Factors Associated with Adoption of Organic Paddy Farming in Puttalam District in the Context of Organic Food Consumption Trends

Abstract

Amidst a significant uptick in organic product consumption driving the growth of organic agriculture, formulating policies to promote this method necessitates a thorough grasp of the factors influencing farmers' decisions to embrace organic cultivation. This study aims to investigate the determinants of farmers' choices to shift toward green agriculture. A sample of 150 rural paddy farmers was selected from Puttalam district using a multistage sampling technique, and data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Seven key determinants have been discerned as critical contributors to this paradigm shift, such as Health Enhancement, Environmental Protection, Attitude, Economic Profitability, Knowledge of organic farming, Perceived Risk, and Government Support. In light of this, a conceptual model with seventeen hypotheses was created. Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) and Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) to identify the direct, indirect, and mediating effects among the relevant variables. The estimated model revealed strong direct effects of economic profitability and perceived risk on organic farming adoption behavior, while government support had an indirect effect. Moreover, health enhancement demonstrated a significant direct effect on attitude, and knowledge emerged as a strong predictor with both significant direct and indirect effects on the dependent variable. The hypotheses concerning mediated pathways were also supported with partial and full mediators. These findings provide crucial insights for policymakers, guiding the development of appropriate policies and the implementation of sustainable organic farming practices among paddy farmers.