Improving pathways to adoption: Putting the right P's in precision agriculture

Abstract

On-the-go yield monitors, proximal plant-canopy and electromagnetic soil sensors, and airborne/satellite remote sensing have all been introduced into mainstream agriculture practice under the auspices of precision agriculture. While these technologies have been shown to provide production and environmental benefits, widespread adoption has been slow. In many cases, new technologies have been produced through developer push rather than user pull. Insufficient attention is paid to well-known technology adoption paradigms and as a consequence, the adoption of precision agriculture technologies is not as great as it could and should be. In precision agriculture there is often a large knowledge gap between developers and users, and not enough effort is being spent on closing this gap. By paying attention to developing of protocols and realistic performance criteria, developers can exert a stronger, positive influence on the rate and breadth of adoption.