Determinants of Climate‑smart Agritech Adoption among Smallholder Farmers in Northeast Nigeria

Abstract

Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Nigeria, face significant climate risks, and while climate-smart agriculture can enhance resilience and productivity, its adoption remains limited due to socio-economic, institutional, and access constraints. This study aimed to assess the awareness, adoption, and socio‑economic and gender determinants of selected climate‑smart agritech practices among smallholder farmers, and to examine how entrepreneurial orientation and resilience shape farmers’ adaptive capacity to climate change. The study was conducted in Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria, across 36 farming communities in nine local government areas, covering four agricultural zones. Data collection was undertaken during the 2023/2024 agricultural season. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 543 arable smallholder farmers. Primary data were collected through face‑to‑face interviews using a semi‑structured questionnaire administered with Open Data Kit (ODK). The study assessed adoption of climate‑smart practices including intercropping, certified seeds, organic fertilizers, agroforestry, conservative tillage, gender‑inclusive practices, and use of weather information. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate awareness and adoption rates, while chi‑square tests were applied to examine associations between adoption and socio‑economic variables (gender, age, marital status, and education) at a 95% confidence level (P =.05). Intercropping recorded the highest awareness (83%) and adoption (78%), followed by organic fertilizer (75%) and certified seeds (70%). Adoption of agroforestry (27%) and weather information services (34%) was very low. Chi‑square analysis showed that education significantly influenced adoption of agroforestry and weather information (P =.05), while gender, age, marital status, and education were all significantly associated with adoption of certified seeds. Entrepreneurial orientation findings revealed strong innovativeness and proactiveness, with 49% of farmers open to trying new practices, though risk aversion constrained investment in resource‑intensive CSA practices. Only 53% of farmers reported preparedness to absorb climate‑related shocks, with notable gender and spatial disparities. The study concludes that while smallholder farmers demonstrate high innovative potential, adoption of climate‑smart agritech is constrained by risk aversion, gendered inequalities, and uneven access to education and services. Targeted, gender‑responsive, and location‑specific interventions are required to strengthen adaptive capacity and climate resilience among smallholder farmers.