Using the theory of planned behaviour framework to understand Tasmanian dairy farmer engagement with extension activities to inform future delivery

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To identify and understand factors influencing farmers’ decisions to engage with extension activities. To understand farmer segments and how these factors vary in order to develop recommendations for future extension delivery.

Methodology: Qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews with 30 Tasmanian dairy farmers. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework was used to identify and explore factors influencing farmer engagement intentions and behaviour.

Findings: There was a negative effect of social influence on experienced farmers’ intention to re-engage with extension, due to the belief extension activities were targeted to less experienced, younger farmers. Perceived control factors limiting engagement included lack of confidence about existing knowledge, resulting in farmers perceiving extension activities as confronting.

Practical implications: Key factors influencing intention to engage and continued engagement with extension were identified. These findings will inform future design and targeting of extension activities to improve initial and continued engagement. Subsequent recommendations are presented.

Theoretical implications: Previous TPB studies on adoption as an outcome of extension have typically focused on quantifying adoption predictions, rather than exploring how social factors interact and influence intentions and behaviours. This paper demonstrates how the TPB can be qualitatively applied to better understand farmer decision making, in this instance with respect to their initial and continued engagement with extension.

Originality/value: This paper demonstrates how the TPB can provide an evidence-based framework to qualitatively explore farmer intentions and behaviour. This approach has led to new insights into farmer decision making that will inform improvements in future extension development.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Adoption
• decision making
• engagement
• extension
• theory of planned behaviour

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Alison Hall is a Ph.D. candidate with the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA), at the University of Tasmania. Alison’s Ph.D. research focuses on understanding the social factors that influence farmer decision-making processes behind adoption and implementation of recommended pasture practices, use of pasture measurement tools, and farmer engagement in extension activities.

Dr Lydia Turner is a research fellow in the Dairy, Grains and Grazing Centre of the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania. Lydia’s current research focus is rural sociology. She also has experience in dairy pasture research. Lydia is currently exploring the social processes of change and adoption in farming systems in Australia and developing world contexts.

Professor Sue Kilpatrick is Professor of Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania. She holds a Ph.D. in economics of education, based on the relationship between farmer learning and farm profitability. Her research interests include rural and regional education, learning for work and rural community development.

ORCID

Alison Hall http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6901-6225

Sue Kilpatrick http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2473-9814

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Dairy Australia with in the Dairy on PAR project, under Grant C100001341.