Input subsidy programmes (ISPs) remain a popular but contentious policy tool to promote agricultural intensification, food security and poverty reduction across Africa. Although previous studies have explored the impact of ISPs on various smallholder outcomes, no studies have analysed the impact of recent ISPs on pest management. This is particularly important given the increasing pest challenges due to climate change and the recent surge in pesticide use in low‐income countries and its associated negative consequences for human and environmental health. Thus, this study assessed the effects of ISPs on smallholder adoption of sustainable pest management practices, using data from 1048 smallholder maize plots across major maize‐producing zones of Zambia and a control function regression approach. We find consistent evidence that input subsidy receipt is negatively associated with smallholders' adoption of environmentally friendly and sustainable pest management strategies. Participation in the Zambia ISP (particularly the flexible e‐voucher system) encourages synthetic pesticide use, at the expense of sustainable practices. We also find that farmers consider synthetic pesticides and biopesticides as substitutes and are more likely to adopt sustainable pest management when they have tenure security and access to financial resources. Given the human and environmental health consequences associated with synthetic pesticide use, it would be important to leverage input subsidy schemes to promote the adoption of safer and more sustainable alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Beyond input subsidies, policies that improve tenure security and financial access for smallholders can promote the adoption of sustainable pest management practices.

中文翻译：

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农业投入补贴是否会阻碍害虫综合治理的采用？来自赞比亚的证据

投入补贴计划（ISP）仍然是促进整个非洲农业集约化、粮食安全和减贫的流行但有争议的政策工具。尽管之前的研究探讨了 ISP 对各种小农结果的影响，但没有研究分析近期 ISP 对害虫管理的影响。鉴于气候变化造成的害虫挑战日益严重，以及低收入国家最近农药使用量激增及其对人类和环境健康产生的相关负面影响，这一点尤为重要。因此，本研究利用赞比亚主要玉米产区 1048 个小农玉米地块的数据和控制函数回归方法，评估了 ISP 对小农采用可持续害虫管理做法的影响。我们发现一致的证据表明，投入补贴的收到与小农采用环境友好型和可持续的害虫管理策略呈负相关。参与赞比亚 ISP（特别是灵活的电子优惠券系统）鼓励使用合成农药，但牺牲了可持续实践。我们还发现，农民将合成农药和生物农药视为替代品，并且在拥有土地保有权保障和财政资源的情况下更有可能采用可持续害虫防治。考虑到与合成农药的使用相关的人类和环境健康后果，利用投入补贴计划来促进采用更安全、更可持续的合成农药替代品非常重要。除了投入补贴之外，改善小农保有权保障和财务准入的政策也可以促进可持续虫害防治实践的采用。