Barriers and measures to improve adoption of irrigation technologies: A case study from the Bundaberg region in Queensland, Australia*

Abstract

Australia is the driest continent and is largely reliant on irrigation for efficient agricultural production. Irrigation uses significant volumes of water, and in recent decades many initiatives have been undertaken to improve efficiencies of irrigation systems and management practices. This paper analyses the perceptions and barriers to adoption of irrigation technologies and management practices in agriculture based on a field study undertaken in the Bundaberg region in Queensland, Australia. Overall, most farmers surveyed rated the efficiency of their irrigation systems very highly; nonetheless, more than half the farmers surveyed recognized that their systems and practices had the potential for further improvement through automation. Financial constraints and uncertainty around the economic viability of investing in certain agricultural technologies emerged as major barriers to adoption of available and emerging technologies that could improve irrigation efficiency. This is occasioned by insufficient evidence of the benefits of adopting these innovations. Issues suggested by the respondents for further extension, development and research align closely to known barriers to adoption of agricultural innovations. A key finding and recommendation of this study is that farm‐specific cost–benefit analyses of new irrigation technologies and practices are required to facilitate the decision‐making process for the improvement of irrigation efficiency.

The irrigation efficiency trap: rational farm-scale decisions can lead to poor hydrologic outcomes at the basin scale

“…Irrigators in the Henrys Fork who have yet to increase their irrigation efficiency noted the high cost of sprinklers. The financial barriers to increasing irrigation efficiency are documented in farming communities worldwide (Koech et al, 2021;Babin et al, 2022). Advocates for increased irrigation efficiency acknowledge these financial barriers and sponsor subsidies to promote access to more efficient irrigation application technologies (Huffaker, 2008;Molle and Tanouti, 2017;Jordan et al, 2023).…”

Multi-Level Influences on Center-Pivot Irrigation Adoption in Alabama

“…Biophysical factors, such as soil, crop type, and weather, are also established influences on irrigation adoption decisions (Gibson et al, 2018). Additional socio-psychological factors include producer behavior and skills (Gibson et al, 2018), information overload, lack of follow-up (extension) services, and age of farmers (Koech et al, 2021).…”

“…Technology adoption is a complex sociotechnical process (Koech et al, 2021) that involves a large number of factors affecting the decision, and thus, is seldom rapid (Mottaleb, 2018). In addition, irrigation is not a marginal adaptation (Graveline and Grémont, 2021).…”

“…Furthermore, depending on the place, laws governing access to water or a shortage of available water might also play a role in influencing irrigation adoption (McDonald and Girvetz, 2013). Consequently, the RFtoIF transition often entails numerous risks and uncertainties about its application and suitability with the existing environment (Mottaleb, 2018), which may or may not be accurately reflected in farmers' pre-existing perceptions and attitudes (Koech et al, 2021).…”

Perceptual Factors Influencing the Adoption of Innovative Tissue Culture Technology by the Australian Avocado Industry

“…However, the methodology and sampling were in line with broad participatory methods [35], and the sample size is reflective of an industry case approach as a basis for understanding technology acceptance. Further, in line with this methodology, other studies have considered sample sizes with 40 to 60 participants [36,37]. Moreover, the sample itself was diverse in terms of age, role, and experience in the industry, which increases the application and interpretation of the results.…”