Abstract:
This study examined the factors influencing the adoption intention of polytunnel
farming among farmers in Kurunegala district, Sri Lanka. Polytunnel farming has the
potential to boost agricultural productivity and reduce climate-related risks. However,
adoption rates remain low among farmers due to a significant knowledge gap. This
research aimed to identify key factors affecting adoption intentions using the
extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as the theoretical framework which
includes attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and actual
behavioral control. A structured survey was administered to a randomly selected
sample of 150 farmers, with data analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling
(SEM) using AMOS 22.0 and SPSS 26.0. In the model evaluation, a Confirmatory
Factor Analysis (CFA) resulted in a comparative fit index (CFI=0.907) indicating an
acceptable model fit. Results indicate that subjective norms and actual behavioral
control significantly (p<0.05) affect adoption intentions while attitudes toward
polytunnel farming and perceived behavioral control do not have significant impacts.
To improve subjective norms, it is essential to create a supportive environment where
farmers feel encouraged by their peers and community to adopt polytunnel farming
and also to enhance actual behavioral control, training programs that focus on hands
on skills for setting up and maintaining polytunnel can empower farmers with the
confidence to adopt this technology. Together, these efforts can significantly improve
both subjective norms and actual behavioral control leading to wider adoption of
polytunnel farming.
