The Role of Risk Preferences in Transitioning to Organic Livestock Farming: Evidence from Kazakhstan
Wang S. Dulatbay Y. Sun P. Yessengaliyeva S. Ling T.J. Kozhayeva A. Sugirbay A. Begeyeva M. Nartay B.
January-February 2026Unique Scientific Publishers
International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences
2026#15Issue 1354 - 363 pp.
Risk preferences play a crucial role in farmers decision-making regarding organic transition. Particularly in organic livestock farming, risk-tolerant farmers are more likely to adopt environmentally sustainable production practices. Using original survey data from livestock farmers in Kazakhstan, this study empirically examines how risk preferences influence and interact with multidimensional contextual factors to affect the intention to transition to organic practices. The results indicate that risk preferences significantly enhance farmers intention to transition to organic farming. Further analysis reveals that multidimensional contextual factors—including intrinsic attitudes, resource capacity, external opportunities, and social legitimacy—moderate this relationship. These factors strengthen the positive effect of risk preferences on transition intention. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of risk preferences is more pronounced among larger-scale and specialized producers. In contrast, it is weaker among small-scale farmers facing resource constraints and those engaged in mixed livestock systems with greater operational complexity. The findings underscore the importance of the interplay between farmers psychological traits and external contexts in driving the transition to organic agriculture. Policymakers can target support toward farmers with high-risk preferences and optimise their operational environment across attitudinal, capacitative, opportunistic, and legitimacy dimensions to precisely stimulate transition motivation, thereby effectively promoting the sustainable development of organic livestock farming.
Kazakhstan , Moderating effects , Organic livestock farming , Risk preferences , Transition intention
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Department of Economics and Finance, Shakarim University, Semey, 071412, Kazakhstan
College of Economics and Management, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
Research School of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Shakarim University, Semey, 071412, Kazakhstan
School of Economics and Management, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, China
Institute of Economics, Information Technology and Vocational Education, West Kazakhstan Agrarian-Technical University named after Zhangir khan, Oral, 090009, Kazakhstan
Yangling Modern Agriculture International, Cooperation Group Ltd, Yangling, 712100, China
Department of Economics and Finance
College of Economics and Management
Research School of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture
School of Economics and Management
Institute of Economics
Yangling Modern Agriculture International
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