Pesticide-free agriculture: insights into farmer adoption across crops

Abstract Emerging pesticide-free production systems in Europe could play a pivotal role in reducing pesticide use and associated risks. However, understanding of farmers’ decisions to adopt these systems, and the drivers and barriers specific to different crops, remains limited. This study uses the unique case of the simultaneous introduction of pesticide-free production for two crops (wheat and spelt) in Switzerland to assess whether adoption drivers are generic or crop-specific. We thus provide insights critical for scaling pesticide-free agriculture. By combining survey and environmental data, we find that behavioral characteristics are central to adoption, regardless of the crop. This highlights the challenges posed by limited and uncertain information in novel production systems. However, differences between wheat and spelt systems are evident. Adoption rates for pesticide-free production are higher in spelt, often cultivated with lower input use and on marginal lands. For spelt, expected yield reductions are less critical, while farm conditions, farmer experience, and environmental factors play a greater role. These findings emphasize the importance of tailored approaches in designing programs and policies to scale pesticide-free agriculture. Based on our analysis, we offer recommendations for policymakers and food-value chain stakeholders to support the adoption of pesticide-free production systems across different crops.