Abstract:The ecological protection of cultivated land is crucial for advancing high-quality agricultural development. This study analyzes the impact of agricultural socialization services on the ecological conservation of farmland, focusing on the reduction of chemical fertilizers and pesticides among rice farmers in the Jianghan Plain area. Utilizing data from 743 farmer household surveys conducted in 2023, the findings reveal that agricultural socialization services significantly encourage farmers to reduce chemical input usage. Specifically, a 1% increase in the level of agricultural socialization services correlates with a 14% decrease in chemical fertilizers and a 16.4% decrease in pesticides per mu. The study identifies scale operation, factor substitution, and alleviation of capital constraints as mediating factors enhancing the efficacy of these services. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis indicates that these services are more effective in reducing chemical inputs among large-scale and newer-generation farmers compared to their small-scale and older counterparts. Additionally, technology-intensive socialized services exhibit a stronger impact on reducing chemical inputs than labor-intensive services.