From bystanders to stewards: Prediction of farmers' water conservation behavioral willingness under water scarcity circumstances in Marvdasht County of Iran

Marvdasht County, Iran. Applying water conservation methods is one of the key strategies to reduce the impacts of climate change in water scarcity circumstances. In this regard, this paper aimed to identify and analyze the social and psychological factors affecting farmers' willingness to adopt water conservation behavior under climate change conditions. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 282 farmers using a validated and reliable closed-ended questionnaire. The theoretical framework is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). To capture broader behavioral influences, the TPB was extended in this study by incorporating three additional constructs—bystander effect, place attachment, and moral norms—allowing for a more comprehensive analysis of farmers’ decision-making. Based on the results, perceived behavioral control over employing water conservation practices (Beta=0.227; T = 3.355; Sig=0.001) had positive and significant effects on the willingness to adopt water conservation behavior. Attitude towards sustainable water consumption (Beta=0.312; T = 4.651; Sig=0.001) had positive and significant effects on farmers’ willingness. In the present study, the bystander effect, place attachment, and moral norms about sustainable water consumption were also added as extending constructs to the TPB. The results showed that place attachment (Beta=0.184; T = 3.410; Sig=0.001) and moral norms (Beta=0.265; T = 4.003; Sig=0.001) had positive and significant effects on farmers' willingness to conserve water. The results also indicated that moral norms about sustainable water consumption positively and significantly mediated the effects of bystander effect (Beta=0.061; T = 2.807; Sig=0.005), place attachment (Beta=0.068; T = 2.652; Sig=0.008), subjective norms (Beta=0.045; T = 2.652; Sig=0.008), and perceived behavioral control (Beta=0.070; T = 3.382; Sig=0.001) on the willingness to conserve water. The model explained 75.9 % of the variance in farmers' willingness to conserve water and 63.5 % of the variance in moral norms. These results provide valuable insights for policymakers, extension agents, and water resource managers in designing targeted interventions that enhance behavioral motivation and promote the adoption of sustainable water practices in agriculture. • Addressing water-related problems needs a multi-dimensional approach. • Farming communities are dealing with various barriers in adopting water-saving practices. • Social-psychological factors play an important role in increasing farmers' water conservattion willingness. • Observing the behaviors of others does not necessarily lead to a change in individual behavior.