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Analyzing Precision Agriculture Adoption across the Globe: A Systematic Review of Scholarship from 1999–2020

Author

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  • Chin-Ling Lee

    (Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Council of Agriculture, Taoyuan 32745, Taiwan)

  • Robert Strong

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

  • Kim E. Dooley

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

Abstract

Precision agriculture (PA) is a holistic, sustainable, innovative systems approach that assists farmers in production management. Adopting PA could improve sustainable food security and community economic sustainability. Developing an understanding of PA adoption attributes is needed in order to assist extension practitioners to promote adoption and better understand the innovation adoption phenomena. A systematic review of literature was conducted to investigate attributes that foster PA adoption. Thirty-three publications were examined, and four themes were found among the reviewed publications. The results were interpreted using Rogers’ diffusion of innovations framework to address the research objectives. Relative advantage and compatibility were two dominant attributes needed to strengthen the adoption of PA, and the complexity attribute was rarely communicated to promote the adoption of PA. The systematic review indicated the rate of farmer’s PA adoption does not occur at the highest potential levels due to inadequate communication of PA attributes from change agents to farmers. Extension field staff need professional development in communicating the five PA adoption attributes to farmers in order to improve PA adoption and enhance local sustainable food security. Thus, authors recommend future complexity studies from agricultural extension specialists’ perspectives to comprehend demonstratable approaches to motivate farmers’ adoption of PA.

Suggested Citation

  • Chin-Ling Lee & Robert Strong & Kim E. Dooley, 2021. "Analyzing Precision Agriculture Adoption across the Globe: A Systematic Review of Scholarship from 1999–2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-15, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10295-:d:635845
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Luwen Cui & Weiwei Wang, 2023. "Factors Affecting the Adoption of Digital Technology by Farmers in China: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-14, October.
    7. Gabriel Medina & Cassio Pereira & Joice Ferreira & Erika Berenguer & Jos Barlow, 2022. "Searching for Novel Sustainability Initiatives in Amazonia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-13, August.
    8. Silvia Macchia, 2022. "Unbundling the information needs of new-generation agricultural companies," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2022(2 Suppl.), pages 117-141.
    9. Mohammad Rokhafrouz & Hooman Latifi & Ali A. Abkar & Tomasz Wojciechowski & Mirosław Czechlowski & Ali Sadeghi Naieni & Yasser Maghsoudi & Gniewko Niedbała, 2021. "Simplified and Hybrid Remote Sensing-Based Delineation of Management Zones for Nitrogen Variable Rate Application in Wheat," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-24, November.
    10. Stefania Troiano & Matteo Carzedda & Francesco Marangon, 2023. "Better richer than environmentally friendly? Describing preferences toward and factors affecting precision agriculture adoption in Italy," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    11. Zhang, Shaohua & Chen, Rentao & Wu, Jian & Zhu, Ning, 2025. "Scale measurement and economic effect evaluation of smart agriculture in China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
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