Abstract
The aim of this study was to highlight the importance of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors in the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) in banana farm production. To this end, data from 300 randomly selected farm households from Pakistan were collected through a structured self-report questionnaire. Using logistic regression (LR) and structural equation modeling (SEM), socioeconomic and psychosocial effects were evaluated. The results show that economic status, watching agricultural training programs, newspaper and radio awareness campaigns, participation in extension programs, perceptions of sustainable agriculture and the feasibility of SAPs were significant factors in farmers’ adoption of sustainable agriculture practices. Also, consistent with the theory of planned behavior (TPB), all its dimensions (attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control) affected the adoption of SAPs. This finding highlights the importance of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors in promoting sustainable agricultural practice among banana production farmers. This is the first study which attempts to provide empirical evidence using a robust procedure (two models—LR and SEM). The practical implication is that, when socioeconomic and psychosocial factors are well supported by satisfactory policy measures, SAP adoption is more than likely, which eventually increases farmers’ adaptive capacity to the changing environment. Ultimately, this leads to sustainable banana production, which has great potential to contribute towards poverty eradication.
Highlights
Smallholder farming systems significantly contribute to poverty alleviation and rural development [1]
A good number of farmers adopted more than 13 sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs), but the adoption pattern suggests that there could be some barriers to the adoption of the different sets of practices
The general absence of the unconstrained selection of SAPs among smallholder farmers has been a significant concern for researchers and policymakers alike
Summary
Smallholder farming systems significantly contribute to poverty alleviation and rural development [1]. The negative impact of modern agriculture on human health, the natural environment and resources have led to the growth and spread of a feature called sustainable agriculture [2]—a type of agriculture that focuses on the long-term production of crops and livestock while having minimal effects on the environment, as described by Mwalupaso [3]. It facilitates better use of natural resources, and is helpful in protecting the environment and reducing the use of. Public Health 2020, 17, 3714; doi:10.3390/ijerph17103714 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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