Unravelling technology-acceptance factors influencing farmer use of banana tissue culture planting materials in Central Uganda. Issue 4 (6th June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mulugo, Lucy; Kyazze, Florence Birungi; Kibwika, Paul; Kikulwe, Enoch; Omondi, Aman Bonaventure; Ajambo, Susan
• Is Part Of: African journal of science, technology, innovation and development. Volume 12:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 453
• Page End: 465
• Publication Date: 2020-06-06
• Subjects: banana tissue culture -- Banana Xanthomonas Wilt -- Central Uganda -- use of technology; Technological innovations -- Economic aspects -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Industrial productivity -- Effect of technological innovations on -- Africa -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Africa -- Periodicals; Social planning -- Africa -- Periodicals; Research, Industrial -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 338.9270916
• DOI: 10.1080/20421338.2019.1634900
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2042-1338

Abstract

Abstract : Effective management of plant health is fundamental for food and income security to meet the growing demands of local and global markets. This however requires farmers' adequate access to quality planting materials under the prevailing contextual and psycho-social factors. This study, anchored in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technologies, unravels technology-acceptance factors that influence farmers' intentions to use banana tissue culture planting materials in the control of Banana Xanthomonas Wilt. Data were collected from 248 randomly sampled banana farmers using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation modelling to examine hypothesized paths in the uptake of banana tissue culture planting materials. Results show that farmer intentions to use tissue culture planting materials are dependent on two constructs: social influence and farmer innovativeness. However, social influence is the main predictor of intentions to use tissue culture planting materials. In particular, farmer innovativeness mediates facilitating conditions and social influence in predicting intentions to use tissue culture planting materials. Thus, this study reveals two factors that influence farmer intentions to use tissue culture planting materials: social influence and farmer innovativeness. The findings imply that social influence and farmer innovativeness are critical in disseminating novel agricultural technologies in Uganda and elsewhere.