AKSU Journal of Communication Research (AJCR)

PREDICTING FARMERS' ACCEPTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FORAGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES: A CORRELATION ANALYSIS OF UTAUT CONSTRUCTS

Author:  IBRAHIM MU’AZU IBRAHIM & BISHIR BALA

Abstract
This study investigated the adoption of social media among Nigerian rice farmers with the aim to assess the acceptance of technology within the agricultural sector. Employing the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the research explored key factors of the model; performance expectancy and effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions and behavioural intention. A sample of 5,000 registered rice farmers in SabonGari LGA, Kaduna State, was surveyed using a stratified random sampling technique. Correlation analysis using IBM SPSS V-20 was applied to examine relationships among variables. The study's findings revealed a robust positive relationship between performance expectancy and effort expectancy, indicating that farmers who perceived social media as beneficial also found it easy to use. A marginally significant relationship was identified between performance expectancy and farmers' behavioral intentions to use social media. Moreover, the study found a weakly negative and statistically insignificant relationship between social influence and behavioral intention, challenging assumptions about the direct impact of peers on adoption decisions. The study concluded that a robust and positive relationship exists between perceived performance benefits and the ease of use of social media among rice farmers. And that there is a weak and statistically insignificant relationship between social influence from peers and the intention to adopt social media, and favorable conditions, such as access to technology and knowledge, have some influence on farmers' intentions to adopt social media.