Modeling farmer's environmental behavior in Shiraz County By Value-Belief-Norm Theory

In recent years, degradation of environment (water and soil resources) by farmers has increase concerns about sustainability of agriculture. Farmers’ behaviors affect conservation of these resources and play important role in sustainability of agriculture as well. Shiraz County like other parts of the country suffers for degradation of soil and water resources. The aim of this study was to provide a model that can predict Farmer’s environmental behavior of Shiraz County using Value-Belief-Norm theory. Statistical population includes the farmers of Shiraz County. Questionnaire was the instrument for data gathering. Multi-stage cluster random sampling was used to collect data from 372 farmers as the research sample (by Krejcie & Morgan). The questionnaire validity was confirmed by panel of professors at Agricultural Extension and Education Department Shiraz University. The questionnaire reliability was assessed with Cranach’s alpha (data from pilot study). The results showed that biosphere value-orientation, altruistic value- orientation, environmental personal (moral) norm, and responsibility to protect environment had the most influence on forming farmers’ environmental behaviors. Adduced as recommendations are 1) providing the training to change farmer’s egoistic value-orientation to biosphere value-orientation and altruistic value- orientation; 2) provide training the personal (moral) to correct relationships between famers and environment, and 3) increase farmer’s responsibility for protection of environmental resources.