
Author Response
Responses to Reviewer #1:
Thank you for offering constructive suggestions for improving the manuscript. We have revised the paper following your suggestions. All changes are marked up in revision mode. Besides, we have prepared a clear manuscript for your viewing convenience. Here are our responses to your comments：
(1) There were too many tables and figures in this paper. “Table 6. Propensity score matching results” needs to be adjusted.
Response:
Thank you for your suggestion. In order to express our study clearly and simply to the reader, we have used more figures and tables to facilitate the reader's understanding. We also modified Table 6 accordingly. Thanks.
(2) Are there other productive inputs that produce CO2 in addition to fertilizer inputs, pesticide inputs and fuel inputs that produce CO2 in the input variables of rubber farmers?
Response:
Thanks for your reminding. During our actual visits to investigate natural rubber production in Hainan, we found that the rubber production method differs greatly from traditional rice production, as shown by the fact that agricultural films and electric pumping equipment are rarely used in rubber production, and three major inputs are mainly fertilizer, pesticide and transportation fuel in the production of planting farmers. Therefore, we focus on calculating the carbon dioxide produced by fertilizer, pesticide and fuel inputs, and use this to represent the undesired output in the rubber cultivation process. Thanks.
(3) Are there other types of socialized agricultural services that rubber farmers in Hainan receive besides technical extension services, market information services, and financial and insurance services?
Response:
Thank you for the comments. According to our field interviews, the types of social services received by natural rubber farmers in Hainan are mainly technical extension services, market information services and financial and insurance services. In the future, with the further development of socialized services, farmers will have the opportunity to access more types of socialized services. Thanks.
(4) How were the control variables affecting the green production efficiency of rubber farmers selected?
Response:
Thank you for the comments. We found that in addition to agricultural social services that can affect the green production efficiency of rubber farmers, there are also some factors that can affect the green production efficiency of natural rubber, which we grouped as control variables, such as the education level of farmers, the area of farmers planting rubber, the income of farmers planting rubber, and the health status of farmers. Thanks.
(5) The quality of English needs improving.
Response:
Thanks for your reminding. We turned to professionals to help modify the view so that readers can read more fluently. Thanks.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
In this paper, the authors focus on the green production efficiency of natural rubber in Hainan, China. The authors found that agricultural social services have a positive and positive impact on the green production efficiency of natural rubber. This study is highly relevant to this publication. The background of their study is novel and practical. To further improve this manuscript, my major concerns are:
Concern #1:
Why was the natural rubber growing area in Hainan Province chosen as the subject of the study?
Concern #2:
Why use the input-output method to measure carbon dioxide emissions? How does this approach differ from the life-cycle approach to carbon emissions?
Concern #3:
In the discussion section, the authors can talk about some future trends of socialized agricultural services.
Concern #4:
How does the green production efficiency of natural rubber measured in the article differ from that of other agricultural crops such as rice?
Concern #5:
Paying particular attention to English grammar, spelling, and sentence structure so that the goals and results of the study are clear to the reader.
Concern #6:
Please add some recent papers, such as Li, L. (2022). Digital transformation and sustainable performance: The moderating role of market turbulence. Industrial Marketing Management, 104, 28-37.
Author Response
Responses to Reviewer #2:
Thank you for offering constructive suggestions for improving the manuscript. We have revised the paper following your suggestions. All changes are marked up in revision mode. Besides, we have prepared a clear manuscript for your viewing convenience. Here are our responses to your comments:
(1) Why was the natural rubber growing area in Hainan Province chosen as the subject of the study?
Response:
Thank you very much for the constructive comment. We choose rubber farmers in Hainan as the research object because Hainan is the largest hot area in China and also an important rubber planting base in China. Rubber planting in Hainan occupies about half of the total rubber planting area in China. Studying the green production efficiency of natural rubber plantation in Hainan is conducive to promoting the green development of natural rubber industry in China.Thanks.
(2) Why use the input-output method to measure carbon dioxide emissions? How does this approach differ from the life-cycle approach to carbon emissions?
Response:
Thanks for your reminding. We used the input-output model to measure carbon dioxide emissions in the process of natural rubber planting mainly because we found that the input and output data of farmers in the process of natural rubber planting were relatively easy to obtain, and we could conduct one-on-one interviews with group members. Compared with life cycle theory, input-output method is simpler and easier to carry out. Thanks.
(3) In the discussion section, the authors can talk about some future trends of socialized agricultural services.
Response:
Thanks for the valuable suggestion. We will add the future development of social services in the discussion section. Thanks.
(4) How does the green production efficiency of natural rubber measured in the article differ from that of other agricultural crops such as rice?
Response:
Many thanks for this comment. As a kind of tropical long-term cash crop, the production mode of rubber tree is obviously different from that of short-term cash crop rice. Firstly, the management of rubber plantation is basically in a state of extensive management. Secondly, the production of rubber requires different inputs of chemical products than that of rice. Thanks.
(5) Paying particular attention to English grammar, spelling, and sentence structure so that the goals and results of the study are clear to the reader.
Response:
Thank you for the comments and we will be looking for professional personnel to help modify the view, in order to make readers read more fluently. Thanks.
(6) Please add some recent papers, such as Li, L. (2022). Digital transformation and sustainable performance: The moderating role of market turbulence. Industrial Marketing Management, 104, 28-37.
Response:
Thank you for your recommendation. We have found that the paper you recommend is very inspiring for our work, and we have cited it. Thanks.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
The article entitled as "Effect of agricultural social services on green production of nat- 2 ural rubber: Evidence from Hainan, China"
The article discussed that It is vital to concentrate on conserving the ecological environment and promoting production efficiency in the process of planting natural rubber. Agricultural social services (ASS) play an essential role in helping rubber farmers to achieve green production. Based on the survey data of 552 natural rubber farmers in Hainan Province, this study builds an index system regarding socialized services for rubber production from three factors: technology extension services, financial insurance services and market information services. The research uses the slack based measure (SBM) model and the Tobit model to analyze the green production efficiency (GPE) and the influences of rubber production socialized services on the rubber growers’ green production efficiency. Our result revealed: (1) The average green productivity of rubber planting in Hainan is approximately 0.41, it means that there is ample space for improvement. (2) ASS have a significant positive effect on increasing green rubber production efficiency. (3) Among ASS, the technical extension service has the most significant effect on improving the green production efficiency of the growers. To further raise the green production efficiency of natural rubber planting, the socialized service system can be strengthened in terms of technology, capital and information. ASS have noticeable potential in improving the efficiency of rubber green production while ensuring economic, social and ecological sustainability.
Comments :
The article is focused and well-presented.
The heading and subheadings are nicely prepared and the use of English language is also appropriate.
The authors might improve the impact of the article by adding more literature data on global biomass production scenarios, especially the rice. The following article might be helpful to cite (https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.1818, 10.3389/fpls.2022.895740)
In the last paragraph of the introduction, may kindly justify the novelty of this article and how it will be helpful in improving the present understanding of this research area
Please add standard error bars in Figure 3. The planting area of natural rubber in cities and counties in Hainan in 2020
I must congratulate the authors for this good work.
Author Response
Responses to Reviewer #3:
Thank you for offering constructive suggestions for improving the manuscript. We have revised the paper following your suggestions. All changes are marked up in revision mode. Besides, we have prepared a clear manuscript for your viewing convenience. Here are our responses to your comments:
(1) The article is focused and well-presented.
Response:
Thanks for your recognition.
(2) The heading and subheadings are nicely prepared and the use of English language is also appropriate.
Response:
Thanks for your recognition.
(3) The authors might improve the impact of the article by adding more literature data on global biomass production scenarios, especially the rice. The following article might be helpful to cite (https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.1818, 10.3389/fpls.2022.895740)
Response:
Thank you for your recommendation. We have found that the paper you recommend is very inspiring for our work, and we have cited it. Thanks.
(4) In the last paragraph of the introduction, may kindly justify the novelty of this article and how it will be helpful in improving the present understanding of this research area.
Response:
Thank you for your suggestion. We have added our innovation and the significance of our research in the last part of the introduction.Thanks.
(5) Please add standard error bars in Figure 3. The planting area of natural rubber in cities and counties in Hainan in 2020.
Response:
Many thanks for this comment. We have improved and modified Figure 3. Thanks.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
