FARMER'S INTENTION TO SPEND ON GREEN FARMING TECHNOLOGIES: EXPLORING THE DETERMINANTS THROUGH STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING APPROACH

This study investigates the determinants of farmers intentions to invest in green farming technologies in Tamil Nadu, India. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), we analysed data from 380 beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) programme across three districts. The research examined the impact of socioeconomic factors, psychological variables, and external influences on farmers adoption of green farming practices. Results indicate that family influence, perceived necessity, peer influence, and perceived orientation towards agriculture significantly affect farmers intentions to invest in green technologies. The model explained 64.1% of the variance in farmers intentions. Contrary to expectations, agricultural decision-making behaviour, risk-taking ability and technology influence did not show significant relationships with intention to invest. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and agricultural extension services to promote the adoption of sustainable farming practices, emphasizing the importance of social networks and farmers' perceptions in driving technology adoption.