How do farmers value organic fertilisers? An exploratory study on conventional and innovative products

Current trends in the adoption of agricultural innovations aimed at replacing mineral fertilisers with organic fertilisers such as biochar and biochar-compost blends made from various organic wastes have recently been recognised as an important innovation to restore and improve soil fertility and mitigate environmental impacts while implementing the circular economy. A survey was designed to capture socio-economic characteristics and attitudes of farmers towards the use of organic fertilisers. Attitudinal data from 176 farmers were analysed using exploratory principal component analysis (PCA) to identify the components associated with their acceptance. Subsequently, the components and socio-economic data were used to delineate clusters of farmers that were matched with the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a novel organic fertiliser, a biochar-compost blend. WTP was tasted using a dichotomous choice contingent valuation within the range of €1–300 per tonne. A positive WTP for BCmix was expressed by 63.1 % of farmers, with average preferred application rates exceeding 11 t/ha. Five main farmer clusters with different attitudes and appreciation levels for organic fertilisers were identified -The Neutral, The Unready, The Opposed, The Sceptic, and The Engaged-highlighting a range of attitudes and appreciation levels towards organic fertilisers. Interestingly, clusters with a neutral stance towards organic fertilisers showed significantly higher WTP than clusters more actively committed to sustainability, such as The Engaged, a finding that contrasts with prior studies where environmentally committed farmers typically show greater adoption willingness. The study’s insights support targeted market segmentation and inform policy and communication strategies to promote the early adoption of organic fertilisers.