Technology adoption for sustainable agriculture in a transition country: An UTAUT analysis of the Albanian horticulture sector
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.
