What Drives the Adoption of Agricultural Green Production Technologies? An Extension of TAM in Agriculture

Abstract

Understanding farmers’ intentions to use agricultural green production technologies (AGPTs) is essential for reducing agricultural pollution. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study analyzes the impacts of government regulation and social network on farmers’ AGPTs adoption behavior. Field research on 738 responses in China revealed that government regulation and social network were positively related to AGPTs adoption behavior, and that the effects were mediated by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and price value. Furthermore, we found that risk perception moderated the relationships between perceived ease of use and adoption behavior, as well as the relationship between price value and adoption behavior. Implications for the theoretical understanding of government regulation, social network and risk perception are discussed.