ABSTRACT

Purpose

Employing a theoretical model of human behaviour (COM-B), the current study explores the factors influencing farmers’ engagement with grass measurement on Irish dairy farms.

Methodology

The current study employed a qualitative research design. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were carried out with 21 dairy farmers.

Findings

Factors inhibiting farmers from engaging in grass measurement included a high perceived task effort, a lack of skill and self-efficacy to carry out the task, uncertainty over personal value of engagement, a lack of tangible support, and a confidence in, and preference for, existing intuition-based decision-making.

Practical implications

Recommendations for communication, extension, education and technology development are offered to tackle the ‘high task effort’ associated with grass measurement by farmers and to support skill development and self-efficacy of dairy farmers.

Theoretical implications

The study proves value in moving from behavioural frameworks which focus solely on individual constructs as ‘barriers to adoption’ towards using frameworks which also account for the important role of factors external to the individual such as their social and physical surroundings.

Value

A comprehensive theoretical framework is offered for understanding dairy farmers’ engagement with grass measurement along with evidence-based suggestions for communication, extension, education and technology development.

中文翻译：

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探索农民在爱尔兰奶牛场进行草地测量的决定

摘要

目的

本研究采用人类行为的理论模型 (COM-B)，探讨了影响农民参与爱尔兰奶牛场草地测量的因素。

方法

目前的研究采用了定性研究设计。对 21 名奶农进行了一对一的半结构化访谈。

发现

阻碍农民参与草地测量的因素包括高度感知的任务努力、缺乏执行任务的技能和自我效能感、对参与的个人价值的不确定性、缺乏切实的支持以及对，现有的基于直觉的决策。

实际影响

提供了有关交流、推广、教育和技术开发的建议，以解决农民与草地测量相关的“高工作量”，并支持奶农的技能发展和自我效能。

理论意义

该研究证明了从仅关注个人结构作为“采用障碍”的行为框架转向使用框架的价值，该框架也解释了个人外部因素（例如他们的社会和物理环境）的重要作用。

价值

提供了一个全面的理论框架来理解奶农对草地测量的参与以及基于证据的交流、推广、教育和技术开发建议。