Determinants of farmers’ intention to adopt the wetting front detector for irrigation scheduling in Ghana: Insights from an extended technology acceptance model

In the face of the increasing threats posed by climate change to smallholder farmers’ yields and livelihoods, irrigation is championed as a key adaptation strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, current irrigation practices of farmers often result in overirrigation, causing water, nutrient, and yield losses. The wetting front detector (WFD), as a tool for improved irrigation scheduling, has demonstrated effectiveness in optimizing irrigation water volumes and frequency. Yet, in addition to the low awareness of the device among farmers, drivers of its adoption remain understudied in Ghana. Considering the importance of the WFD in sustainable irrigation water management, this paper extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate factors that could determine farmers' intention to adopt it. Survey data gathered via a multi-stage sampling procedure from 384 farming households in the Upper East Region of Ghana were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Farmers’ intention to adopt the WFD was primarily driven by their attitude towards the device, whereas social influence unexpectedly affected intention negatively. A mediation analysis further highlighted indirect influences of self-efficacy and perceived ease of use on farmers’ adoption intention. Moreover, socioeconomic variables, including farmers’ community, irrigation experience, irrigated farm size, access to extension services, and land ownership, significantly influenced their intention to adopt the device. The predictors in the extended TAM explained approximately 82% of farmers’ adoption intention of the device. Field demonstrations and public-private extension services partnerships are suggested as practical and policy recommendations to facilitate the adoption of the WFD by farmers.