Modeling the Optimal Use of New Technologies for Water Conservation among Farmers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting behavior of using new technologies for water conservation among farmers in Sari County. That was done by adopting the Davis model. The population of the study consisted of 30788 farmers in Sari County that 220 were selected through multistage random sampling. The research tool was a questionnaire which its validity determined through sustainable agriculture expert and Diagnostic validity with using an average variance extracted (AVE). The reliability was confirmed with using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability (CR). To explain the effectiveness, factor analysis and structural equation modeling with LISREL software, version 8.80 was used. According to the findings, water conservation behavior was relatively low in 40.9% of farmers. According to the results of the optimal model of using new water conservation technologies, farmers directly explained different dimensions of attitude 82% of the variance of the intention to water conservation behavior. Also, the intension to behavior of explained about 58% of the variance of water conservation behavior in farmers. Farmers' perceptions of technology (perceived of usefulness and perceived ease of use) was able to explain 91% of the variance of attitude, 75% of variance of intention to use and 52% of variance of water conservation behavior.