Driving mechanism for farmers to adopt agroecology for biodiversity conservation: Inspiration from tea management in a China National Park

Abstract Conflicts arising from human activities and biodiversity value affect the conservation efficacy of protected areas. Resolving these conflicts requires conservation‐compatible livelihoods, such as through agroecology. Here, we built a comprehensive social–psychological framework to explore and understand farmers' intentions to adopt agroecological approaches in tea management in Wuyishan National Park, China. We extended the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) by integrating household livelihood assets (LAs) as a material precondition for the social–psychological decision‐making process. We proposed geographical location (GL) and livelihood strategy (LS) as moderating factors for this agroecology intention. We collected 369 valid household samples through structured interviews. We then used partial least square‐structural equation (PLS‐SEM) modelling to explore the determinants that affect tea farmers' agroecological intentions. Livelihood assets were a material foundation influencing the intention to adopt agroecology and were also mediated by three psychological constructs to take effect. Perceived behavioural control explained the largest proportion of the variance for intention and exerted the most significant mediation effects. Subjective norm was another vital independent predictor and exerted a positive influence on both perceived behavioural control and attitude. The direct and mediating impacts of attitude on the intention were weaker but showed that farmers' ecological rationality outweighed value rationality. Livelihood strategies measured by operational scale and livelihood diversity were able to moderate farmers' psychology. Subjective norm had positively significant influence on perceived behavioural control and attitude, indicating that social support to farmers enhanced their feeling of control over adopting agroecology and that important referent groups as sources of information helped farmers' attitude formation. Perceived behavioural control positively and significantly influences farmers' attitudes as well. Synthesis and applications . Our findings provide evidence of the necessity to optimise rural farmers' livelihood assets to enhance their confidence and control over agroecology. Resolving the conservation‐development dilemma in protected areas through agroecology should aim at comprehensive support that respects bioculture and improves farmers' ability. We suggest knowledge co‐production of traditional wisdom and modern technologies, reducing management costs and risks, strengthening park‐people communication and diversifying incentives to farmers with different livelihood strategies.