Predictors of ranchers’ Protection Behaviors in the Use of Pastures Through Protection Motivation Theory

The food security of many countries depends on effective pasture management. The behavior of ranchers, as direct users of pastures, is considered a key factor in pasture conservation. The aim of this research is to analyze the conservation behavior of Iranian ranchers in relation to pasture exploitation using Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). The results indicate that the expected hypotheses were confirmed, except for the effect of the response cost variable on protective behavior. The variables of perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, response effectiveness, and self-efficacy accounted for 63.9% of pastoralists’ protective behavior toward pasture exploitation. This research demonstrates that PMT is a valuable tool for investigating the conservation behavior of Iranian ranchers. One of the key outcomes of this research is the development of recommendations for policymakers to promote pasture conservation among ranchers.