Emotional connection empowers farmer-driven soil conservation

ABSTRACT A unified theoretical framework that comprehensively explains soil conservation behavior remains elusive. This underscores the significance and novelty of research exploring the psychological factors influencing farmers’ decisions. The concept of “connection to soil” captures the emotional bond that farmers develop with the land. We hypothesized that connection to soil acts as a mediator, strengthening the relationship between farmers’ pro-environmental propensity (broad commitment to environmental protection) and their adoption of soil conservation practices. This study involved 150 farmers, equally distributed across three culturally and geographically diverse regions in Chile. Our target population consisted of farmers who independently manage soil practices on their farms. Data collection utilized surveys incorporating three validated scales: pro-environmental propensity, connection to soil, and soil conservation behavior. While pro-environmental propensity directly predicted the adoption of specific soil conservation practices, this study highlights the crucial role of connection to soil in translating this general environmental motivation into concrete actions. Notably, we identified a significant indirect effect of pro-environmental propensity on soil conservation behavior mediated by connection to soil (ab = 0.15, 95 % CI [0.05, 0.26], p<0.001). This finding is particularly relevant because traditional soil science education has primarily focused on psychomotor and cognitive learning, neglecting the affective domain (emotions and feelings). Consequently, the potential of fostering connection to soil as a response to global soil degradation has been under-emphasized. Our contribution lies in highlighting the importance of connection to soil as a factor influencing farmers’ soil conservation behavior.