Unearthing the determinants of digital innovation adoption in the agricultural sector: The role of food security awareness and agricultural experience.

Abstract

Extant research has widely acknowledged the role of digital innovation as a facilitator of digital transformation, presenting solutions for various challenges in various industries. However, prior research demonstrates inadequate discussions on the determinants of digital innovation adoption for digital transformation in developing countries, particularly in the agricultural sector. To address this gap, this study investigates the effect of food security awareness, innovation characteristics, and the moderating role of agricultural experience on behavioral intention to adopt digital innovation in the agricultural sector. A dyadic model based on diffusion innovation theory and the technology acceptance model is proposed to investigate the phenomenon. This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative approach to investigate the phenomenon based on survey data collected from 207 study participants in Ghana's agricultural sector and the partial least square structural equation modeling technique. The study's findings revealed that personal innovativeness significantly affects food security awareness (β = 0.574; p < 0.000), relative advantage (β = 0.699; p < 0.000), compatibility (β = 0.687; p < 0.000), and complexity (β = 0.312; p < 0.000). In addition, food security awareness (β = 0.336; p < 0.000), compatibility (β = 0.257; p < 0.000), and agricultural experience (β = 0.238; p < 0.003) significantly affect behavioral intention to adopt digital innovation. Furthermore, the study revealed that agricultural experience (β = -0.145; p < 0.036) moderates the relationship between compatibility and behavioral intention. Together, these variables explain 78.9 % of the variance in behavioral intention to adopt digital innovation in the agricultural sector in Ghana. The study contributes to the literature on digital innovation adoption in the agricultural sector in developing countries and proffers actionable insights for practitioners.