ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF TECHNOLOGY USAGE ON AGRICULTURAL PROFITABILITY AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN THE NORTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON
The adoption of agricultural technologies is increasingly recognized as a critical factor for enhancing productivity, efficiency, and profitability among smallholder farmers, particularly in developing regions. This study investigates the impact of technology adoption on agricultural profitability among smallholder farmers in the North West Region of Cameroon, a region characterized by subsistence farming practices, infrastructural constraints, and recent socio-political challenges. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey research design, primary data were systematically collected from 300 smallholder farmers across four carefully selected subdivisions, representative of diverse agricultural and socio-economic conditions within the region. The study specifically examined various forms of technology usage, including mobile-based agricultural applications providing market information and weather updates, mechanized farm equipment such as tractors and irrigation systems, and the adoption of improved seed varieties. The multi-variate ordinary least squares regression technique was applied to estimate the association between these technological interventions and agricultural profitability indicator, namely net farm income. The paper finds significant positive relationship between technology usage and agricultural profitability. Particularly, mobile-based technologies, provides accessible and apt market and weather information, besides mechanized farm inputs, emerged as the principally robust predictors of profitability. The findings emphasis the exigent need for targeted policy initiatives intended to accelerate technology dissemination, boost digital literacy, and provide technical support services that address current barriers to technology adoption in rural farming. This paper therefore provides crucial empirical evidence and practical recommendations, significantly contributing to current debates and strategies aimed at sustainable agribusiness development and poverty mitigation in sub-Saharan Africa.
Keywords: Technology usage, Agricultural profitability, Smallholder farmers, Cameroon, Innovation adoption
