佔用全球37%土地面積的農業除提供食物、原料與燃料外，也創造了世界總勞動力的 36%。現今農業除面臨氣候變遷的威脅外，更承受其環境足跡帶來的負面影響。近年來，屬氣候智能型農業系統下的保護性農業 (CA)在馬拉威被推廣，以提升農業系統的韌性。然而，農民採行CA的比率仍低（2%）。本研究使用計劃行為理論 (TPB) 作為社會心理模型，以探討影響馬拉威Mhuju 地區小農採行 CA 的驅動因素。 我以問卷蒐集小農個人背景資訊及對TPB各構面問項的回應，使用AMOS 22 進行結構方程建模 (SEM) ，透過回歸分析確認TPB 模型的有效性，可解釋行為意圖 68%的變異。農民的感知行為控制 (PBC) 是最有力的意圖指標，主要受到與知識、勞動力與資源相關信念的影響。主觀規範和態度也很重要。態度主要通過關鍵的認知驅動因素來調節，例如提高土壤肥力、保持土壤水分和增加產量。建議未來可透過知識共享提高農民的專業知識，整合CA與其他農法及提升資源的可及性，以幫助 Mhuju 小農持續採行 CA施作。

Agriculture has important global footprint encompassing 37% of total global land area. Its significance extends from provision of food to creation of 36% of world’s total workforce. Nonetheless, agriculture faces several challenges which include its environmental footprint and climate change. The effects of these challenges are felt more in agriculture and have severe impacts as they affect already damaged ecosystems. As part of climate smart agriculture systems to promote resilience, conservation agriculture (CA) has been promoted through various initiatives in Malawi. However, low adoption rate (2%) has been reported. This study uses Theory of Planned behaviour (TPB) as a social-psychological model to find out driving factors towards smallholder farmers decisions to apply CA at Mhuju EPA. AMOS 22 software is used to conduct structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. Regression estimations show that the TPB provides a valid model for describing farmers' motivation to use CA, accounting for 68% of the variation in intention. Farmers' perceived behavioural control (PBC) has been found to be the most powerful indicator of intention. This is induced by major cognitive drivers that influence farmers' PBC, such as sufficient knowledge and availability of farm inputs and labour. Subjective norm (that is referents' social pressure) and attitude are also significant. Attitudes are mainly mediated through key cognitive drivers such as improve soil fertility, retain soil moisture, and increase yields. It is suggested that improving farmers expertise through knowledge sharing approaches, practicing integration farming systems apart from CA and making inputs available to farmers can help Mhuju smallholder farmers undergo a four step for sustainable CA adoption (i.e., self-efficacy, engagement, trial of farming innovations and satisfaction ) which can then help to attain sustainable CA practice.

CHAPTER ONE. INTRODUCTION: 1
1.1 Research background 1
1.2 Conservation agriculture in Malawi 3
1.3 Problem statement 4
1.4 Research questions and objectives 5
CHAPTER TWO. LITERATURE REVIEW: 7
2.1 Behavioural methods versus economic models on farmer’s adoption decisions 7
2.2 Theory of planned behaviour 8
2.3 Research hypotheses and conceptual framework 10
CHAPTER THREE. METHODOLOGY: 13
3.1 Study area 13
3.2 Questionnaire design 14
3.3 Sample size and data collection 16
3.4 Data analysis methods & measures 17
3.4.1 Measurement-model for structural equation modelling: (validity and reliability test) 17
3.4.2 Structural equation model 19
CHAPTER FOUR. RESULTS: 21
4.1 Descriptive statistics 21
4.1.1 Relationship between smallholder farmer’s demographics and TPB variables 22
4.2 Common method variance 29
4.3 The model of planned behaviour 30
4.3.1 Validity and reliability analysis 30
4.3.2 Reliability analysis 33
4.4 The structural equation model 37
4.5 Analysis of the belief structure of TPB 40
CHAPTER FIVE. DISCUSSIONS 43
5.1 The position of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control on intention to practice ca 43
5.2 The position of beliefs on intention to practice ca 44
CHAPTER SIX. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 49
6.1 Suggestions for future research 52
REFERENCES 53
APPENDICES 59
APPENDIX 1: semi-structured interviews 60
APPENDIX 2-Formal questionnaire template 61
APPENDIX 3-Enumerators experience during data collection 73

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