Behavioural drivers of sustainable agricultural practices adoption in the EU: a systematic review

Promoting the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) remains a central objective of the European Union, particularly under the evolving framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). However, understanding the factors that shape farmers’ decisions requires moving beyond purely economic explanations. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 53 empirical studies conducted across EU Member States to identify how behavioural drivers —classified as dispositional, social, and cognitive according to the framework of Dessart et al. (2019) — shape farmers’ adoption of SAPs. Findings reveal that cognitive drivers, such as perceptions of risk, profitability, and self-efficacy, are most frequently examined, yet often interact synergistically with social influences and dispositional traits, including environmental values, innovation orientation, and institutional trust. The review underscores the need for agri-environmental policies that integrate behavioural insights and account for farmers’ lived experiences, social embeddedness, and bounded rationality to foster more effective and inclusive sustainability transitions.