Modelling the adoption of environmental management practices by farmers

Abstract: The adoption of environmental management practices (EMPs) is a complex process, with various expressions at the enterprise, regional and industry levels. The social literature has identified individual, social and resource characteristics that determine the capacity and willingness of people to adopt EMPs. This paper presents a model of the adoption behaviour of farmers, which is based on empirical data. The data were compiled from a landholder survey in the Burdekin river catchment in North East Queensland. The data document socio-economic characteristics of farms and farmers, and levels of implementation of EMPs on properties. The paper summarises various statistical models that have been developed to explain adoption of EMPs in the non-irrigated areas of the Burdekin river catchment. It provides a discussion of the findings in the light of adoption theory. This study identifies, in accordance with the adoption literature, financial capacity and education as key drivers for the implementation of environmental management practices by farmers