Tag: horticulture

This study examines how farmers form intentions to adopt sustainability-oriented technologies, such as biological control and precision tools, in Albanian horticulture, a transitional smallholder context characterised by fragmented structures and weak advisory support. Using original survey data from 206 apple and greenhouse-vegetable producers, the analysis applies the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), with construct validation via exploratory factor analysis and estimation through multiple regression including demographic moderators. Results indicate that effort expectancy and social influence are the main drivers of behavioural intention, whereas performance expectancy, although positively perceived, does not exert an independent effect once feasibility and social endorsement are considered. No significant moderation by age, education, or farming experience is detected, and the model explains nearly half of the variance in intention. The findings refine UTAUT’s application to transitional agricultural systems by highlighting a feasibility- and trust-based pathway in intention formation and suggest that adoption policies should prioritise reducing learning frictions through sequenced onboarding, short demonstration cycles, and endorsement by trusted agronomists, buyers, and lead farmers.

This paper investigates the triple helix (industry, knowledge workers and governments) cooperation on knowledge co-production and valorisation for innovation, which took place in seven horticultural regions in the Netherlands. It thus provides more empirical insight into the functioning of this form of cooperation. Based on a secondary multiple case study analysis, this paper sets out to ascertain what enabled triple helix cooperation in the seven regions with respect to the organisation, the formulation and support for goals and action on knowledge co-production and valorisation. The results indicate that in order to stimulate innovation through triple helix cooperation, the different partners first need to build a proper working relationship and a common language. In order to accomplish this, primary aims for innovation should not be formulated too ambitiously (i.e. too far beyond the entrepreneurs’ daily practice, in particular SMEs). Knowledge workers and policy makers often want to stimulate knowledge co-production and valorisation more radically and quickly. Hence, they have to temper their ambitions. Procedures regarding the cooperation should be rather simple and fl exible. Once a steady working relationship and a common language are developed, then the triple helix collaboration can focus on taking the innovation ambition to a higher level ...