Factors affecting adoption behavior of farmers in Bulgaria-agri-environment public goods for flood risk management

Abstract

The study examines several factors affecting the adoption behaviour of farmers in Bulgaria for provision of agri-environment measures. Recently, research interest focuses on how agriculture can provide ecosystem services and public goods. The role of the Common Agricultural Policy has been also studied for creating economic incentives for that matter. Provision of agri-environment public goods from agricultural ecosystems raises many practical and theoretical questions mainly due to the nature of public goods and ecosystem functioning. However, the role of farmers as main actors in taking care for the environment in rural areas has been focusing the attention of researchers on examining the factors that affect the uptake of conservation measures. The study analyses the behaviour of 77 farmers in Iskar River Basin in Bulgaria for three measures – buffer strips, crop rotation and grasslands. A logit model was used covering socioeconomic factors, environmental awareness, characteristics of the agri-environment schemes and information provision. As a result, land tenure, environmental awareness and clarity about the scheme requirements appear to be the significant factors affecting adoption.