M. Reza Morshedloo

This study provides quantitative data to find out about the contribution of the drivers that forecast farmers' intention to cultivate medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs). In the light of an in-depth literature review, we recognized a knowledge gap of support-knowledge-attitude-intention, hypothesized as the predictors of the cultivation of MAPs. The farm resource-based model (FRBM), demographic model (DM), and institutional supportive model (ISM) constituted the theoretical foundation of the study. The study benefits from a sample composed of 260 farmers in northwest Iran, selected via a random proportional stratified method and surveyed through a self-implemented questionnaire. The resulting evidence from path analysis manifests that DM and ISM perform the most contribution to predicting attitude and behavioral intention, however, the integrated model makes a show of the best contribution (Cohen′sρ2=0.66). The results also reveal that knowledge (β = 0.11; p < 0.001, SΔ = 4.05), educational support (β = 0.25; p < 0.001, SΔ = 4.90) and financial support (β = 0.24; p < 0.001, SΔ = 4.43) have a positive impact on attitude towards cultivation. Moreover, attitude (β = 0.36; p < 0.001, SΔ = 8.14), knowledge (β = 0.33; p < 0.001; SΔ = 11.95), and risk-taking (β = 0.07; p < 0.001, SΔ = 2.69) influence behavioral intention directly. The study illuminates that farmers have the potential to join in the cultivation of MAPs if they are supported by educational and financially supportive initiatives. The integrated theoretical model creates a comprehensive framework by which it is possible to differentiate adopters and non-adopters of other agricultural technologies, hence, being recommended to the extension's future research.