The determinants of the responsible use of pesticides among date farmers in Qassim region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Excessive pesticide use in agriculture has caused several negative impact on human health and the environment. Understanding the drivers of pesticide use leads to a responsible use of pesticide and establishing proper guidelines for practitioners. This study assessed the decision-making process for the optimal use of pesticides among date farmers in Saudi Arabia using a cognitive mapping technique. A semi-directive interview was conducted with a random sample of 81 date farmers in the Qassim region. Our results indicate that farmers’ age, experience, and farm size are the most influential factors in their decisions regarding pesticide use. The results also reveal that four variables can be considered the regulating factors in pesticide use: government environmental regulations, risk attitudes, perceived risk, and subjective norms. Finally, gender was found to have no significant influence. Using the upper-echelon theory, this study aims to fill a gap in the research on the association between the personal attributes of farmers and their sustainable behavior regarding the pesticide use.

Keywords:

• Sustainable framing
• responsible use of pesticides
• upper-echelon theory
• cognitive mapping
• Saudi Arabia

Reviewing editor:

• Manuel Tejada
• University of Seville, Spain

SUBJECTS:

• environmental economics
• agriculture & environmental sciences
• environmental studies

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Qassim University, the Deanship of Scientific Research, for the financial support of this research under the number (10237-cbe-2020-1-3-I) during the academic year 1442AH/2020 AD.

Institutional review board Statement

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee, Qassim University, protocol code 22-06-05 and date of approval 03 October 2022.

Authors contributions

Conception and design: Ezzeddine Ben Mohamed; Anis Jarboui. Analysis and interpretation of the data: Ezzeddine Ben Mohamed, Nassreddine Garoui and Saber Ibrahim; the drafting of the paper: Ezzeddine Ben Mohamed, Anis Jarboui and Wajih Abbassi. Revising it critically for intellectual content: Ahmad Al Salman, Ezzeddine Ben Mohamed and Anis Jarboui and the final approval of the version to be published: Ezzeddine Ben Mohamed, Nassreddine Garoui, Saber Ibrahim, Ahmad al Salman and Anis Jarboui. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability Statement

Data are available on request from the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work is funded by Qassim University, the Deanship of Scientific Research. Grant number: 10237-cbe-2020-1-3-I