Adoption of Agri-Drone Technology in Smart Agriculture: Assessing Knowledge Index and Farmers’ Perceptions

The present study evaluated the impact of training programs on farmers’ awareness and perception of agricultural drone technology in District Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 480 farmers participated in pre-and post-training assessments to measure changes in awareness, knowledge, perception, and willingness to adopt agri–drone technology. Results showed a substantial increase in awareness, rising from 5% before training to 90% after training, representing a 1700% increase in awareness levels. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant relationship between gender and participation in training programs (χ²(1)=22.45, p<0.01). Education level was significantly associated with knowledge of drone applications (χ²(3)=18.30, p<0.01), indicating that farmers with higher education possessed better understanding of drone technology. Farming experience also influenced adoption willingness (χ²(2)=12.87, p<0.05), with farmers having more than ten years of experience showing greater interest in adopting drones. Middle-aged farmers (30–50 years) demonstrated significantly higher awareness than younger and older groups (χ²(2)=15.67, p<0.05). Training participation had a highly significant association with knowledge levels (χ²(2)=87.56, p<0.001), perception changes (χ²(2)=112.47, p<0.001), and willingness to adopt drone technology (χ²(2)=40.23, p<0.01). Mc Nemar’s test further confirmed a significant improvement in awareness (p<0.01). Mean indices increased markedly for awareness (0.05–0.90), knowledge (1.25–2.32), willingness to adopt (1.20–2.30), and perception (1.5–2.4). The study highlights the importance of structured training programs in enhancing knowledge dissemination, technology acceptance, agricultural productivity, and sustainability.