TY - JOUR
T1 - Precision agriculture technology adoption
T2 - a qualitative study of small-scale commercial “family farms” located in the North China Plain
AU - Kendall, Helen
AU - Clark, Beth
AU - Li, Wenjing
AU - Jin, Shan
AU - Jones, Glyn D.
AU - Chen, Jing
AU - Taylor, James
AU - Li, Zhenhong
AU - Frewer, Lynn J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was conducted as part of the PAFIC—Precision Agriculture for Family-farms in China project, funded by the UK China Research and Innovation Partnership Fund (Newton Programme, STFC Ref.: ST/N006801/1; NSFC Ref.: 61661136003).
Funding Information:
This work was conducted as part of the PAFIC?Precision Agriculture for Family-farms in China project, funded by the UK China Research and Innovation Partnership Fund (Newton Programme, STFC Ref.: ST/N006801/1; NSFC Ref.: 61661136003).
Funding Information:
This research was funded by the UK-China Research and Innovation Partnership Fund (Newton Programme: PAFIC—Precision Agriculture for Family-farms in China project, NSFC Ref.: 61661136003 & STFC Ref.: ST/N006801/1).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/2/1
Y1 - 2022/2/1
N2 - Precision agriculture (PA) technologies offer a potential solution to food security and environmental challenges but, will only be successful if adopted by farmers. Adoption in China lags behind that in some developed agricultural economies despite scientifically proven benefits of PA technologies for Chinese agriculture. Adoption is dependent on farmer attitudes and perceptions towards PA technologies. An exploratory qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with Chinese arable farmers (n = 27) to explore their perceptions towards and adoption intentions of PA technologies in two Chinese provinces (Hebei and Shandong). A thematic analysis revealed five central themes to have emerged from the data, these were: “socio-political landscape”, “farming culture”, “agricultural challenges”, “adoption intentions (barriers/facilitators” and “practical support mechanisms”. All were likely to influence the level and rate of adoption of PA technologies amongst family farmers in China. The research revealed an openness to the potential of PA technologies amongst family farmers, although there was heterogeneity in the perceptions of PA technology and willingness to adopt. Improved rates of adoption will be achieved by reducing the barriers to adoption, including the need for low-cost PA applications that can be applied at small scale, improved information provision, financial support mechanisms including more accessible subsidies and credit, and reliable, regulated and affordable service provision.
AB - Precision agriculture (PA) technologies offer a potential solution to food security and environmental challenges but, will only be successful if adopted by farmers. Adoption in China lags behind that in some developed agricultural economies despite scientifically proven benefits of PA technologies for Chinese agriculture. Adoption is dependent on farmer attitudes and perceptions towards PA technologies. An exploratory qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with Chinese arable farmers (n = 27) to explore their perceptions towards and adoption intentions of PA technologies in two Chinese provinces (Hebei and Shandong). A thematic analysis revealed five central themes to have emerged from the data, these were: “socio-political landscape”, “farming culture”, “agricultural challenges”, “adoption intentions (barriers/facilitators” and “practical support mechanisms”. All were likely to influence the level and rate of adoption of PA technologies amongst family farmers in China. The research revealed an openness to the potential of PA technologies amongst family farmers, although there was heterogeneity in the perceptions of PA technology and willingness to adopt. Improved rates of adoption will be achieved by reducing the barriers to adoption, including the need for low-cost PA applications that can be applied at small scale, improved information provision, financial support mechanisms including more accessible subsidies and credit, and reliable, regulated and affordable service provision.
KW - adoption motivations
KW - benefits
KW - China
KW - farmer perceptions
KW - precision agriculture
KW - risk
KW - UKRI
KW - STFC
KW - ST/N006801/1
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85114818016&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11119-021-09839-2
DO - 10.1007/s11119-021-09839-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85114818016
SN - 1385-2256
VL - 23
SP - 319
EP - 351
JO - Precision Agriculture
JF - Precision Agriculture
IS - 1
ER -
