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Abstract: Short food supply chains (SFSCs) represent an innovative approach to the distribution of agricultural products, characterized by minimizing the distance between the producer and the consumer. This approach is increasingly perceived as a key factor in the resilience and sustainability of small farm development. The aim of this paper is to analyze the current use of SFSCs as a tool for strengthening the economic resilience and sustainability of small agricultural farms in the Czech Republic. It focuses on mapping factors influencing the perceived usefulness and ease of engagement and determinants of farmers’ behavioral intention to engage in SFSCs. The theoretical framework of the presented paper is based on the Technology Acceptance Model, which is applied to the agricultural sector. This framework provides a suitable structure for understanding the factors influencing the behavioural intention to adopt new technologies and innovations, including perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, which are key to understanding how farmers perceive their involvement in SFSCs and what their motivations and barriers are. The necessary data were obtained using semi-structured interviews with 156 small farmers in the Czech Republic. Categorical data were subjected to statistical hypothesis testing using contingency tables and the calculation of the χ² (chi-square) test to determine whether there was a statistically significant relationship between the variables. The use of contingency tables allowed for effective summarization and visualization of relationships between individual variables and the identification of patterns and trends in the data, which facilitated the interpretation of factors influencing the involvement of small farmers in the Czech Republic in SFSCs. The paper concludes by summarizing the importance of SFSCs as a tool for strengthening the resilience and sustainability of small agricultural farms. It also contributes to a better understanding of the factors influencing the involvement of small farmers in short food supply chains and provides recommendations for the development of agricultural policies and practices that can support the development of sustainable agricultural systems.
Keywords: short food supply chains, agriculture, economic resilience, Technology Acceptance Model
Published in RUP: 04.03.2026; Views: 297; Downloads: 5
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