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Adoption of sustainable agriculture practices (SAP) has the potential to mitigate climate change's effects, while at the same time minimize degradation of natural resources and increase food production. However, recent policies based on economic incentives alone have largely failed to increase SAP adoption rate at farm level. Understanding farmers' perceptions towards environmental issues and climate change is essential to change this situation. This study aims to categorize farmers in different types, according to their perceptions on environmental issues and on climate change in a sample of Brazilian farmers (n = 172). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis were used. Results showed four clusters of farmers: "Worried", "Apathetic", "Anthropocentric" and "Ecocentric". Contrasting to "Worried" and "Apathetic", farmers in "Anthropocentric" and "Ecocentric" clusters presented pro-environmental behavior, which suggests a high likelihood to adopt SAP. While farmers with an anthropocentric view are oriented to increase their economic gains, ecocentric farmers are motivated by environmental concerns i.e. non-economic factors. Insights of this paper can be used to facilitate effective policy development and strategies to increase the adoption rate of SAP. Image 10125 • The study examines the classified environmental behavior of farmers in Brazil. • Statistical analysis was used for the study. • Farmers who are ecocentric and anthropocentric exhibited pro-environmental behavior. • Pro-environmental behavior is not motivated exclusively by financial incentives. • Results will help to increase the adoption rate of sustainable agricultural practices in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The academic and political debate about small farms and rural development has been extended recently. The diversification of agricultural production is important, because it contributes to rural development. The objective of this study was to identify which and how underlying psychological factors affect farmers' intention to diversify their agricultural production. To reach this objective, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used as a main framework. 101 farmers were interviewed in the northwest region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil, who have milk production as their main source of income. Results showed that farmers have a low intention to diversify their agricultural production. Results also showed that the three TPB constructs attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control are positively correlated with the intention. In addition, the results demonstrated the behavioral, normative and control beliefs that drive attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control, respectively. Results of this study can contribute to the development of strategies and public policies to enhance the diversification of agricultural production by small farmers, and therefore contribute to rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In biome Pampa, Brazil, cattle farmers have managed the natural grasslands using practices that result in overgrazing, low productivity and low farm income. In addition, farmers in the region converted natural grasslands from beef production to more profitable activities, such as cash crops. This conversion and overgrazing have caused environmental problems in biome Pampa. Although several innovations that increase beef productivity without damaging the environment are currently available to farmers in the region, the adoption rate remains low. This study used the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to identify the beliefs that influence farmers’ intention to use improved natural grassland. The TPB hypothesizes that adoption is driven by intention, which in turn is determined by three psychological constructs: attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. These three constructs are derived from behavioral, normative and control beliefs, respectively. Results show that attitude had a strong impact on intention, followed by subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. Results also show that farmers’ intention to use improved natural grassland depends on the extent to which farmers think this innovation allows for increasing the cattle density, the extent to which they think family and cattle traders support them in their decision to adopt and the extent to which farmers think they have sufficient knowledge and access to technical assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the adoption of innovations usually ignore underlying psychological constructs that affect farmers’ decisions and behavior, such as intention, perceptions, and beliefs. This paper uses psychological constructs from the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to analyze factors that affect the adoption of improved natural grassland. The TPB hypothesizes that adoption is driven by intention, which in turn is determined by three psychological constructs: attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. These three psychological constructs are derived from behavioral, normative and control beliefs, respectively. The first objective was to identify the influence of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on the intention of farmers to use improved natural grassland. The second objective was to understand the role of farmers’ beliefs as drivers of their attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. The theoretical framework and model were applied to a sample of 214 Brazilian cattle farmers. Results showed that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were all positively and significantly correlated with intention. The intention of farmers to use improved natural grassland was therefore influenced by farmers’ evaluation of the use of improved natural grassland (attitude), their perceptions about the social pressure to use this innovation (subjective norm), and their perceptions about their own capability (perceived behavioral control). Six behavioral beliefs were the drivers of attitude: increase cattle weight gains, increase number of animals per hectare, have pasture throughout the year, increase pasture resistance, prevent soil erosion, and decrease feeding costs. Seven normative beliefs were the drivers of subjective norm: family, friends, neighbor farmers, cattle traders, workers in the place where they buy their inputs, extension agents, and government. Three control beliefs were the drivers of perceived behavioral control: sufficient knowledge, sufficient skills, and availability of qualified technical assistance. The drivers of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control can be used by policy makers to increase the adoption rate of improved natural grassland. Emphasis should be given to the six perceived benefits of adopting improved natural grassland, the drivers of attitude. The individuals and groups who were found to influence farmers׳ decisions to use it, the drivers of subjective norm, can be used as channels to disseminate information about the innovation. The drivers of perceived behavioral control are factors which facilitate the use of improved natural grassland. Ensuring that these three factors are available to farmers can improve the adoption rate for this innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]