Farmers' acceptance of using reclaimed water. What makes the difference?

ABSTRACT Using reclaimed water for irrigation represents a promising circular economy approach to address water scarcity while improving the sustainability of water management in agriculture. Despite its potential, current adoption remains limited due to a range of different obstacles. This study explores how socio-behavioural variables such as trust in institutions and personal risk aversion influence farmers' willingness to adopt reclaimed water for irrigation. It also investigates the potential impact of an alternative governance model based on public-private partnership with a direct participation of farmers in decision-making. A controlled experiment was conducted involving a sample of 212 specialised olive growers from Southern Italy. Econometric analysis was used to elicit the drivers of adoption. The results highlight a context and path-dependent effect of institutional trust, conditioned by farmers’ previous experiences. Risk aversion emerged as a significant determinant of adoption, particularly when considered alongside individual characteristics such as education level. The findings underscore that the acceptance of reclaimed wastewater in agriculture is shaped by a complex interplay of psychological, institutional, and contextual factors. As such, there is no one-size-fits-all solution; successful implementation requires tailoring reuse schemes to the specific realities and needs of local farming communities.