Tree planing by small holder farmers in Malawi: Using the theory of planned behaviour to examine the relationship between attitudes and behaviour

This study examined farmers' attitudes towards tree planting on farms in Malawi, using the theory of planned behaviour as a conceptual framework. Questionnaires containing a scale that measures attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control in relation to tree planting were administered to 200 farmers in Chiradzulu and Mzimba districts in Malawi. Farmers who reported planting trees in the last five years had more positive attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control compared to farmers who have not planted trees. A hierarchical logistic regression analysis showed that membership of a farmer group and attitudes had a significant positive influence on reported behaviour. Nevertheless, many farmers considered household needs such as buying food and agricultural inputs, as well as children's education, as more urgent than investing their scarce resources in tree planting, suggesting that poverty is a barrier to tree planting.

本研究以计划行为理论（Theory of Planned Behaviour）为概念框架，探讨马拉维农户在农场开展植树活动的态度。研究向马拉维奇拉祖鲁（Chiradzulu）与姆津巴（Mzimba）地区的200名农户发放调查问卷，问卷包含用于测量植树相关态度、主观规范及感知行为控制的量表。相较于近五年未参与植树的农户，同期开展过植树的农户在态度、主观规范与感知行为控制维度上的表现更为积极。层级逻辑回归分析结果显示，农户团体成员身份与植树态度对农户报告的植树行为具有显著正向影响。尽管如此，多数农户将购置粮食、农业生产资料及子女教育等家庭需求视为更为紧迫的事项，而非将稀缺资源投入植树，这表明贫困是阻碍农户参与植树的一大壁垒。