A Comparison of Social, Economics, and Communication Factors Between Adopting and Non-Adopting Conservation Agriculture Wheat Farmers in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq

The research aimed to examine and compare the key socioeconomic and communication factors influencing wheat farmers’ adoption and non-adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) techniques in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq, during the 2023–2024 agricultural season. A total of 450 respondents were selected for the study—225 adopters (representing the entire group of CA adopters) and 225 non-adopters—drawn from a total farming population of 1,061 within the same adoption areas of Nineveh Governorate. A combination of descriptive and quantitative analyses was employed to process the data, utilizing both t-tests and z-tests. The significance analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between CA adoption and several socioeconomic and communication factors, including age, educational level, cultural openness, extension efforts, exposure to information sources, readiness for change, participation in social organizations, and farm type and size—at both the 1% and 5% significance levels. Conversely, no statistically significant correlation was found with the number of individuals working in the field, likely due to the widespread mechanization of wheat farming. Based on these findings, the relevant departments within the Ministry of Agriculture should prioritize the role of agricultural extension workers, particularly those with specialized expertise. This can be achieved by organizing targeted training courses on CA techniques for extension personnel in each department, tailored to the specific needs of their teams. Such efforts would enable extension workers to effectively and flexibly guide farmers toward adopting CA practices.