An analysis of farmers’ intention to use green pesticides: The application of the extended theory of planned behavior and health belief model

• Published in: Journal of rural studies Vol. 81; pp. 374 - 384
• Main Authors: Ataei, Pouria, Gholamrezai, Saeed, Movahedi, Reza, Aliabadi, Vahid
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elmsford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agricultural production; Agricultural technology; Agriculture; Agrochemicals; Animals; Behavioral intention; Broadcasting; Chemical pest control; Consumers; Cues; Data analysis; Distribution; Educational programs; Farmers; Farms; Fisheries; Flora; Green pesticides; Health behavior; Health belief model; Health beliefs; Identity; Industrial production; Information dissemination; Infrastructure; Mass media; Mass media effects; Morality; Morbidity; Motivation; Multivariate statistical analysis; Norms; Occupational hazards; Occupational health; Pest control; Pesticides; Provinces; Random sampling; Regional development; Safety management; Sampling; Sampling methods; Statistical sampling; Structural equation modeling; Susceptibility; Sustainable agriculture; Technology; Technology transfer; The health belief model; The theory of planned behavior; Theory; Theory of planned behavior; Unsafe; Variance; The theory of planned behavior; Sustainable agriculture; The health belief model; Behavioral intention; Green pesticides
• ISSN: 0743-0167; 1873-1392
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.11.003

The use of chemical pesticides in agriculture has damaged agricultural land, fisheries, fauna, and flora. Furthermore, increased mortality and morbidity of humans due to the unsafe use of chemical pesticides are the most prevalent and serious occupational hazards faced by farmers. The present study aimed to examine farmers’ intention to use green pesticides using two models – the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the health belief model (HBM) – as the research framework (moral norms and self-identity were used on the TPB framework as additional constructs). The population was composed of farmers in the provinces of Kermanshah, Lorestan, and Hamedan in Western Iran of whom 480 farmers were sampled using the stratified random sampling method. The research instrument was a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was used for data analysis. Results showed that in TPB, the constructs of moral norms, attitude, and self-identity accounted for 52.2 percent of the variance in the intention to use green pesticides. According to HBM, perceived benefits, perceived susceptibility, cues to action, and motivation could capture 61.2 percent of the variance in the intention. It was revealed that both theories could potentially predict intention, but HBM outperformed TPB in this sense. It is recommended to hold local and regional meetings for knowledge and technology sharing, develop infrastructure for production and distribution of inputs, emphasize the role of green pest management in the safety of agricultural crop producers and consumers through mass media, and farms with follow-up training programs. •Moral norms, attitude, and self-identity had significant effects on the farmers' intention to use green pesticides, in TPB.•Perceived benefits, susceptibility, cues to action, and motivation had significant effects on the farmers' intention, in HBM.•Both theories could potentially predict intention, but HBM outperformed TPB in this sense.