The path to adoption: farmers’ willingness, behavior and willingness-behavior consistency in cultivating <i>Bt</i> brinjal

Purpose Bt brinjal, a genetically modified (GM) variety of eggplant, was introduced in Bangladesh in 2014 to combat the eggplant fruit and shoot borer disease. Although extensive research has focused on farmers' willingness to adopt GM crops, the post-adoption behavior and the consistency between willingness and behavior remain underexplored. This study addresses these gaps by assessing the consistency between farmers' willingness and behavior regarding Bt brinjal adoption and the factors influencing their willingness, adoption behavior, and the consistency between willingness and behavior. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey of 308 farmers in Bangladesh was conducted. A bivariate probit model was used to analyze factors influencing adoption willingness and behavior simultaneously, while binary logistic regression examined determinants of willingness-behavior consistency. Findings The findings reveal that among the surveyed farmers, 64% initially expressed willingness to adopt Bt brinjal, while 36% were unwilling. Of those who were initially willing, 43% actually adopted it, showing consistent behavior, whereas 21% did not follow through, indicating inconsistency. Factors such as agricultural labor share, brinjal cultivation experience, organizational membership (e.g. NGOs), positive attitudes, and perceived ease of use significantly influenced willingness, behavior, and consistency. Conversely, frequent pesticide application and risk perceptions have had negative impacts. Originality/value This study is among the first attempts to comprehensively analyze the determinants influencing farmers' willingness to adopt, their behavior, and their willingness-behavior consistency regarding GM vegetable crop adoption. These findings are highly relevant for optimizing policies to enhance Bt brinjal adoption and offer valuable insights for promoting GM crop adoption in similar agricultural contexts.