Using a Technology Acceptance Model to investigate what factors influence farmer adoption of a nutrient management plan

The agricultural sector will play a key role in reaching the goals set out in the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, and so understanding farmer behaviour in relation to farm management best practice is important. In this paper, we investigate if the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) can predict farmer adoption of an online nutrient management plan (NMP). A NMP has the potential to reduce the risk of nutrient transfer from agricultural land, without negatively affecting farm-level profitability. The TAM identifies two psychological constructs, perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU), which are believed to be key factors in technology adoption. The data were collected through a survey from 358 farms by a team of professional data recorders in 2015. Results indicate that PU and PEOU of a NMP are positively and significantly related to a farmer’s intention to adopt and use the technology in the future. However, PU, which captures the perceived benefits in terms of usefulness, is the main driver of technology adoption. Results show that those farmers who adopt and use the technology are more likely to have larger farms and are full-time farmers. They use agricultural extension services and the farm is also more likely to be the main contributor to overall household income. The research recommends that the usefulness of a NMP, in terms of increased profitability, improving nutrient management practices, labour and time-saving advantages, should be highlighted and clearly communicated to farmers.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Selected Aspects of Extension Approaches Across Different Agro Ecological Zones

Aims: Understanding how different agricultural organisations implement extension approaches across different Agricultural Ecological Zones is very critical for the success and impact in agricultural sector. This paper therefore assessed the effect of Agro-Ecological Zones on implementation of agricultural extension approaches to provide an insight into how to improve dissemination of improved technologies. Study Design: A cross-sectional survey combining quantitative and qualitative data collection methodologies was used. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in six counties of western Kenya: Nyamira, Kisii, Homa-bay, Migori, Kisumu, and Siaya counties. The study was conducted between September to December 2019. Methodology: 12 agricultural institutions within the study area were sampled. A multi stage random sampling technique was used to identify 492 respondents comprising; 12 head of agriculture in the institutions, 120 extension personnel and 360 household heads across different Agricultural Ecological Zones (AEZs). Data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The inferential statistics were set at the 0.05 level for significance. Kruskal Wallis test and Dunn-Bonferroni Post Hoc test were used to test significant differences on the implementation aspects of the extension approaches across the different AEZs. Results: Climatic conditions, average age, land size, and value of household assets as factors of AEZs influenced how various aspects of agricultural extension approaches were implemented. Level of implementation of aspects influenced uptake of agricultural technologies. Kruskal Wallis test result (H (5) = 126.679, p value < 0.001) indicated that there were significant differences in the level at which smallholder farmers improved their agricultural practices in different AEZs. Conclusion: For effective dissemination of agricultural technologies, farmer situation, specifically agro ecological zone must be taken into consideration when recommending extension dissemination approaches to be used. Multivariate analysis needs to be done to inform how to implement various aspects of extension approaches to achieve optimum results in terms of farmer behaviour change.

‘Farmer behaviour may affect the actual contribution of badger perturbation to bTB’

Gareth Enticott argues that precise assessment of the effect of badger perturbation to bTB incidence can only be made by analysing farmer behaviour and its effects in badger culling zones.

On-farm biosecurity in livestock production: farmer behaviour, cultural identities and practices of care

Definitions of biosecurity typically include generalised statements about how biosecurity risks on farms should be managed and contained. However, in reality, on-farm biosecurity practices are uneven and transfer differently between social groups, geographical scales and agricultural commodity chains. This paper reviews social science studies that examine on-farm biosecurity for animal health. We first review behavioural and psychosocial models of individual farmer behaviour/decisions. Behavioural approaches are prominent in biosecurity policy but have limitations because of a focus on individual farmer behaviour and intentions. We then review geographical and rural sociological work that emphasises social and cultural structures, contexts and norms that guide disease behaviour. Socio-cultural approaches have the capacity to extend the more commonly applied behavioural approaches and contribute to the better formulation of biosecurity policy and on-farm practice. This includes strengthening our understanding of ‘good farming' identity, tacit knowledge, farmer influence networks, and reformulating biosecurity as localised practices of care. Recognising on-farm biosecurity as practices of biosecure farming care offers a new way of engaging, motivating and encouraging farmers to manage and contain diseases on farm. This is critical given government intentions to devolve biosecurity governance to the farming industry.

Çiftçi Davranışlarının ve Bilgi Kaynaklarının Son 30 Yıllık Bir Süreçteki Değişimi Üzerine Araştırma

In this study, the change of farmer behaviour, which is thought to change slowly, over a 30 period, was evaluated in terms of information sources. In the study, the change in farmer attitudes with a longitudinal approach was designed in a process, and the data obtained from the same farmers and the same questionnaire forms were changed over time. A survey conducted in 1989 was repeated in the same region, in the same survey forms and in the same sample group (66 farmers) in 2019. In the analysis phase of the data obtained from the surveys, Multiple Compliance Analysis Technique was used. In the Polatlı District of Ankara Province, the long-term approach of 66 farmers, especially the changes in information sources and the non-logging habits of their businesses, has been determined with a longitudinal approach. The research results revealed that urban people have become close to rural areas and agriculture, and that their farmers have become close to district and provincial centres. As in all economic activities, research results support that the same jobs in agriculture for the long time do not have the opportunity to do the same and to be content with the knowledge left from the ancestor. This result is the most concrete indication that knowledge-based agriculture has become inevitable in every respect.