The impact of geographical indication usage on farmers' perception of ecosystem services: A test based on PSM model

China is a major agricultural country, and geographical indications of agricultural products can promote high-quality agricultural development, alleviate issues relating to agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents, and achieve comprehensive rural revitalization. In the context of insufficient research on the impact of geographical indications on ecosystem protection, research on the perception effect of geographical indications on ecosystem services can serve as supplementary content to enrich the protection effect of geographical indications. This article constructs an ecosystem service perception evaluation index system based on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Framework. Taking the high-quality apple production base in the Weibei dryland region as an example, this study explores the perception effect of geographic indications on ecosystem services through propensity score matching method. Research has found that the participation of farmers in the use of geographical indications is influenced by the gender of the head of household, education level, understanding of geographical indications, attention to apple quality, and the location. Geographical indications have a significant impact on the perception of ecosystem services, and the perception level of ecosystem services by farmers participating in the use of geographical indications has increased by 3.8% to 4.3%. In the future, it is necessary to continue to promote geographical indications and encourage more farmers to participate in their use in order to improve their perception of ecosystem services.