What Drives Conservation Adoption? Social Science Insights from Cattle Ranchers in the Pantanal Wetland, Brazil

Abstract

Fostering meaningful and equitable collaboration between practitioners and local stakeholders remains a major challenge in conservation science and practice. Common barriers include differences in intentions, values, priorities, and access to decision-making processes. We used a novel multidisciplinary approach combining ethnography, theory of planned behavior (TPB), and diffusion of innovation theory (DOI) to investigate the intention to adopt a sustainable ranching certification scheme in the Brazilian Pantanal at the macro (e.g., sociological and political) and micro (e.g., psychological and anthropological) levels. Between August 2021 and July 2024, we conducted participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and surveys guided by the TPB and DOI frameworks with ranchers, managers, and cowboys. Results highlight the significant role of external recognition of local culture in ranchers’ intention to adopt the sustainable ranching scheme. Mistrust of government and NGOs emerged as a barrier to adoption. By integrating micro- and macro-level factors, this research uncovered a more holistic perspective of the drivers that play a role in Pantanal ranchers’ intention to adopt dynamics—identifying possible paths for conservation practice in the region. This research also underscores the importance of multidisciplinary research to better understand how to foster and sustain local engagement.