Identifying determinants of pesticide use behaviors for effective agri-environmental policies: a systematic review

Abstract

Environmental problems demand for innovative interdisciplinary research to tackle problem complexity and provide insights for problem-solving. Along these lines, behavioral insights have the potential to improve the effectiveness of policies by identifying which behaviors are best tackled and how. In this paper, we present a systematic review of the literature on small-scale farmers’ pesticide use in the Global South to identify (1) pesticide use behaviors and (2) their behavioral determinants. We defined our body of literature by establishing inclusion criteria and screened studies in a two-step process involving multiple coders. From the selected studies (k = 70), we extracted data about farmers’ pesticide use behaviors. We also extracted the determinants of these behaviors with an established framework of behavioral change, the behavior change wheel (BCW). Finally, we show how the behavioral insights thus obtained can provide hypotheses on the suitability and ultimate effectiveness of policy instruments for agriculture and environmental protection. Overall, this systematic approach showcases how behavioral insights can be used to systematically gather new knowledge on what works and why in pesticide policy. Additionally, this paper illustrates that the current literature on pesticide use behavior in the Global South lacks stan- dardized and consistent measures of behavior and determinants to provide valid and robust results. Overall, this hampers evidence synthesis and thus scientific progress in the field.

Are we ready to transition to sustainable sheep production in New Zealand? A critical analysis from the perspectives of transition intention and sustainable tool adoption

“…This finding is consistent with the existing studies regarding the positive association between intention and adoption in the context of sustainable agriculture (Foguesatto et al. , 2020; Wiedemann and Inauen, 2023) and confirms the importance of “capturing” and “cultivating” good intentions for sustainability on behavior change in practice. The more ready farmers are for the sustainability transition, the more likely they are to adopt sustainability tools (Kallas, 2019; Kim et al.…”

“…The path coefficient of the sustainability transition intention to use sustainability tools is significant, indicating that farmers who intend to transform their farms are more likely to adopt sustainability tools. This finding is consistent with the existing studies regarding the positive association between intention and adoption in the context of sustainable agriculture (Foguesatto et al, 2020;Wiedemann and Inauen, 2023) and confirms the importance of "capturing" and "cultivating" good intentions for sustainability on behavior change in practice. The more ready farmers are for the sustainability transition, the more likely they are to adopt sustainability tools (Kallas, 2019;Kim et al, 2019).…”

Understanding determinants related to farmers’ protective measures towards pesticide exposure: A systematic review

“…Contrary to our study, the systematic study by Afshari and et al (2021), which was conducted on interventional studies in the field of reducing exposure to pesticides in farmers, showed that most studies were conducted in developed countries, including the United States [ 57 ]. Wiedemann and colleagues in a systematic study showed that in developing countries, extension services cannot reach the entire agricultural community due to insufficient budget [ 58 ]. In wealthy and developed countries, strict regulations have been imposed for the use of pesticides, and exposure to toxic chemicals is prohibited or limited for farmers.…”

Measuring the Impact of Pesticide Use, Labor Availability, and Agricultural Technology on Vegetable Farming Efficiency in Central Java

“…It is crucial to understand the optimal levels of pesticide use and their implications for both productivity and environmental conservation to shape sustainable agricultural policies [9], [13]. This requires a holistic approach that considers factors such as farmer behavior, agricultural practices, pest damage, pesticide application techniques, agricultural policies, and demand for agricultural products [14], [15]. By developing Pesticide Agricultural Shared Socio-economic Pathways (Pest-Agri-SSPs), researchers have explored different scenarios of pesticide use and emissions, highlighting the need for sustainable agricultural practices, technological advances, and better implementation of agricultural policies to decrease pesticide use and mitigate environmental impacts.…”