What drives the adoption of sustainable production technology? Evidence from the large scale farming sector in East China

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural production technologies such as formula fertilizer and soil testing have caught attentions from government agencies and scholars as a potential solution to environmental problems associated with overuse of fertilizers. A lack of motivation from farmers has slowed the adoption of sustainable technologies in China, resulting in continued deterioration of the rural environment. Recently, China’s agriculture is experiencing rapid consolidation due to structural adjustments and labor migration. Large scale farming is becoming a major force for promoting sustainable rural development and agricultural production. This study applies the theory of planned behavior to explain the adoption of formula fertilizer and soil testing technology among 690 large scale producers in Eastern China. The path analysis shows the attitude, subjective norm (perceived social pressure), and perceived behavior control (perceived ability or risk) significantly increase farmers’ adoption intention. The only path that determines the actual behavior directly is behavioral intention. These findings suggest that, in addition to social, economic and institutional factors, policies aiming at promoting sustainable agricultural production should address the psychological dimensions of technology adoption. Effective approaches should be developed to cultivate farmers’ positive attitudes, social norms consciousness, perceived abilities, as well as reduce perceived risks to increase their interests in adopting the technology.