Landholder adoption of low emission agricultural practices: A profiling approach

Agriculture is the second largest source of greenhouse gases emissions in Australia. Any substantial reduction in national emissions will require behavior changes within the farming community. This study aimed to identify the primary psychological drivers and barriers associated with the adoption of low emission agricultural practices (LEAP) in a sample of 551 Australian farmers (mean age=51.40 years; SD=11.99). Multiple regression analysis revealed that farmers were more likely to adopt LEAP if they: perceived a clear financial benefit for such practices, believed they possessed the relevant knowledge and skill, were future oriented, and exhibited low levels of environmental apathy. Latent profile analysis categorized the sample of famers into four distinct segments: Non-Green Dismissive (11%), Uncommitted (57%), Green Adopters (20%) and Profit-Driven Adopters (12%). Both Green and Profit-Driven adopters engaged in more LEAP than members of the Uncommitted and Non-Green Dismissive segments. Our results indicate that unique combinations of psychological drivers and barriers may influence LEAP adoption in each segment. This information can be used to inform the development of segment-specific messaging and engagement strategies.