Small-scale farmers’ willingness to adopt chemical-free inputs and engage in collaborative arrangements –A discrete choice experiment in Central Mexico

Abstract

Objetive: Explore small-scale Mexican farmers’ willingness to adopt chemical-free fertilizers and pesticides, and to engage in two collaborative arrangements. Methodology: A discrete choice experiment has been designed based on two non-monetary attributes (use/no use of chemical inputs and two collaborative arrangements) and a monetary attribute (percentage change in price of crop that generates most of net revenues). Data has been analyzed with a two-class latent class logit specification. Findings: 60% of respondents is not willing to transition to a chemical-free input regime, is willing to receive management support from municipality, and is not interested in a shared insurance. On the opposite side of the preferences, 40% of respondents is willing to adopt chemical-free inputs, is not interested in management support, and is willing to participate in a shared insurance. Limitations: Our sample is not nationally representative, and further studies are needed to corroborate and generalize our findings. Contribution: This is the first study exploring whether preferences of small-scale farmers in Mexico align with Federal government’s goal of phasing out glyphosate. Conclusions: With 40% of small-scale farmers willing to adopt chemical-free inputs, if the Federal government wants to convice the other 60% of phasing out glyphosate, a possibility is to implement a slower strategy that starts with providing management support. Once management support is in place, and trust is gained, doors may open for a transition to chemical-free production regimes.

Dairy Farmers’ Willingness to Adopt Cleaner Production Practices for Water Conservation: A Discrete Choice Experiment in Mejia, Ecuador

“…The existing literature supports preferences over cooperative behavior among farmers. For example, this behavior occurs in a collaborative insurance scheme in Central Mexico (Colin-Castillo et al, 2022), in collective participation in an agri-environmental scheme in Spain (Villanueva et al, 2015), or in the local management of an irrigation system in South Africa (Saldías et al, 2016). In addition, local communities are willing to associate with external agencies to improve governance, for instance, in the implementation of climate change adaptation schemes (Nthambi et al, 2021).…”