Assessing farmers’ willingness to adopt conservation agricultural practices through an extended theory of planned behavior

The influence of socio-psychological factors on farmers’ intentions to adopt conservation agrarian practices (i.e., direct-seeded rice (DSR) and zero-tillage (ZT) maize) is rarely examined in developing countries. This research examines the direct and mediating relationships between various socio-psychological factors and farmers’ intentions to adopt DSR and ZT-maize. An extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) is utilized and empirically assessed through cross-sectional data collected from 600 farmers in Andhra Pradesh. The research employs Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to conduct the mediation analysis. The findings indicate that the socio-psychological constructs of the TPB model, including attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, are positively and significantly correlated with the adoption of conservation agriculture (CA). However, this association between socio-psychological constructs and intention of adoption is stronger in ZT-maize than in DSR adoption. In addition to the direct effect, the primary constructs of the TPB model mediate the relationship between the intention to adopt CA and other explanatory constructs used in this study. The findings indicate a positive partial mediation among perceived benefit, environmental benefit, coping appraisal, perceived ease of adoption, risk perception, and farmers’ intention to adopt DSR and ZT-maize. Risk perception exhibits a direct and mediated, yet negative, relationship with farmers’ intention to adopt DSR and ZT-maize. The perceived ease of adoption is a crucial factor in the selection of a CA practice. Farmers consider the adoption of ZT-maize as relatively straightforward, as it necessitates neither extensive apparatus nor advanced skills, hence influencing their attitudes and perceived behavioral control. Despite necessitating greater investment, machinery, and expertise, the adoption of DSR is sluggish. These findings provide a clear understanding of factors predicting farmers’ intention to adopt CA and a comprehensive insight into effectively establishing policies to adopt DSR and ZT-maize at the ground level. The study provides a critical scientific perspective for policymakers in developing countries facing challenges in scaling up CA practices.