Determinants of farmers’ enrollment in voluntary environmental programs: evidence from the Eregli Reed Bed area of Turkey

This study investigated the determinants of farmers’ enrollment and its continuity, in the voluntary agri-environmental program, which was initiated in the Eregli Reed Bed area of Turkey in 2006. The respondents were selected by drawing two stratified samples based on farm size. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the socioeconomic characteristics and communication behaviors of the farmers, and Chi-square tests of independence were used to compare enrolled and unenrolled farmers in terms of these variables. Focus group interviews were conducted to address common issues related to program enrollment and sustainable use of farm resources. The binary logistic regression model was applied to determine the factors affecting enrollment. Results of the Chi-square tests showed that enrolled farmers significantly differed from unenrolled farmers in terms of five socioeconomic characteristics and three communication behaviors. According to the results of the binary logistic regression model, level of income, use of the Internet, and contact with extension services have a positive effect on the enrollment status. In the focus group interviews, better financial support and communication network via the Internet, and more frequent contact with extension services were emphasized to be effective factors in enrollment. Financial ability to adopt agri-environmental programs was a significant barrier for the non-participants. This suggests that agri-environmental programs should first focus on high income farmers, but that all farmers should be informed and a good communication network should be established via the extension service.