The effect of knowledge on farmers’ intercropping adoption decisions : the perspective of Swedish farmers

Abstract: Intercropping is sustainable from both an economic and environmental point of view since it can increase yields, decrease input costs, make efficient use of available growth resources, increase crop biodiversity and natural biodiversity, suppress pests and diseases, and reduce land degradation. This makes the uptake of the practice important for future sustainable agricultural. Since the agricultural sector has evolved around mono-cropping for decades there is a risk that farmers’ knowledge is not adequate for the cultivation of intercropping. This study therefore examines how Swedish farmers’ formal and informal knowledge affects their adoption and intensity decisions on intercropping, by using a double-hurdle model. The results show that the adoption decision is positively related to self-reported intercropping knowledge and negatively associated with agricultural training. Higher levels of formal education, agricultural training, discussing farm issues with other farmers and years of farming experience are associated with lower intercropping intensity. These findings contribute to an understanding of the role of knowledge in the progression towards a more sustainable agriculture and are useful for shaping policies, information programmes, and agricultural training to increase the uptake of intercropping.