The adoption of precision agriculture enabling technologies in Swiss outdoor vegetable production: a Delphi study

Abstract

Digital technologies are a promising means to tackle the increasing global challenges (e.g., climate change, water pollution, soil degradation) and revolutionising agricultural production. The current research used a two-stage Delphi study with 34 experts from various domains, including production, advisory and research, to identify the key drivers and barriers, the most promising technologies and possible measures to support technology adoption in Swiss outdoor vegetable production. Combining these experts’ views, the method provides realistic scenarios for future development. In Round 1, open-ended questions were used to collect the experts’ opinions. These were then transformed into closed-ended questions for Round 2, where controlled feedback was provided to the experts. Twenty-six experts participated in both rounds, resulting in an overall response rate that was comparably high (76%). It was found that economic factors were important drivers and barriers in technology adoption and, consequently, the experts recommended financial measures to support this adoption. The practical relevance of new technologies provided through communication and education holds further potential in terms of their promotion. These findings are valuable beyond the research field. Educators and policy makers can build on the results and optimally align their efforts to target technology adoption and contribute to more sustainable agriculture.

Impact Analysis of Marinas on Nautical Tourism in Andalusia

“…There are a significant number of articles that have used this methodology [26][27][28]. For this research, the panel of experts is formed of marina decision-making personnel (managers, marina managers, and marina technical staff).…”

Digital Technologies Adoption and Economic Benefits in Agriculture: A Mixed-Methods Approach

“…Schnebelin (2022) focused specifically on the combined influence of farmers' socio-economic characteristics and cropping patterns on the adoption of DTs [31]. Ammann et al (2022) [32] used Swiss outdoor vegetable as the research object and used the Delphi method to explore DTs adoption, highlighting the importance of financial support. Growers, acting as rational economic agents, engage in a deliberate process of adopting new technologies driven by benefit motives, while also being influenced by subjective perceptions and objective constraints [33,34].…”

Global Navigation Satellite Systems as State-of-the-Art Solutions in Precision Agriculture: A Review of Studies Indexed in the Web of Science

“…While advancements in GNSS technologies have shown great potential in revolutionizing farming practices, there are notable differences in the adoption and acceptance of these solutions globally [6,22]. Among the scientific studies indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), there is a strong recognition of the benefits of GNSS technologies in PA [23][24][25].…”