Beyond financial literacy: the complementary role of self-control in the saving behaviour of family farmers

Purpose This study investigates the relationship between financial literacy and saving behavior among family farmers associated with cooperative organizations, examining whether self-control mediates this relationship within the framework of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Design/methodology/approach Adopting a quantitative, survey-based descriptive approach, data were gathered from 202 family farmers associated with collective enterprises in Bahia, Brazil. The proposed relationships were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), complemented by importance–performance map analysis (IPMA). Findings Financial literacy emerged as the strongest determinant of saving behavior among family farmers. Self-control partially mediated this relationship, indicating that behavioural regulation complements financial knowledge in promoting consistent saving practices. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design and the use of self-reported measures limit causal inferences and may introduce response bias. The findings contribute to the literature by showing that financial literacy alone may not be sufficient to promote saving behavior in vulnerable rural contexts, highlighting the importance of self-regulatory mechanisms in financial decision-making. The study also advances discussions on financial behavior in emerging economies by providing evidence from family farmers associated with cooperatives and associations, a population still underexplored in the international literature. Future studies could examine additional behavioural and socio-economic mechanisms influencing financial resilience and long-term financial practices. Social implications Improving financial behaviour in rural contexts may mitigate economic vulnerability, especially where access to formal financial systems is limited. Originality/value Theoretically, the study extends the SCT by elucidating how financial outcomes emerge from the interplay between cognitive attributes and behavioural self-regulation within social-institutional frameworks like rural cooperatives.