Abstract

Post-harvest food losses of 30-40% cost sub-Saharan Africa approximately USD 200 million annually, yet the psychological mechanisms underlying collaborative food waste reduction in resource-constrained, post-conflict settings remain underexplored. Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour, this study examines how resource-based perceived control (RBPC) shapes collaborative food waste reduction intentions (CFWRI) and practices (PFWRB), and tests for the presence of an intention-behaviour gap. Survey data from 399 stakeholders (269 farmers, 80 NGO representatives, 50 government officers) in Bo District, Sierra Leone, were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results confirm that RBPC exerts a statistically significant dual-pathway effect: it influences PFWRB both indirectly via CFWRI (indirect effect = 0.392, p < 0.001) and directly (beta = 0.560, p < 0.001), with the direct path magnitude virtually identical to the intention-mediated path (Delta beta = 0.001) a rare finding suggesting that resource constraints override the intention-behaviour sequence. RBPC recorded the lowest mean score (2.39/5.0) among all constructs, indicating severely constrained self-efficacy, technology access, training, and market information. The model explains 57.2% of variance in intentions and 36.8% in behaviour. A three-tier intervention framework is proposed: immediate resource provision (0-12 months), motivation enhancement (1-3 years), and systemic transformation (3-5 years). Findings are discussed in relation to Sierra Leone's Feed Salone agricultural transformation strategy. The study contributes a resource-centric behavioural model for food waste reduction in developing countries, demonstrating that when perceived control is critically low, direct resource pathways may supersede intention-mediated routes to behaviour change.

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