Evaluating the farmers' adoption behavior of water conservation in mountainous region Vietnam: extrinsic and intrinsic determinants

The steep parts of Vietnam face more rain, frost, flash flooding, and landslides than the plains and lowlands, making them more vulnerable to disasters and experience severe natural calamities every year. In mountainous areas, water shortages are becoming increasingly problematic as a result of the impacts of climate change and measures to promote water conservation in mountainous areas are more challenging. In an attempt to optimize the environmental advantages of water conservation strategies, it is critical to understand the factors that influence household water consumption decisions. This study aims to focus on assessing the adoption behavior of water conservation among 778 households in 8 mountainous provinces of Vietnam. In this study, the multivariate probit model (MPV) is used to examine the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic variables and five household water-use activities. The current study looked at the factors that influence the adoption of five different water conservation measures by households and variables related to the cognition of climate change, household characteristics and innate human qualities. The findings of this study reveal positive correlations between intrinsic and extrinsic variables and five household water-use activities. The results suggest that all intrinsic factors had a positive effect on the likelihood of implementing all five water-conserving strategies. However, extrinsic factors such as access to microcredit, rain, and cooperation are all factors that have a detrimental impact on water conservation measures. Based on the outcomes of the MPV model, we may assert that awareness of the effects of climate change is a contributing factor in explaining the adoption of water preservation strategies. The study areas and other similar regions in the country could benefit from a better understanding of the intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of households to build relevant interventions for water conservation. Future studies are needed to determine how psychological mechanisms of behavior change and how perception of water scarcity affects intention of water usage.