Data on smallholder farmers' behavioural intention to adopt Vetiver System Technology through a TAM-PMT integration framework

Vetiver System Technology is a nature-based solution for soil and water conservation that uses vetiver grass to stabilize slopes, reduce soil erosion, and enhance water retention. Despite its proven effectiveness, adoption among smallholder farmers in tropical and subtropical regions remains inconsistent. Adoption decisions are shaped by the interaction of perceived environmental risks, perceived benefits and effort associated with the technology, and farmer socio-demographic characteristics. This work is grounded in an integrated framework combining the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), which explain both usability-driven and risk-driven determinants of technology adoption. TAM highlights perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use as key drivers of acceptance, while PMT explains protective behavior through threat appraisal (perceived severity and vulnerability) and coping appraisal (self-efficacy, response efficacy, and response cost). This integration provides a comprehensive basis for analyzing agricultural conservation technologies where risk perception and technology evaluation interact. The data were generated through a cross-sectional survey of 561 smallholder farmers from upland barangays in Cebu Province, Philippines. A structured 40-item questionnaire, adapted from validated TAM and PMT instruments, measured eight constructs: perceived severity (PS), perceived vulnerability (PV), self-efficacy (SE), response efficacy (RE), response cost (RC), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and behavioral intention (BI), using a 5-point Likert scale. The instrument was translated into Bisaya, validated, and pilot-tested prior to implementation. The collection also includes demographic variables such as location, age, gender, education, farming experience, land ownership, area type, and income. Information was gathered through face-to-face interviews and online surveys using convenience sampling. The structure supports structural equation modeling analysis, enabling assessment of reliability and validity using indicators such as factor loadings, Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted. These data provide an empirical basis for examining sustainable agricultural technology adoption in erosion-prone environments. They can be reused for comparative studies, validation of TAM–PMT models, and the development of interventions such as training programs and awareness campaigns to promote Vetiver System Technology and similar nature-based solutions.香根草系统技术（Vetiver System Technology）是一类基于自然的水土保持解决方案，通过种植香根草（vetiver grass）实现边坡加固、减少土壤侵蚀并提升土壤保水能力。尽管其有效性已得到证实，但热带与亚热带地区的小农户对该技术的采用率仍参差不齐。农户的采用决策受感知环境风险、感知收益与技术相关投入，以及农户社会人口特征的交互作用共同影响。 本研究依托整合了技术接受模型（Technology Acceptance Model, TAM）与保护动机理论（Protection Motivation Theory, PMT）的分析框架，该框架可同时解释技术采用中由可用性驱动与由风险驱动的决定因素。其中，技术接受模型强调感知有用性与感知易用性是技术接受行为的核心驱动因素；而保护动机理论则通过威胁评估（感知严重性与感知脆弱性）与应对评估（自我效能、反应效能与反应成本）来阐释保护行为的产生逻辑。这一整合框架为分析风险感知与技术评价相互作用的农业保护技术提供了全面的研究基础。 本数据集通过对菲律宾宿务省高地村社的561名小农户开展横断面调查生成。研究采用经过改编的标准化40题问卷，该问卷改编自经过验证的TAM与PMT量表，以5点李克特量表（5-point Likert scale）测量8个研究构念：感知严重性（perceived severity, PS）、感知脆弱性（perceived vulnerability, PV）、自我效能（self-efficacy, SE）、反应效能（response efficacy, RE）、反应成本（response cost, RC）、感知易用性（perceived ease of use, PEOU）、感知有用性（perceived usefulness, PU）与行为意向（behavioral intention, BI）。该问卷已被译为米沙鄢语（Bisaya），并在正式实施前完成了信效度检验与预测试。 调查同时收集了农户的人口统计学变量，包括所在地、年龄、性别、受教育程度、务农年限、土地所有权、土地类型与收入水平。数据通过面对面访谈与线上问卷两种方式收集，采用便利抽样法开展招募。本数据集的结构支持结构方程模型（structural equation modeling, SEM）分析，可通过因子载荷、克朗巴赫α系数（Cronbach’s alpha）、组合信度与平均变异抽取量等指标评估量表的信度与效度。 本数据集为侵蚀易发环境下的可持续农业技术采用研究提供了实证基础，可被复用于比较研究、TAM-PMT模型的验证工作，以及开发各类干预措施——例如培训项目与宣传活动，以推广香根草系统技术及其他同类基于自然的解决方案。