Pesticide knowledge and farmers’ safety behaviours: Insights from the theory of planned behaviour

This study examines the psychological determinants of farmers' safety behaviours in pesticide use through the Theory of Planned Behaviour, integrating pesticide knowledge as a moderating factor. Using survey data from 450 farmers in India, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling was...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ashish Ashok Uikey, Devvandya Mishra, Zericho R. Marak, Pranav Saraswat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-12-01
Series:Sustainable Futures
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825006434
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Summary:This study examines the psychological determinants of farmers' safety behaviours in pesticide use through the Theory of Planned Behaviour, integrating pesticide knowledge as a moderating factor. Using survey data from 450 farmers in India, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling was employed to test the relationships. The findings reveal that attitude and perceived behavioural control significantly influence safety behaviours, while subjective norms have no direct impact. Pesticide knowledge moderates the relationships between attitude, perceived behavioural control, and safety behaviours, highlighting its role in strengthening safe pesticide practices. The model explains 60.10 % of the variance in safety behaviours, demonstrating strong predictive relevance. These results emphasize the importance of enhancing farmers' knowledge to improve compliance with safety measures. The study provides theoretical contributions by refining Theory of Planned Behaviour in an agricultural context and offers practical implications for policymakers and agricultural extension services to design targeted safety interventions.
ISSN:2666-1888