Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>This study identifies the factors influencing the adoption of vivo plants and organic fertilizers, two agroecological practices used in banana and plantain production in southern Benin. The analysis draws on the theory of adaptive behavior to examine how farmers’ decisions are shaped by their individual characteristics and institutional environment. Data were collected from 321 producers across eight municipalities through structured interviews. Two ordered probit models were estimated to analyze the determinants of the choice of planting material and fertilizer type, respectively. The results show that the adoption of vivo plants is significantly influenced by age, farm size, access to technical training, sales contracts, and membership in farmer organizations. In contrast, the use of organic fertilizers is mainly determined by gender, access to credit, farm size, and the availability of agricultural labor. These findings underline the importance of targeted interventions to support the diffusion of agroecological practices. Strengthening technical training, improving access to credit, facilitating market integration through contractual arrangements, and supporting farmer organizations could enhance the adoption of sustainable production practices.</p>