The determinants of sustainable land management adoption under risks in upland area of Vietnam

Abstract

This study investigates how the determinants including risk preference affect farmers’ decision to adopt Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices in upland areas of Vietnam. Empirical data was collected from 200 farmers in Bac Kan province through an interview using a structured questionnaire. The physical, institutional and other characteristics of SLM adopter group and non-adopter group were compared using ANOVA (Single Factor Test) and Chi-square test (for non-parametric variables). The SLM adopters likely to have less farming experience, larger farm size, more labor, and more SLM knowledge; better trained, member of farmers’ organization, and is less risk-averse than the SLM non-adopters. The factors affecting SLM adoption of farmers in Na Ri district were examined by the 2SLS-Probit model. The results indicated that there is a set of factors affecting SLM adoption. The relative risk aversion and farming experience of farmers have negative effects while farm size and knowledge of SLM have positive effects on SLM practices adoption. The study suggest that increase SLM practices adoption through better training, increasing the cultivated farm land, farm clustering, encouraging farmers to join farmers’ organization, introducing and subsidizing labor-saving technologies, making credit accessible, improving insurance market, and demonstration plots for SLM practices.