Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Adoption Preferences of Arable Growers in Ireland’s Atlantic-Influenced Climate

Abstract

The adoption of innovations, such as alternative crop establishment systems, can have significant impacts on farming systems and sustainability. The recent increased adoption of non-inversion establishment systems in Ireland allowed for an evaluation of technology adoption practices and information source use and access. Of the 154 arable growers surveyed, 50% practiced plough-based establishment and 50% used non-inversion establishment (min-till, strip-till, and direct drill systems). Differences in socio-demographics, farm characteristics, innovation adoption preferences, information sources, and information access methods used by growers who operated different systems were recorded. Direct drill growers had higher formal education levels and more off-farm employment than other growers and were prepared to take more risk than min-till growers, who were prepared to take more risk than plough-based growers in technology adoption scenarios. For both major change and agronomic decisions, non-inversion growers (especially direct drill) had substantially more non-Irish information sources in their top three information sources, suggesting the need for more national research on these systems in Ireland. Access to information through in-person interactions and print media was preferred by most. This study highlights the risk, where appropriate research is not available, of early adopters overly relying on non-validated information, potentially leading to the adoption of less sustainable practices.