Precision agriculture has become a common term in agricultural practices and is widely used by farmers in their operations. According to the International Society of Precision Agriculture, it “is a management strategy that gathers, processes and analyzes temporal, spatial and individual plant and animal data and combines it with other information to support management decisions.” However, understanding of precision agriculture and its application remains limited at times, with some misconceptions.
In the third episode of the second season of the Agricurious podcast, Dr. Chin-Ling Lee, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication, whose work focuses on the human dimension of agricultural technology adoption, including precision agriculture, spoke to Dennis Baffour-Awuah about the foundational concepts of precision agriculture, its practical applications, perceptions, usefulness, and common misconceptions.
Dr. Lee also explained that precision agriculture falls under the broader umbrella of climate-smart agricultural technologies and addressed a common misconception that precision agriculture is the same as AI-driven agriculture. She noted that while precision agriculture is data-driven and AI can support predictive analytics and monitoring tools, precision agriculture itself is not AI. She further highlighted tools that farmers may use without realizing they are part of precision agriculture. For example, GPS systems, irrigation tools, tractors, soil sampling grids, and smartphone scouting apps all help growers make decisions using spatial and digital information, thereby contributing to precision agriculture. These tools also support efficient use of inputs, helping to reduce environmental impact.
In discussing the adoption of innovations such as precision agriculture, Dr. Lee emphasized that trust plays a critical role. She explained that when knowledge holders such as extension agents and opinion leaders fail to build trust with farmers, even accurate and useful information may not be accepted. Trust, along with awareness of alternative practices that solve existing problems, can trigger the adoption decision-making process. She also noted that trust among farmers, researchers, and extension agents enhances coordination and engagement, as stakeholders are better able to communicate and understand one another. “I will say that communication and trust are always the foundation when you bring multiple stakeholders together in an adoption process,” she said.
Addressing whether future adoption will be driven by technological advancements or communication and education, Dr. Lee noted that all must work together. She explained that even advanced technologies may not be adopted if they appear too complex to farmers. Similarly, if technologies are effective and well-received but too expensive, adoption may still be limited regardless of communication efforts. “So you have good technology, you have good communication skill channel that have to work together. It’s not either way,” she said.
Listen to more of the conversation with Dr. Lee here.
