Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices by smallholders in Zambia: the role of cost and environmental behavior

Understanding the persistent gap between the promotion and uptake of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) remains a key policy challenge in Zambia, where SAPs have been promoted for more than three decades, but adoption remains s(low). This study examines how cost and environmental consciousness shape SAP adoption decisions. We found that 56.95% of farmers are cost-conscious while 55.17% are environmentally conscious. Panel probit estimates reveal three key findings. First, cost-consciousness is associated with a reduced likelihood of SAP adoption (minimum tillage (MT), MT with rotation and MT with intercropping by 3.41, 3.44 and 2.13 percentage points, respectively). Second, environmental consciousness is associated with an increased likelihood of adopting MT with rotation and MT with intercropping by 3.55 and 2.08 percentage points, respectively. Third, farmers identify limited technical knowledge and extension support, high labor requirements at planting, constrained access to credit, and lack of social recognition as important barriers to adoption and continued use of SAPs. The findings suggest that policies aimed at scaling adoption of SAPs should complement environmental messaging with measures that lower perceived and actual adoption costs through targeted incentives, improved extension services, and clearer information on the economic returns across cropping systems.