Gender and Sustainable Land Management Practices: A Path Modelling Analysis for Germany

A transition toward more sustainable farming systems is essential to ensure the production of sufficient food and fiber while managing increasing pressure on natural resources in a growing world. Recent studies highlight the importance of environmental engagement, networking and social aspects in the intention to adopt sustainable farming practices. However, gender remains underrepresented in empirical investigations for European farming systems. This paper examines whether gender is associated with farmers’ decision to adopt sustainable practices and whether this relation operates indirectly through environmental policy engagement and networking. We further investigate whether gender moderates the relation between these factors and adoption intentions. Using survey data from the northern German peatland area, we apply a partial- least-square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach to analyze direct, indirect and moderation paths. The results show that higher levels of expressed environmental policy engagement and stronger networking are associated with a greater intention to adopt sustainable practices. Women-headed farms report lower levels of environmental policy engagement and networking than male-headed farms in our sample, contrasting with findings from other European contexts. Data do not support a direct path and a moderating role of gender on adoption of sustainable practices. These results suggest that policy measures should focus on removing structural and institutional barriers to policy engagement and network access that support the adoption of sustainable practices and may foster women farmers participation.