Determinants of maize irrigators' intention to adopt water-saving technology in South Africa.

Agriculture is one of the largest consumers of water worldwide. To sustain these precious resources, effective water management is critical to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 by 2030. To address the pressing challenges of water scarcity and increasing food demand, various water management strategies have been explored, focusing on technological innovations, policy frameworks, and economic incentives. Among these strategies, the adoption of water-saving technologies (WSTs) has gained particular prominence due to their potential to drastically reduce water usage in agriculture while maintaining crop productivity. However, the adoption rates of WSTs remain low in many agricultural contexts, highlighting the need to understand farmers' behaviour and decision-making processes. This study aims to model the intentions of irrigators in adopting WSTs in the Orange Riet Irrigation Scheme of the Free State Province of South Africa using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The analysis employs partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of WSTs among maize irrigators. The findings indicate that attitudes and subjective norms significantly influence irrigators' intentions to adopt WSTs, while perceived behavioural control does not show a notable impact. These insights suggest that interventions should prioritize raising awareness about the benefits of WSTs, leveraging social networks, and addressing potential barriers such as high upfront costs and technical complexity. By understanding the factors driving WST adoption, targeted strategies (such as awareness campaigns, peer engagement, and reducing financial barriers) can be developed to enhance sustainable water management in similarly stressed environments and contributes to achieving the SDG2, African Union CAADP Strategy and Action Plan: 2026-2035 of ending hunger and poverty and intensifying sustainable food production, agro-industrialization, and trade, respectively.