Behavioural and contextual drivers of agri-environmental schemes adoption among large-scale farms in Czechia

Agriculture substantially contributes to environmental and climate change, with agri-environmental schemes (AES) often used to reduce the associated impacts. In the EU, they are publicly funded, voluntary and incentivised through financial payments, but they can encounter resistance from farmers. The reasons for such resistance and variable adoption are poorly understood, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. Using the extended theory of planned behaviour as a conceptual lens, we explored the behavioural and contextual factors that shape large-scale farmers' perceptions of AES adoption. We conducted semi-structured interviews with representatives of large-scale farms. Thematic analysis of the interviews guided by the theoretical framework reveals how AES adoption is shaped by farmers' attitudes toward economic and environmental outcomes of AES, perceived behavioural control to implement AES in the context of broader farming objectives, and normative evaluations of legitimacy of AES in terms of good-farming ideals and external pressures. Furthermore, multi-level environmental, market, and legislative uncertainties emerged as crucial contextual barriers that diminish farmers' perceived behavioural control and intentions towards AES uptake. While our findings mirror previous research focused mostly on small to medium sized farms, our study brings novel insights that underscore the critical role of multi-level structural uncertainties. Thus, our study highlights the need for contextually sensitive policy frameworks and AES targeting that address these uncertainties, while also aligning with farmers’ values and normative beliefs.