Farmers' Perceptions and Use of Soil and Water Conservation Technologies

摘要

The primary objective of the study was to examine the social and economic factors that affect farmers' perceptions and use of soil and water conservation practices. Telephone interviews indicated the existence of an inverse relationship between the perceived severity of soil erosion and water quality problems, and the proximity of the problems to the geographical location of the farmer. Better educated farmers, farmers who operated larger farms, farmers who had developed approved soil conservation plans, and farmers who expressed higher levels of perceived severity of on-farm soil erosion problems tended to report greater use of soil conservation practices. The results suggest that farmers differ widely in terms of their perceptions of soil erosion and water quality problems, their attitudes towards soil conservation policies, and their conservation behavior. The findings suggest the need for improved targeting of programs and policies to meet the needs of specific subgroups of farm operators.