Attitudes, Behaviours and Motivations for Mechanization in Small Scale Portuguese Agriculture

Abstract

Knowing that the purchase of agricultural machinery largely dominates the investment made at farm level in many programs to support the development of the agricultural sector, we sought to evaluate the reasons and rationale for that choice by farmers.

The study was conducted in Beira Interior region at request of the Regional Agricultural Services under the EC measure AGRIS and regarding the period 2000-2004.

The methodology used the analysis of documentary sources, interviews with machinery vendors and agricultural technicians, and a survey by questionnaire of farmers benefiting from the AGRIS measure in the region.

The analysis identified relatively homogeneous groups of farmers regarding the behaviour, attitudes and motivations in the use and purchase of tractors. As a consequence the demand was characterized. It was also possible to identify the factors that shaped the supply, either the machinery and equipment or the funds to purchase them. The findings measured the opportunity of farmers technology choices, aiming at increasing productivity and welfare that the funds available helped to achieve.