Psychological beliefs shaping agricultural innovation adoption among smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana: a theory of planned behavior perspective

Abstract

The adoption of agricultural innovation is critical for improving productivity among smallholder farmers. However, the psychological factors influencing adoption decisions remain underexplored in developing agrarian contexts such as Ghana. This study identifies and analyzes beliefs about improved agricultural innovations that shape smallholder farmers’ adoption decisions in Northern Ghana. Using focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with 22 smallholder farmers, analyzed through thematic analysis guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), we identified three categories of salient beliefs: behavioral, normative, and control beliefs. Key findings indicate that while farmers acknowledge the potential benefits of innovations, such as increased yields and enhanced product quality, their adoption decisions are significantly influenced by social referents, particularly lead farmers and extension officers, and constrained by resource limitations. Positive outcome expectations were moderated by concerns regarding labor intensity, financial costs, and input availability. These findings demonstrate that agricultural interventions should integrate belief-based approaches with technical and economic support to enhance adoption outcomes.