Despite the presence of several studies on technology adoption, there are limited empirical studies on how socio-psychological factors affect the adoption of sustainable agriculture. Therefore, this paper investigates how socio-psychological factors-such as social capital, information, attitudes, efficacy, and aversion-affect smallholder farmers’ decisions to adopt sustainable land management practices, such as agroforestry systems, organic compost, and crop rotation with legumes. Cross-sectional data are collected from 350 randomly selected farm households using a pre-tested and structured questionnaire. A multivariate probit model is used to investigate factors that influence the probability of adopting these practices. The ordered probit model is also applied to identify and analyze the determinants of the number (intensity) of land management practices adopted. The findings indicate that nearly half of the farmers have adopted these land management practices to improve soil fertility, enhance water retention capacity, and increase productivity. It is also found that attitudes, information, education, group membership, relational capital, risk attitudes, and labor supply significantly affect the probability of adopting these agricultural practices. The estimates of the ordered probit model also indicate that extension services, risk attitudes, group membership, relational capital, education and labor supply are major determinants of the number of land management practices used. However, financial resources, biophysical factors and some demographic factors are found to have an insignificant effect on sustainable agriculture adoption. This implies that when it is necessary to promote sustainable land management practices and to stimulate smallholder farmers to adopt such practices in isolation or combination, specific strategies should be designed to improve awareness, build positive attitudes, reduce risk aversion, strengthen formal organizations, and empower endogenous groups (or informal institutions).

Purpose: Climate change negatively affects agricultural crop production in the dry zone region of Myanmar. This paper aims to examine climate change adaptation strategies of farmers in the dry zone region. Farmers’ choice for adaptation strategies is influenced by many factors such as the practical availability and by socioeconomic conditions of the farmers. They are moreover influenced by the perception about climate change and by the specific problems prevailing in the farming systems. Design/methodology/approach: This research is carried out in Magwe district in the dry zone region of Myanmar using a random selection of 212 farmers from three Townships (Magwe, Yenanchaung and Chauk). A multinomial logistic regression (MLR) was applied to assess the factors affecting the choice by farmers for adaptation strategies. Findings: The study found that in the past, farmers used to apply locally available indigenous climate change adaptation strategies. However, recently, most farmers seem to have shifted to introduced adaptation strategies. The most popular adaptation strategy is to adjust the planting dates and sowing method (56.1 per cent). Furthermore, farmers identified a number of barriers that limit the adoption of adaptation methods. Risk is found to be an important driver of crop diversification. Finally, the MLR model showed that information from radio, access to seeds and extension services affect the choice of adaptation strategies. Originality/value: The study shows that adoption of locally available indigenous climate change adaptation methods is gradually decreasing, and there is a shift to introduced adaptation strategies. The study can assist public and private organizations to obtain insight in the determinants of climate change adaptation in the dry zone region of Myanmar.