Technology Adoptions Among Smallholder Rice Farmers: Comparative Attitudes Toward Mechanization and GMO in Surigao del Norte, Caraga Region

This paper examines comparative attitudes toward farm mechanization and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Barangay Pongtud, Alegria, Surigao del Norte, Philippines. A Likert-scale questionnaire was administered from March to May 2024 to 53 rice and corn farmers of the Tongao association of Pongtud via a descriptive survey. The results show a divergence between acceptance of technology: farmers are optimistic about mechanization, rating performance and productivity benefits of machinery as high (>4.0/5.0), but are skeptical about GMOs, with ratings of confidence in safety and likelihood to adopt Genetically Modified Organisms as being low (<2.0/5.0). Aging farmers with economic constraints base adoption decisions on perceived safety, proven benefits, and experience rather than innovation alone. These findings highlight the challenges of agricultural development strategies, underscoring the need for a clear distinction between technologies that address specific farmer concerns and those that provide adequate solutions. Mechanization requires both technical training and maintenance services, whereas evidence-based safety training and open communication are essential to ensure the acceptance of GMOs. These findings inform policy formulation in agriculture by balancing advances in technology and the demands and needs of the farmers, as well as conventions in the rural Philippine setting.