Farmers’ perceptions and government-farmer value co-creation: The roles of artificial intelligence adoption and government support

AI-driven farming technologies are rapidly advancing in developed countries, resulting in increased agricultural productivity, greater accessibility, enhanced equity, and lower costs. However, adopting these technologies in developing nations like Ghana poses significant challenges. This investigation used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Institutional Theory (IT) as guiding frameworks to explore the factors influencing Ghanaian farmers’ readiness to adopt AI farming machinery and services. Data were collected from 418 Ghanaian farmers through an online questionnaire. SPSS and SMART PLS 4 software were utilized for data analysis. We found that perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) play crucial roles in promoting the adoption of AI farming technologies. AI adoption has a positive influence on government-farmer value co-creation intention (GFVCCI). However, government support (GS) diminishes the relationships between PU and AI adoption, as well as PEOU and AI adoption. Additionally, AI adoption serves as a positive mediator in the relationships between PU–GFVCCI and PEOU–GFVCCI. This study offers a fresh perspective by integrating the TAM with IT, emphasizing the critical role of perception-based factors among farmers and the burdening impact of government institutional support in government-farmer partnerships to co-create value in agriculture using AI farming technologies. Ultimately, the framework highlights the critical implications of farmers’ perceptions, AI technology adoption, and GS policies in advancing the conversation on food security by establishing a sustainable agricultural sector in Ghana.