Investigating the Influence of Farmers’ Connectedness to Nature and Place Attachment on Soil Conservation Practices in Thailand

Abstract

Background: Soil erosion, which causes land degradation, is negatively impacting the world's agriculture and food security. Conservation of soil fertility is thus crucial for sustainable land and agricultural production. Several previous research works, regardless of whether they are conducted in developing or developed countries, indicate that connectedness to nature and place attachment among farmers are studied to test whether and how these variables affect farmers’ soil conservation intentions and behaviours.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the interplay between farmers' environmental connectedness, their attachment to place, and their soil conservation practices.

Methodology: This quantitative, cross-sectional study employed a descriptive survey design. Data were collected from 351 farmers in Saiyok District, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, via a structured questionnaire. The research model utilised scores for nature connectedness and four dimensions of place attachment (place identity, place dependence, nature bonding, and family bonding) to examine their influence on soil conservation efforts.

Results: Regression analysis revealed that two dimensions of place attachment—place identity and place dependence—have a statistically significant positive effect on farmers’ soil conservation efforts. Conversely, nature bonding was found to have a statistically significant negative effect on conservation. Furthermore, the overall variable of connectedness to nature showed no significant relationship with soil conservation efforts.

Conclusion: The more positive place identity and place dependence that Thai farmers feel, the more likely they are to practice soil conservation. In addition, the influence of nature connectedness on soil conservation is not found in this context.

Unique Contribution: This study has contributed to the understanding of the influence of place attachment that affect Thai farmers’ soil conservation practices. This study also highlighted the importance of natural and environmental worldviews among Thai farmers that are different from Westerner environmental worldviews.

Key Recommendation: Our results provide instructive recommendations for the government to promote soil conservation practices among farmers in terms of promoting activities that foster a sense of belonging and stewardship, communicating with farmers by focusing on the land’s functional value and the importance of agricultural production, and providing financial incentives or subsidies for conservation to lower-income farmers.