FACTORS INFLUENCING A NEW INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN MALAYSIA’S AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY: APPLYING THE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS APPROACH

Year 2012, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 51 - 60, 01.12.2012

Lee Heng Wei Mohd Azam Osman Rosnah Idrus Maziani Sabudin Tan Shiang-yen

Abstract

ICT intervention in agriculture sector is creating new challenges and opportunities
for promoting sustainable farming in Malaysia. This study draws on a research
program which is driven by a top research university in Malaysia collaboration
with a local agriculture agency in developing a Mobile Community for Farmers.
The Mobile Community is a web-based application that deploys Short
Messaging Service (SMS)-based technology to assist the farming community in
improving their management of farming activities. This study focused on
identifying the factors that influence the adoption of the information and
communication technology (ICT). Sustainable livelihood framework is introduced
in this study in order to fill the gaps in the existing studies of technology
acceptance especially technology that promote sustainable livelihood. Most of the
technology acceptance models today are overemphasized on the characteristics of
the technology itself rather than understanding the impact of a technology towards
the livelihood capital assets (human capital, social capital, finance capital, and
natural capital). We used partial least square (PLS) analysis and structural
equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships of human capital assets
with farmers’ attitude toward intention to adopt the ICT. The results, besides
indicating the suitability of the PLS in statistical analysis, has also contributed to a
better understanding of ICT intervention in the agriculture sector in Malaysia
which has not been tested. Findings are useful for policy makers, agriculture
agencies and information system developers to promote sustainable farming
through ICT intervention.

Keywords

Mobile Technology, Technology Adoption, Agriculture Management, PLS Analysis

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