IoT Adoption for Agricultural Transformation in Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities - A case of Uganda

Abstract

70% of Uganda's workforce is employed in agriculture, which accounts for 26.2% of the country's GDP and is a fundamental pillar of the country's economy. Nevertheless, the sector is increasingly hampered by the unpredictability of the climate, traditional farming inefficiencies, and serious information gaps that jeopardize local food security. The potential of Internet of Things (IoT) technology to address these issues through data-driven resource management and precision farming is examined in this paper. Primary data was gathered from 116 smallholder farmers in Eastern Uganda using a descriptive study approach and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework. Performance Expectancy (Mean = 4.19) and Behavioral Intentions (Mean = 4.11) emerged as the strongest drivers in the quantitative results, indicating a high readiness for adoption. Additionally, 95.7% of respondents reported severe crop losses due to drought, confirming the urgent need for technical intervention. Despite this incentive, Facilitating Conditions such as technological infrastructure and government support scored far lower (Mean = 3.17), indicating a crucial structural barrier. The study offers a strategic framework for policymakers to use the suggested IoT-enabled soil productivity monitoring model to strengthen smallholder resilience and revolutionize Uganda's agricultural productivity, concluding that although farmer intent is high, sustainable adoption necessitates targeted investment in infrastructure and technical assistance.