Factors Influencing Farmers' Adoption of Crop Biotechnology to Mitigate Climate Change: Case of Eastern Cape, South Africa

Abstract

This study examined the adoption of crop biotechnology among smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape as a strategy to mitigate the impacts of climate change, focusing on the barriers, socioeconomic factors, and current adoption status. Despite the increasing relevance of biotechnology in climate resilience, there is a lack of research on the specific challenges and drivers influencing its adoption in rural South Africa. The study aims to examine the barriers to biotechnology adoption, assess the socioeconomic factors influencing adoption, and highlight the status of crop biotechnology in climate change adaptation. A multi-stage sampling method was employed to conduct interviews with 350 smallholder maize farmers across three district municipalities in the Eastern Cape, with data collected through structured interviews. The Multinomial regression model and descriptive statistics were used in the analyses of the study. Key findings reveal that financial constraints, lack of knowledge, and limited access to climate information and credit are significant barriers, while education, income, and farm size have a positive influence on adoption. The study further recommends that targeted interventions be implemented to address these barriers, including financial, informational, and educational barriers, in order to enhance biotechnology adoption and improve the resilience and productivity of smallholder farmers in the face of climate change.