Strategies for Increasing the Adoption of Precision Agriculture Technologies Among Smallholder Farmers Based on Local Context
Keywords:
Precision Agriculture, Smallholder Farmers, Technology Adoption, Local ContextAbstract
This study aims to explore strategies for increasing the adoption of precision agriculture technologies among smallholder farmers based on local context. The issue examined in this study concerns the gap between the potential benefits of precision agriculture and the limited adoption of these technologies among smallholder farmers due to financial, technical, social, and infrastructural constraints. This research used a qualitative case study approach in selected smallholder farming areas in West Java, Indonesia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, limited participatory observation, and documentation involving smallholder farmers, farmer group leaders, agricultural extension officers, cooperative managers, local agricultural officials, and technology providers selected through purposive and snowball sampling. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis with stages of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal seven main themes: perceived practical usefulness, affordability and economic risk, trust and peer influence, the role of extension officers, digital literacy and infrastructure, integration between technology and local farming knowledge, and locally suitable adoption strategies. The study shows that adoption increases when technology provides visible benefits, uses simple interfaces, receives institutional support, and enters existing farmer group networks. This study contributes to technology adoption theory by highlighting the role of local context, collective trust, and embodied farming knowledge. The findings imply that policy and practice should prioritize field demonstrations, shared access models, digital extension support, and farmer-centered training
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