Factors Influencing the adoption of Precision Agriculture Technologies for Food Production at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Nigeria

Abstract

There is an urgent need to increase agricultural productivity sustainably to meet the demands of a growing population, hence, this study examined the factors influencing the adoption of Precision Agriculture (PA) for food production at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Nigeria. Employing a positivist research philosophy and a deductive approach, the research used a quantitative survey methodology with a cross-sectional time horizon. Primary data was collected from 200 farmers at IITA using a structured questionnaire, focusing on demographics, PA usage, adoption factors, and perceived impact. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Regression Analysis were utilized to analyze the data. The study found that while many farmers were aware of PA technologies and demonstrated a willingness to adopt them, a gap persisted between awareness and actual implementation. Factors such as government support, access to information, education level, affordability, potential income gains, and land ownership security were perceived as influential, yet statistical analysis revealed weak or no correlation between many of these factors and actual adoption. Notably, government support showed a negative correlation, suggesting a need for more farmer-centric approaches. Farmers generally had a positive perception of PA’s impact, reporting improvements in crop yields, sales, profits, and productivity. The study concludes by highlighting the complex dynamics of PA adoption and offering recommendations, including bridging the knowledge and access gap, addressing economic constraints, enhancing government support, promoting user-friendly technologies, and strengthening land tenure security, to foster wider and more sustainable adoption of PA in Nigeria.