Explaining farmers’ pro-environmental behaviors toward plant, soil and water conservation in Iran: an application of value–belief–norm theory

This study aimed to explain the farmers’ pro-environmental behaviors toward plant, soil and water conservation by adapting the value–belief–norm theory. This cross-sectional survey investigated 342 farmers in Mazandaran province, Iran. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through structural equation modeling. The findings of the study confirmed the causal paths of variables in the value–belief–norm theory. As expected, in a causal chain, values influenced beliefs, and beliefs influenced norms, and finally norms influenced the plant, soil and water conservation behaviors among farmers. The results indicated that personal norms explained 60%, 10% and 5% of the variance of plant, soil and water conservation behavior variables, respectively. Also, ascription of responsibility explained 82% of the personal norms variance and awareness of consequences explained 35% of the variance of ascription of responsibility. In the following, ecological worldview (New Ecological Paradigm) explained 33% of the awareness of consequences’ variance, and altruistic and egocentric values explained 72% of the New Ecological Paradigm’ variance. In addition to providing support for the application of the value–belief–norm theory within the context of Iranian farmers, this study increased the understanding of the factors influencing the environmentally friendly behavior of farmers, helping agricultural policy makers and decision makers to formulate their policies for sustainable agricultural development with a better understanding of farmers’ decisions and behaviors.