Emotion and Reason Drive Farmers' GM Maize Adoption Decisions

A study of 468 smallholder farmers in genetically modified (GM) maize pilot areas in Yunnan Province, China, examined how rational and emotional factors influence farmers' willingness to adopt GM maize. Using dual-process theory, the researchers explored how farmers' understanding of the crop's benefits, risk perceptions, and cultivation experience interact when making adoption decisions.

The study defined rational cognition as farmers' understanding of potential agronomic benefits, including higher yields and reduced pesticide use. Emotional cognition covered farmers' risk perceptions and affective responses toward GM technology. The researchers found that these two cognitive systems worked in opposing ways. Cultivation experience was also examined as a factor that could change the influence of rational and emotional cognition on farmers' decisions.

The results showed that rational cognition significantly increased farmers' willingness to adopt GM maize, while emotional cognition substantially reduced it. When emotional concerns were stronger, they weakened the positive effect of farmers' understanding of GM maize benefits. However, cultivation experience strengthened the influence of rational cognition and reduced the negative effect of emotional cognition. The researchers recommended combining science communication with peer demonstrations for farmers without pilot experience, while providing targeted technical guidance to those already involved in GM maize cultivation.

For more information, read the abstract from the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.