Evaluation of Innovation Adoption Process of Organic and Conventional Farms in Adana, Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the sources of information and learning among organic farming enterprises and conventional farming enterprises registered in the Farmer Registration System in Adana province and to comparatively analyze the adoption of innovations. The main material of this study consists of primary data obtained from 33 farmers practicing organic farming and 118 farmers calculated using the Simple Random Sampling Method for conventional agricultural enterprises. According to the results of the Mann Whitney U test, there is a significant difference at 0.01 level between organic and conventional farmers in terms of following agricultural innovations. Farmers practicing organic farming follow agricultural innovations more closely than their conventional counterparts. Farmers practicing organic farming in the research region are more innovative than farmers practicing conventional farming. The main source of information on agricultural innovations for the farmers participating in the study is the internet. Correct and efficient internet use can guide farmers in learning about innovations. Agricultural institutions should strengthen their presence on digital platforms to ensure accurate dissemination of information. Expanding extension services and tailoring information for farmers who rarely follow innovations could significantly enhance adoption. To accelerate adoption, relevant institutions should provide complete and timely information that eliminates uncertainties. This research, which examines the attitudes and behaviors of farmers applying different agricultural systems towards innovations, is expected to contribute to the agricultural extension literature.