Farmers' Intentions for Sustainable Fertilizer Practices: A Study of Shallot Farmers

Abstract

Sustainable fertilizer practices are needed in the context of resource degradation, climate change and population growth. Farmers' decisions to adopt sustainable agricultural practices are influenced by economic, psycho-social and technological availability aspects. This research aims to explain the factors that influence farmers' decisions to adopt sustainable fertilizer practices. The research model uses the basic Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and adds the socio-cultural dimension of farmers. The research was carried out by taking the case of shallot farmers' decisions regarding the use of fertilizer. The research was carried out using a survey approach of 111 shallot farmers taken using proportional sampling in the shallot production center of Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Square (SEMPLS). The research results found that farmers' attitudes towards adopting sustainable fertilizer practices were influenced by factors such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and social influence, while farmers' intentions to adopt sustainable fertilizer practices were influenced by farmers' attitudes and habits. The conclusions of this study have implications for technological development and socio-cultural aspects to scale up sustainable fertilizer practices.