Reviewers
Gustavo Stevanin de Souza, Graduate Student and Research Assistant, Purdue University
Article
A Comparative Study of the Influence of Communication on the Adoption of Digital Agriculture in the United States and Brazil by Joana Colussi, Steve Sonka, Gary D. Schnitkey, Eric L. Morgan and Antônio D. Padul
Source
Colussi, J., Sonka, S., Schnitkey, G. D., Morgan, E. L., & Padula, A. D. (2024). A comparative study of the influence of communication on the adoption of digital agriculture in the United States and Brazil. Agriculture.
Summary
Digital agriculture – defined the USDA (2023) as “the ongoing transformation of farming that includes digitalization and automation of farming tasks” – offers clear benefits for productivity and sustainability.
Yet, adoption remains slow: only about 27% of U.S. farms utilize these tools, with rates varying by farm size and management. This study by Joana Colussi and colleagues investigates a key factor influencing adoption: communication.
In this study, the research compares how communication channels affect soybean farmers’ decisions in the U.S. and Brazil, two countries that together account for nearly 70% of the world’s total soybean production.
Researchers interviewed a total of 801 soybean farmers (461 from the top five producing states in Brazil, 340 from the top nine producing U.S. states), focusing on digital tools such as guidance/autosteer, yield monitors, sensors and mapping systems.
It also assessed the influence of mass media, social media, and interpersonal meetings on adoption decisions.
Key Findings
- Demographics: Brazilian farmers tend to be younger than U.S. farmers. Education levels were mixed, with more postgraduates in Brazil and more bachelor’s degrees in the U.S.
Age of research participants
Education level of research participants
- Farm structure: U.S. soybean production remains largely family-farm based (90%), while Brazil’s is dominated by large corporate operations.
Farm size of research participants
- Technology adoption: U.S. farmers reported higher adoption rates for most technologies except satellite/drone imagery, which was more prevalent in Brazil. The most used technologies in both countries were guidance/autosteer and yield monitors.
Most used agricultural digital technologies by country
Brazil | United States | |
1st | Guidance/Autosteer | Yield monitors |
2nd | Yield monitors | Guidance/Autosteer |
3rd | Automatic rate control telematics | Sprayer control systems |
4th | Wired or wireless sensor networks | Automatic rate control telematics |
5th | Electronic records/mapping for traceability | Electronic records/mapping for traceability |
6th | Sprayer control systems | Wired or wireless sensor networks |
7th | Soil electrical conductivity mapping | Soil electrical conductivity mapping |
- Decision influence: Digital tools most strongly influenced fertilizer and liming decisions in both countries. Brazilian farmers reported higher influence on pesticide selection and crop rotation, reflecting their production environment.
- Perceived benefits:S. farmers valued autosteer for reducing fatigue, while Brazilian farmers emphasized yield gains and lower environmental impact.
- Communication Channels:
- Mass Media: Websites and blogs were the most influential for both countries.
- Social media: Brazilian farmers relied heavily on WhatsApp, while U.S. farmers leaned toward YouTube.
- Interpersonal: Both groups valued in-person interactions, but Brazilian farmers rated peer conversations and seminars more highly than U.S. farmers, who trusted peer groups and retailers.
Most Mass Media channels used by country
Brazil | United States | |
1st | Website and blog | Website and blog |
2nd | Cable television | Magazine |
3rd | Radio | Radio |
4th | Television | Newspaper |
5th | Magazine | Television |
6th | Newspaper | Cable television |
Most social media channels used by country
Brazil | United States | |
1st | YouTube | |
2nd | YouTube | |
3rd | ||
4th | ||
5th | ||
6th | Messenger | Snapchat |
Most social media channels used by country
Brazil | United States | |
1st | Website and blog | Website and blog |
2nd | Cable television | Magazine |
3rd | Radio | Radio |
4th | Television | Newspaper |
5th | Magazine | Television |
6th | Newspaper | Cable television |
Most interpersonal meeting channels used by country
Brazil | United States | |
1st | Field days | Conferences, forums, seminars |
2nd | Conferences, forums, seminars | Field days |
3rd | Extension agents | Extension agents |
4th | Conversations with neighbors | Retailers |
5th | Peer groups | Peer groups |
6th | Retailers | Conversations with neighbors |
Overall, the study found that communication channels significantly affect technology adoption. In the U.S., mass media had the strongest influence, while in Brazil, interpersonal networks played a larger role. Social media was highly influential in both countries, though channel preferences differed. Researchers found that YouTube was the most influential platform among U.S. farmers, while Brazilian farmers prefer LinkedIn.
What does this mean for food and agricultural business?
This research offers a crucial insight into modern agribusiness strategy: the path to successful technology adoption must adapt to regional contexts. Communication is not one-size-fits-all.
Any agribusiness seeking to introduce innovations must first understand the reason driving adoption in a specific market. For instance, in a mature market like the United States, with an established, older generation of farmers, the value of digital tools transcends simple productivity. It extends into reducing operator fatigue and optimizing labor on long-standing family operations. This contrasts sharply with a dynamic, export-focused market like Brazil, where younger managers of large-scale enterprises prioritize returns on investment and, critically, the verifiable sustainability credentials demanded by a global market.
Influence appears to flow through more formalized channels in the U.S., with farmers placing significant trust in professional intermediaries like retailers and extension agents, supplemented by self-guided research on websites and platforms like YouTube. This suggests a culture that values expert opinion and detailed, accessible data. In Brazil, however, the ecosystem is more interpersonal and socially driven. Influence is built horizontally through peer-to-peer conversations with neighbors and solidified in the communal settings of conferences and seminars. The high impact of social media, particularly professional networks like LinkedIn, points to a digitally native demographic that seamlessly integrates social interaction with business intelligence. Ultimately, for an agribusiness to succeed, it must not only craft a message that aligns with the local definition of value but also learn to speak fluently within the unique communication culture of the farmers it hopes to serve.
