What Drives Farmers to Adopt Pro-Environmental Behavior? Evidence From Date Farms in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Despite widespread knowledge of agriculture’s sustainability challenges, more needs to be known about the factors influencing farmers’ adoption of sustainable practices. This study examines the specific drivers of pro-environmental behavior among date farmers. A variable model was developed, and a questionnaire was used to gather farmers’ perceptions of the factors influencing pro-environmental behavior on date farms. A hierarchical structure of the identified factors was developed using MICMAC analysis on 81 farmers in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our results show that farm size, supply chain pressure, and firm technological capabilities are the most relevant determinants of pro-environmental behavior on date farms. Also, farmers’ experiences, learning from other firms in the sustainability domain, and farm image improvement are critical variables in the system of pro-environmental behavior adoption. Finally, we argue that pressure from environmental regulation and the farmers’ age are excluded variables. It is crucial to consider that relying solely on encouragement and laws to protect the environment cannot achieve sustainability in agriculture. More attention should be devoted to educating farmers about the importance of pro-environmental behavior and how it can improve their image in front of stakeholders. It is also necessary to organize periodic forums to support mimetic pressure and push farmers to learn from each other. Because farmers’ environments in developing countries tend to be similar, it is possible to generalize these results to some extent. This model unveils a fresh perspective on promoting sustainability in agriculture by using novel analytical techniques to map relationships between pro-environmental actions and their influencing factors.