Factors Affecting Behavioral Change Toward Organic Agriculture (The Case of Farmers of Bushehr Province)

Determinants of behavioral change toward organic farming among the farmers of Bushehr province was the main purpose of the study. Data collection was accomplished using survey and a sample of 101 farmers was selected using stratified random sampling from the counties of Bushehr, Dayyer and Jom-o-riz. Face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a group of professors and specialists of agricultural research center. The reliability was also confirmed by a pilot study with 30 farmers out of the study region and the Cronbach`s alpha was computed in a range of 0.60 to 0.91. Findings revealed that farmers have been used biological control techniques as well as green fertilizers more than the other methods of organic farming. According to the causal model, agricultural background, the use of communicative media and its effectiveness, attitude toward conventional agricultural consequences, knowledge about organic farming, attitude toward reference group, attitude toward environment and human health and attitude toward organic farming are affecting factors of organic farming activities by the farmers. Finally, some recommendations were presented: Selection and training of the educated individuals in order to promote organic farming in the area, facilitating the basic factors for this modern way of farming, assigning this task to the centers of agricultural extension and services, enhancement of scientific and practical skills of the experts and extension agents in terms of organic farming and healthy products.