Farmers’ Perceptions and Willingness of Compost Production and Use to Contribute to Environmental Sustainability

Zineb Majbar, Fatima-Zahra El Madani, Mohamed Khalis, Kenza Lahlou, Mohamed Ben Abbou, El Batoul Majbar, Mohammed Bourhia, Arwa Abdulkreem AL-Huqail, Ahmad El Askary, Amany S. Khalifa, Lahcen Ouahmane, Mustapha Taleb, Mounia El Haji and Zakia Rais
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Zineb Majbar: Engineering Laboratory of Organometallic, Molecular Materials and Environment (LIMOME), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30003, Morocco
Fatima-Zahra El Madani: Engineering Laboratory of Organometallic, Molecular Materials and Environment (LIMOME), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30003, Morocco
Mohamed Khalis: International School of Public Health, Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (UM6SS), Casablanca 20000, Morocco
Kenza Lahlou: Engineering Laboratory of Organometallic, Molecular Materials and Environment (LIMOME), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30003, Morocco
Mohamed Ben Abbou: Natural Resources and Environment Laboratory, Polydisciplinary Faculty, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Taza 35000, Morocco
El Batoul Majbar: Faculty of Languages, Arts and Human Science, Ibn Zohor University, Ait Melloul 80000, Morocco
Mohammed Bourhia: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Agro-Sciences and Environment (BioMAgE), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
Arwa Abdulkreem AL-Huqail: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 13324-8824, Saudi Arabia
Ahmad El Askary: Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
Amany S. Khalifa: Department of Clinical Pathology and Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
Lahcen Ouahmane: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Agro-Sciences and Environment (BioMAgE), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
Mustapha Taleb: Engineering Laboratory of Organometallic, Molecular Materials and Environment (LIMOME), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30003, Morocco
Mounia El Haji: Laboratory of Advanced Research in Industrial and Logistic Engineering, Superior National School of Electricity and Mechanic (ENSEM), Hassan II University, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
Zakia Rais: Engineering Laboratory of Organometallic, Molecular Materials and Environment (LIMOME), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30003, Morocco

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: Composting is an ecological method of recycling organic waste. It presents an effective solution to reduce the large volume of agricultural waste and provides an organic fertilizer and soil amendment. However, its implementation remains limited, especially in Morocco. The vast majority of farmers are unaware of the effectiveness of compost, and it is often considered as an inefficient product compared with chemical fertilizers. In order to develop a local marketing strategy for compost, this study aims to identify the perceptions and willingness of farmers to produce and use compost in agriculture, and to assess the factors shaping these perceptions and willingness, including socio-economic, agricultural and individual factors. The case of Morocco is investigated, where the vast majority of farmers practice inappropriate disposal of agricultural waste and excessive use of agro-chemicals. Data are collected using a standard questionnaire and face-to-face interviews with 350 farmers during their visit to the international agricultural exhibition in Morocco. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) are used for data analysis. The results showed a high level (80%) of acceptance by farmers of the production and use of compost. Farmers are also very willing to produce and use compost in agriculture. All the socio-economic, individual and agricultural factors, except gender, length of experience and cultivated area, had a highly significant influence on farmers’ perception and willingness to produce compost ( p < 0.005). The positive perceptions of farmers and the high level of willingness to produce compost imply that the composting of organic waste should be encouraged by our local authorities. The production of compost will thus contribute to environmental sustainability and to the promotion of the ecological management of agricultural waste meeting the requirements of a circular economy.

Keywords: agricultural waste; compost; farmers’ willingness; farmers’ perceptions; socio-economic factors; individual factors; agricultural factors; Morocco; environmental sustainability; circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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