Identifying psychological factors that determine cattle farmers' intention to use improved natural grassland

The biome Pampa, in Brazil, is under threat from expansion of agriculture and overgrazing. Although several sustainable livestock farming innovations are currently available to farmers in the region, adoption rate remains low. This paper uses the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to identify the psyc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental psychology 2016-03, Vol.45, p.89-96
Main Authors: Borges, João Augusto Rossi, Oude Lansink, Alfons G.J.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adoption
Agrarische bedrijfseconomie
Bedrijfseconomie
Biome Pampa
Brazil
Business Economics
Farmers' decisions
Farming
Grasslands
Natural grassland
Norms
Pampas
Perception
Psychological factors
Structural equation modeling
Sustainability
Theory of planned behavior
WASS
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Summary:The biome Pampa, in Brazil, is under threat from expansion of agriculture and overgrazing. Although several sustainable livestock farming innovations are currently available to farmers in the region, adoption rate remains low. This paper uses the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to identify the psychological factors that influence farmers' intention to adopt improved natural grassland, an innovation that increases productivity at farm level and reduces damage to the environment. The TPB hypothesizes that adoption is driven by intention, which in turn is determined by three psychological constructs: attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Results show that the intention of farmers to use improved natural grassland was mainly determined by their perceptions about the social pressure to use this innovation (subjective norm), followed by their perceptions about their own capability (perceived behavioral control) to use this innovation, and their evaluation of the use of improved natural grassland (attitude). •Farmers' intention to use an innovation is mainly determined by social pressure.•Farmers' intention is influenced by their capability to use an innovation.•Farmers' intention is influenced by their evaluation of the use of an innovation.
ISSN:0272-4944
1522-9610
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.12.001