Modeling farmers’ environmental behavior in Shiraz County by using Value-Belief-Norm theory

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD. Candidate, Agricultural Extension and Education, University of Shiraz, Iran

2 Professors, University of Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

In recent years, degradation of environment (water and soil resources) by farmers has increase concerns about sustainability of agriculture. Farmers’ behaviors affect conservation of these resources and play important role in sustainability of agriculture as well. Shiraz County, like other parts of the country, suffers for degradation of soil and water resources. The aim of this study was to provide a model that can predict Farmer’s environmental behavior of Shiraz County using Value-Belief-Norm theory. Statistical population includes the farmers of Shiraz County. Questionnaire was the instrument for data gathering. Multi-stage cluster random sampling was used to collect data from 372 farmers as the research sample (by Krejcie & Morgan). The questionnaire validity was confirmed by panel of professors at Agricultural Extension and Education Department of Shiraz University. The questionnaire reliability was assessed with Cranach’s alpha (data from pilot study). The results showed that biosphere value-orientation, altruistic value- orientation, environmental personal (moral) norm, and responsibility to protect environment had the most influence on forming farmers’ environmental behaviors. Adduced as recommendations are 1. providing the training to change farmer’s egoistic value-orientation to biosphere value-orientation and altruistic value- orientation; 2. provide training the personal (moral) to correct relationships between famers and environment, and 3. increase farmer’s responsibility for protection of environmental resources.

Keywords

References

Alibeli, M. A. & Johnson, C. 2009. Environmental concern: a cross national analysis. Journal of International and Cross- Cultural Studies, 3(1), 1-10.
Bagheri, A., & Malekmohammdi, A. 2005. The behavior of prediction of sprinkler irrigation adoption among farmers of Ardabil province. Iranian Journal of Agriculture Science, 36(6), 1479-1488. (In Farsi).
Clearfield, F. & Osgood, B. T. 1986. Sociological Aspects of the Adoption of Conservation Practices, Washington, D.C.
Erdoan, N. 2009. Testing the new ecological paradigm scale: Turkish case. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 4 (10), 1023-1031.
Fenton, D. M., Gregor, C. M. & Cary, J. 2000. Framework and review of Capacity and motivation for change to sustainable management practices. Bureau of Rural   Sciences – Putting People in the Picture. Fnal Report. Theme 6: Project 6.2.1.
Fielding, K. S., McDonald, R. & Louis, W. R. 2008. Theory of planned behavior, identity and intentions to engage in environmental activism. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28(4), 318–326.
Illukpitiya, P. & Gopalakrishnan, C. 2004. Decision-making in soil conservation: Application of a behavioral model to potato farmers in Sri Lanka. Land Use Policy, 21(4): 321–331.
Karami, E., Rezae-moghadam, K. & Ebrahimi, H. R. 2006. The Prediction of sprinkler irrigation adoption: The comparison of models. Journal of science and technology of agriculture and natural resources, 10(1), 71-89. (In Farsi).
Keshavarz, M. 2005.Responces to drought among farmers in Fars province: attitude, behaviors and management. M.Sc. dissertation, University of Shiraz, Iran.
Lichtenberg, E. & Zimmerman, R. 1999. Information and farmers’ attitudes about pesticides, water quality, and related environmental effects. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 73(3), 227-236.
Mansourabadi, A. 2004. The comparison of attitude among female & male rice growers towards sustainable agriculture & determinants of their attitude & behavior: a case study of the Kazeroon Township. M.Sc. dissertation, University of Shiraz, Iran.
Norouzi, A. & Chizari, M. 2006a. Effective cultural and social factors regarding attitude of wheat farmers of Nahavand Township toward sprinkler irrigation development. Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal, 2(2), 59-71. (In Farsi).
Norouzi, A. & Chizari, M. 2006b. The factors affecting regarding sprinkler irrigation adoption in Nahavand Township. Iranian Agricultural Economic and Development Journal, 54, 61-84. (In Farsi).
Pezeshkirad, GH. & Arayesh, M. B. 2001. The Investigation of technical and economic factors affecting the prediction of technology of Ilam province. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, 15(2), 111-118. (In Farsi).
Sattler, C. & Nagel, U. J. 2010. Factors affecting farmers’ acceptance of conservation measures: A case study from north-eastern Germany. Land Use Policy, 27(1), 70–77.
Schenk, A., Hunziker, M. & Kienast, F. 2007. Factors influencing the acceptance of nature conservation measures: A qualitative study in Switzerland. Journal of Environmental Management, 83(1), 66-79.
Schultz, P. W., Shriver, C., Tabanico, J. J. & Khazian, A. M. 2004. Implicit connections with nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24(1), 31–42.
Shafiei, F., Rezvanfar, A. & Hoseini, S. M. 2008. Opinion survey on soil conservation practices (the case study of Karkhe and Dez waterdhed’s farmer’s attitude, Khuzestan, Iran). Iranian Journal of Watershed Management Science and Engineering, 2(3), 3-10. (In Farsi).
Steg, L., Dreijerink, L. & Abrahamse, W. 2005. Factors influencing the acceptability of energy policies: A test of VBN theory. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 25(4): 415–425.
Stern, P. C. 2000. Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior, Journal of Social Issues. 56(3), 407–424.
Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G. A. & Kalof, L. 1999. A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human Ecology Review, 6(2), 81-97.
Wauters, E., Bielders, C., Poesen, J., Govers, G. & Mathijs, E. 2010. Adoption of soil conservation practices in Belgium: An examination of the theory of planned behaviour in the agri-environmental domain. Land Use Policy, 27(1), 86–94.
Wright, K. & Klyn, B.1998. Environmental attitude – behavior correlations in 21 countries, Journal of Empirical Generalization in Marketing Science. 3(3), 42-60.
Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research
Volume 45, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
January 2015
Pages 613-624

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics