Adoption of precision agriculture practices in South African field crop production systems: a national survey

Abstract

The implementation of precision agriculture practices can enhance agricultural productivity, sustainability, and on-farm profitability. Nonetheless, adoption rates vary widely across regions and farming operations, particularly in South Africa’s diverse agricultural landscape. This study builds on prior regional analyses by providing the first national-scale assessment, offering new insights into adoption patterns and barriers among diverse field crop contexts. A national survey was conducted using industry networks, gathering responses from producers working with different crop types, farm sizes, and across multiple provinces. Our findings suggest that adoption of precision agriculture is more widespread than previously reported, especially for practices such as yield mapping, soil sampling, and variable rate applications. Contrary to common assumptions, producer age and farm size did not emerge as factors influencing adoption decisions. However, significant barriers remain, including high initial investment costs and limited awareness of technology capabilities. Regional differences were also observed, with lower adoption in winter cropping regions. These insights highlight the need for targeted strategies and improved communication to help producers realise the full potential of precision agriculture, particularly for nutrient management and sustainable intensification. By understanding current adoption patterns, policymakers, technology developers, and agricultural services can be guided to better promote the wider and more effective use of precision agriculture technologies in South African field crop systems.