Socio-economic determinants of farmers’ adoption of precision agricultural technologies in Ebonyi state, Nigeria

Abstract

There is limited knowledge on how socio-economic characteristics influence the adoption of precision agricultural techniques in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. This study examined the socio-economic factors affecting its adoption. The specific objectives were to describe respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, identify influencing factors, and determine their impact on adoption. A four-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews and analyzed
using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and multiple regression. Results showed that 70% of respondents were male, with a mean age of 45 years. About 88.4% had formal education, 69.2% were married, and 25.8% were full-time farmers. Household sizes ranged from 11-15 persons (34.2%), and mean annual farm income was N750,000. Access to credit and extension services was high (85% and 62.5%, respectively), but 50.8% were not computer literate. Four key factors socio-economic, agro-ecological, technological, and institutional were identified. Regression analysis (R² = 0.757, F = 54.98, p < 0.01) showed that educational level, farm size, income, and occupation significantly influenced adoption. The study concluded that socioeconomic characteristics significantly affect precision agriculture adoption. Strengthening education, financial access, and digital literacy through training and provision of smart devices would enhance
adoption rates.