Watershed-Based Governance for Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution: Empirical Insights from the Yangtze River Economic Belt

Agricultural non-point source (NPS) pollution poses a critical environmental challenge, particularly in ecologically sensitive watersheds. This study examines the impact of the Guiding Opinions on Strengthening Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Prevention and Control on NPS pollution in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), focusing on three key pathways: farmland pollution control, aquaculture pollution control, and rural domestic pollution control. Using econometric analysis, the results show that the Guiding Opinions significantly reduced agricultural NPS pollutant emissions by curbing mulch film usage and consolidating breeding farms. However, no significant effects were observed for investments in rural construction and sewage treatment, suggesting limited influence on rural domestic pollution control. The study attributes this limitation to substantial pre-existing infrastructure progress prior to the policy’s implementation. These findings highlight the importance of multi-entity collaboration for effective regulatory enforcement and suggest expanding the YREB’s “three-in-one” governance model to other watersheds. To enhance watershed-scale pollution control, the study recommends strengthening regulatory oversight for single-entity issues, fostering upstream-downstream cooperation, and incorporating pollution control into ecological compensation frameworks. These insights provide actionable guidance for advancing sustainable watershed governance and reducing agricultural NPS pollution.