Abstract:
This research addresses the prevalent lack of comprehension among contemporary farmers
regarding organic farming and its associated advantages. The investigation aims to elucidate the
decision-making processes influencing farmers' choices in favor or against embracing organic
farming, identifying both drivers and deterrents that shape these decisions. The theoretical
framework employed for this study is the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which elucidates the
interconnectedness of social and interpersonal factors impacting intentions. The research
integrates variables, including perceived usefulness of organic farming and personal
characteristics of farmers (such as age, income, family size, education, and tea farming
experience) into the conceptual framework to explore their influence on intention. This
descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study involved a sample size of 59 participants selected
through a list-based sampling approach. An interview schedule was devised to gather data from
the selected farmers. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to discern relationships
among variables, and Pearson correlation coefficients as well as Spearman correlation were
computed to evaluate correlations between variables. The findings reveal that participants in the
sample group scored significantly lower than the average (p < 0.05) in both attitude and intention
towards organic tea cultivation. Additionally, all variables within the conceptual framework
exhibited significant correlations (p < 0.05). Approximately 20.87% of the variance in intention
toward organic tea cultivation is explicated by the factors integrated into the regression model.
Notably, participants' intention diminishes by 0.404 for each one Likert scale score decrease in
perceived behavioral control. This study provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics
shaping farmers' intentions regarding the adoption of organic tea cultivation practices.
