This study aims to explore the effects of individual rationality and policy context on farmers’ behavior of recultivating abandoned farmland. Based on micro-level survey data collected in 2023 from farm households in five provinces of China, and employing an extended “attitude-behavior-context” analytical framework together with a latent variable interaction effect model, the study analyzes and tests the decision-making mechanism and influencing factors underlying farmers’ recultivation behavior of abandoned farmland from the perspective of individual rationality. The results indicate that: 1) Farmers prioritize economic rationality in their decision-making regarding the recultivation of abandoned farmland, followed by social rationality, and lastly survival rationality. Economic rationality has a significant negative impact on farmers’ intention to recultivate abandoned farmland, while survival rationality and social rationality have a significant positive impact. 2) The economic policy contexts mitigate the negative impact of economic rationality on farmers’ intention to recultivate abandoned farmland, while the regulatory policy contexts weaken the promotion effect of survival rationality. Compared with the regulatory policy contexts, farmers prefer the economic policy contexts. 3) The recultivation of abandoned farmland brings positive effect perception to farmers, but this effect perception is not enough to significantly improve their intention to recultivate abandoned farmland. In conclusion, to effectively reduce farmland abandonment, the government should respond differently to the various levels of rational needs involved in farmers’ decisions to recultivate abandoned farmland, improve a policy system for recultivation that gives priority to economic incentives while being complemented by regulatory measures, and enhance farmers’ perceived benefits of recultivating abandoned farmland.
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