Exploring Influence of Communication Campaigns in Promoting Regenerative Farming Through Diminishing Farmers' Resistance to Innovation: An Innovation Resistance Theory Perspective From Global South

Abstract

Climate change and farming malpractices (e.g., harmful pesticides use) are harmful to the globe's productive soil and biodiversity, thereby posing a hazard to the survival of future generations. Innovative technologies provide continuous smart conservation solutions, such as regenerative farming, to confront the ongoing climate crisis and maintain biodiversity. Albeit, regenerative farming has the potential to conserve climate change by upgrading the soil's organic materials and reinstating biodiversity leading to carbon attenuation. However, a critical problem remains concerning adapting conservation farming practices that can assist low-income farmers. In this scenario, theoretical-driven communication campaigns are critical for addressing individuals' resistance to innovation. Thereby, this research uncovers the moderating influence of the numerous communication tools in determining the adoption of regenerative farming through diminishing farmers' resistance to innovation. The study employed a cross-sectional design vis-à-vis a survey method. A sample of 863 farmers participated by responding to the self-administrated questionnaire. In line with prior theories, the study's results identified that communication campaigns such as public service advertisements and informative scientific documentaries could reduce the resistance to innovation that increases the attitude toward the adoption of regenerative farming with varied intensity. Besides, informational support also remained a significant contributor in determining the intention to adopt regenerative farming. This specifies that implanting habits of conservation farming requires the initiation of communication campaigns using different media content. These results may be advantageous for policymakers to influence farmers' intentions to adopt regenerative farming.

Contemporary Contested Ethiopian Media Practice and Its Influence on Journalists’ Autonomy and Role

“…Studies have been carried out, using HIM as the theoretical framework, in many media contexts of the world. One perspective of its use is connected to the Global South media context; in this regard, a couple of recent research could be pointed out (e.g., Ejaz, Ittefaq, and Arif 2022;Ittefaq et al 2021;Jamil and Appiah-Adjei 2020;Jin et al 2022;Salaudeen 2022). Given that Ethiopia is situated in the Global South, establishing HIM within the context of the country's media environment would result in an important viewpoint.…”