Socio-Economic Barriers to Precision Fertilizer Adoption among Smallholder Wheat Growers in the Highlands of Ethiopia

African Journal of Agriculture | Vol. 13, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 106–113

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJA/000747

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Socio-Economic Barriers to Precision Fertilizer Adoption among Smallholder Wheat Growers in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Names of Authors: Berhanu T. Assefa¹, Workneh G. Negatu¹

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract: Blanket fertilizer recommendations across heterogeneous agricultural landscapes lead to nutrient inefficiencies and low wheat yields in the Ethiopian highlands. Precision nutrient management tools, such as the electronic 'Nutrient Expert' decision platform, offer micro-tailored fertilizer recommendations, yet smallholder adoption rates remain low. This study used a multivariate probit model to investigate the socio-economic factors restricting the adoption of precision fertilizer protocols among 450 small-scale wheat growers across the Oromia and Amhara regions. Primary data were gathered via multi-stage random sampling interviews during the 2025/2026 production year. The empirical results revealed that only 18.4% of the sampled farmers systematically applied precision nutrient recommendations. The model demonstrated that formal education, farm size, access to extension agents, and ownership of a smartphone positively and significantly influenced adoption probabilities (p < 0.01). Conversely, the high cost of custom blended fertilizers (± 25.0% higher than standard DAP/Urea) and limited access to local credit lines stood as critical barriers. Farmers utilizing precision models registered a 32.4% yield increase, averaging 4.2 t/ha compared to 3.1 t/ha for blanket application users. The study highlights that bridging the adoption gap requires expanding rural digital access and introducing targeted credit programs to make precision inputs financially accessible.

Keywords: Precision agriculture, Multivariate probit, Nutrient management, Wheat cultivation, Technology adoption, Financial barriers

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 25, 2026; Revised: June 29, 2026; Accepted: July 24, 2026; Published: August 31, 2026

Citation: Assefa, B. T., & Negatu, W. G. (2026). Socio-Economic Barriers to Precision Fertilizer Adoption among Smallholder Wheat Growers in the Highlands of Ethiopia. African Journal of Agriculture, 13(8), 106–113. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJA/000747

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