Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Technologies in Brazil: Economic and Non-Economic Determinants, 1995

This study examines the factors which determine the adoption of sustainable agricultural technology. It goes beyond narrow economic considerations to include non-economic factors such as agroclimatic conditions, attitudes/awareness of environmental issues, and the institutional setting. Field work was conducted in Brazil, Spain and the UK in 1996.<br>An initial task of the project was to identify a characterisation of agricultural practices which are judged to be (un)sustainable. These could include, for example, the use of specific inputs or membership of appropriate certification schemes. Having made this judgement, data were collected in the form of detailed surveys and interviews. The empirical work focuses on the production of horticultural products on conventional, organic and biodynamic enterprises, since significant numbers of adopters of alternative technologies were found in this sector.<br>Quantitative techniques (limited dependent variable models and duration analysis) were then used to investigate the adoption/non-adoption decision. The research findings will inform the debate on appropriate interventions to encourage the adoption of sustainable technologies. The results are of interest to a wide range of agents in the food system, including environmental groups and NGOs, extension services, donors of agricultural development projects and programmes and agricultural policy makers.