FARMER SATISFACTION WITH AUTOMATED MICRO-IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY IN WESTERN TAMIL NADU, INDIA: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING APPROACH Authors: Iniya V, Karthikeyan C, Nirmala Devi. M, Ravikumar. V, Prahadeeswaran. M, Vanitha. G Journal: Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (JAPS) ISSN: 1018-7081 (Print), 2309-8694 (Online) Volume: 36 Issue: 6 Year: 2026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2026.6.0135 URL: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2026.6.0135 Publisher: Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum Abstract:

The success of agricultural innovations largely depends on farmers’ satisfaction with the technology. Automated micro-irrigation technology has emerged as an important intervention for addressing water scarcity and labour shortages in agriculture. The present study aimed to assess farmers’ satisfaction with automated micro-irrigation technology and identify the key factors influencing satisfaction and its long-term technology use. A field survey was conducted among 300 adopters of automated micro-irrigation technology using a structured questionnaire. Farmers’ satisfaction was quantified using the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI), while the determinants of satisfaction were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that the largest proportion (33.67%, n=101) of farmers held more than 10 hectares of farmland. The overall CSI value of 79.81% indicated that farmers were satisfied with the adoption of automated micro-irrigation technology. Among the service-quality dimensions, assurance significantly influenced farmers’ satisfaction (β= 0.456, p<0.001). Satisfaction further showed a significant positive influence on loyalty towards the technology (β=0.192, p=0.004). Mediation analysis indicated that commitment strongly mediated the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty (β=0.159, p<0.001), while trust acted as a partial mediator (β= - 0.030, p=0.039). The findings emphasize the importance of reliable technical support, responsive service systems and effective grievance-handling mechanisms for enhancing long-term adoption and sustained use of automated micro-irrigation technology.

Keywords: Automated micro-irrigation; Farmer satisfaction; PLS-SEM; Sustainable irrigation; Technology adoption