FARMERS' PERCEPTIONS OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY BENEFIT AND ITS IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION USING PROBIT MODELS IN LAGOS STATE

Precision agriculture (PA) technologies can potentially reduce losses and waste of inputs while
improving crop yield. This study evaluates farmers' perceptions of the benefits of precision
agriculture technologies and their impact on technology adoption using probit models in Lagos
State. 120 participants were purposefully selected for the study in Ikorodu and Epe Local
Government Areas. Data were collected using structured interviews and questionnaires
concerning socio-demographic characteristics and perceptions of PA benefits. Descriptive
statistics summarized the socio-demographic data and perceptions of PA benefits. The probit
model analyzed the factors influencing the likelihood of adopting the technology. Results
showed that 87% of participants believed PA technology and services would increase farm
management efficiency. Additionally, 85% of adopters agreed that PA technologies and services
are crucial contributors to their farm's current profitability. Five socio-demographic factors
namely Income (P≤0.01), experience (P≤0.01), gender (P<0.01), and farm size (P≤0.01)and
phone ownership (P≤0.01) along with four perception variables related to PA benefits, Early
Adopter (P<0.005), supervisor (P≤0.01), cost-saving (P≤0.01), and yield improvement (P≤0.01)
are significantly and positively associated with a higher probability of adopting PA technology
and services. It was concluded that farmers' perceptions of the benefits of precision agriculture
technology significantly influence their adoption behaviours and services. The study
recommended, among others, targeted educational programmes focusing on financial
profitability, convenience attributes, cost reduction, yield improvement, alongside policies that
enhance access to digital tools and support smallholders in technology uptake.