Assessing smallholder maize farmers' perceptions of the economic and environmental effects of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or RPAAS-assisted precision crop management in Nigeria.

Abstract

This study evaluated the potential economic and environmental effects of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)-assisted precision crop management on smallholder maize farms in Nigeria. Using a multistage convenience sampling approach, data was collected from 160 rural maize farmers across four states representative of Nigeria's major maize production belts. Semi-structured questionnaires, administered by seven (7) enumerators and extension agents via the Kobo toolbox application, were complemented by oral interviews. Descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation analysis were applied to examine relationships between socio-demographic characteristics, awareness, adoption, and perceptions of economic and environmental benefits. Results revealed that 51.3% of the farmers were unaware of drones, while 28.75% of farmers claimed to have adopted varying precision agriculture technologies, 71.25% relied on traditional crop management methods. However, a moderately strong positive correlation (ρ = 0.614) was found between awareness and adoption of drone technology, signifying its potential uptake. Additionally, 49.4% of respondents anticipated a positive change in overall environmental sustainability, with 31.3% strongly agreeing. Concerning the perceived impact on farm and community income, 44.4% expected a somewhat positive impact, while 40.0% anticipated a very positive impact. However, socio-cultural and infrastructural barriers such as low awareness, high costs, limited access to drones, financing, and infrastructural challenges were identified as significant obstacles to adoption. Due to practical logistical constraints, the use of non-probability sampling may limit the broader applicability of the findings to rural maize farmers across Nigeria. Policymakers and other stakeholders can leverage these insights to develop policies and strategic interventions to promote drone adoption in maize farming, thereby enhancing productivity, livelihoods, and climate resilience among smallholder maize farmers. This research fills critical knowledge gaps regarding drone-assisted crop management's economic and environmental effects, aiding agricultural policy and national food security.