Economic Affairs
  • Year: 2025
  • Volume: 70
  • Issue: 3

Agricultural Technology Adoption in Garo Hills, Meghalaya: An Adoption Index Analysis

  • Author:
  • Anuradha Seal1,*, A Gino Sangma1, Vipin Arya1, Trinadha Rao Bandaru2, Alisha2
  • Total Page Count: 8
  • Page Number: 195 to 202

1Department of Agri-Business Management and Food Technology, North-Eastern Hill University, Tura Campus, Tura, Meghalaya, India

2Department of Management, North-Eastern Hill University, Tura Campus, Tura, Meghalaya, India

*Corresponding author: E-mail: anuradhaseal@gmail.com

Online published on 24 February, 2026.

Abstract

Agriculture technology has the potential to improve both productivity and sustainability. The agriculture sector in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills region heavily depends on traditional practices such as shifting cultivation also known as ‘Jhumming” with minimal integration of modern agricultural technologies. This study aims to evaluate the adoption of improved agricultural practices among farmers in five districts of Garo Hills. A sample of 500 farmers was selected to assess their adoption of improved agricultural technologies. The respondents were classified as low, partial, or high adopters based on their score index. The results showed a strong tendency toward partial adoption, with 68.40% of farmers classified as partial adopters, 15.60% as low adopters and 16.00% as high adopters. The study found that demographic, socioeconomic and educational characteristics influence farmer technology adoption with gender, age, education, landholding size and income showing significant relationships.

⓿ Majority of respondents were partial adopters of agricultural technologies.

⓿ Farmers with large landholdings and higher income showed significantly higher adoption levels.

⓿ Education positively influenced adoption, however some illiterate farmers also adopted improved technologies.

⓿ Gender had a statistically significant effect, female respondents were found to have higher adoption rates.

Keywords

Agricultural Technology, Adoption Index, Technology Adoption, Agricultural Development, Sustainable Agriculture