Abstract
Agricultural intensification has resulted in the loss of plant species richness in European grasslands. Multi-species seed mixtures (MSSM) are one strategy to fulfil key requirements of sustainable pasture management, enhancing biodiversity and reducing the need for inputs like fertiliser nitrogen. Why farmers decide for or against using MSSM remains unclear. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted an online survey exploring European farmers' intention to use MSSM on pastures (n = 688). Using a structural equation model based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, we found that the perceived behavioural control, which shows the individual's perceived own ability to use MSSM, significantly affected farmers' intention. Within the perceived behavioural control, the compatibility of MSSM with the farm infrastructure was the most important item. Furthermore, the perceived behavioural control correlated strongly positively with the farmers' attitude towards the behaviour and the subjective norm, which reflects the farmers' concern about the views of persons important to them. Additional Kruskal-Wallis tests and pairwise post hoc Wilcoxon tests pointed to significant differences in the intention between specific groups when categorised by stocking rate, agroclimatic zone, country, educational level and organic vs. conventional management. The awareness of MSSM had a large effect on the intention, and current users (49% of respondents) showed the highest intention to use it further. To foster the uptake by farmers, various MSSM suitable for different farm infrastructures and climatic conditions are needed. Payments for successful establishment of MSSM could support their use. To enhance the awareness of MSSM, the European Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems are promising.