This study examined farmers' willingness and financial factors influencing the adoption of the hydroponic system of bell pepper cultivation in Imo State, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling approach, 246 pepper farmers were selected from a population of 667 farmers across the three agricultural zones using the Yamane’s formula alongside the probability proportional to size (PPS). The data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire, which was further analyzed using descriptive statistics and the ordered probit model. The results showed that a total of twenty farmers (8.13%) reported that they were not willing at all to adopt the hydroponic system; 11.79% of the farmers indicated that they were only slightly willing to adopt the system; 23.58% of the pepper farmers were neutral, while 50% of the farmers were either willing or eager to adopt hydroponic farming for pepper production in Imo State. The results from the ordered probit regression demonstrated that the age of respondents, annual income, perceived cost of hydroponics, farming experience, perceived costs of inputs, expected return on investment, and savings levels were the variables that significantly influenced the willingness of pepper farmers in Imo State to adopt hydroponics farming for green pepper production. The study recommends the relevant stakeholders should prioritize subsidizing hydroponic inputs and also provide customized funding packages for new and seasoned pepper farmers, given that farmers' revenue, expenditures, and projected returns were among the most significant factors influencing their readiness to embrace the smart farming innovation.
| Published in | International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences (Volume 14, Issue 1) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16 |
| Page(s) | 69-78 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Hydroponics, Green Bell Pepper, Farmers, Financial Factors, Willingness to Adopt
| [1] | Abegunrin, T. P., Ojo, O. I., & Lasisi, M. O. (2024). Assessment of the Performance of Drip-Irrigated Green Pepper (Capsicum annum L.) under Poly-House and Open-Field Conditions. Asian Journal of Advances in Agricultural Research. |
| [2] | Adepoju, A., & Adekunle, O. (2023). Are Tomato Farmers Willing to Adopt the Hydroponics Farming System in Oyo State, Nigeria?. Agricultura Scientia, 20(1), 43-50. |
| [3] | Armas, K., & Dela-Cruz, C. B. (2023). Financial Viability of Business Models For Engineered Vertical Hydroponics Systems For Sustainable Onion Production in The Philippines. Journal of Applied Engineering and Technological Science, 4(2), 864–872. |
| [4] | Adikaibe, P. (2024). Sustainable economic analysis of oil palm value chain in imo state nigeria: opportunities and challenges.. Iop Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 1364(1), 012018. |
| [5] | Choruma, D. J., Dirwai, T. L., Mutenje, M. J., Mustafa, M., Chimonyo, V. G. P., Jacobs-Mata, I., & Mabhaudhi, T. (2024). Digitalisation in agriculture: A scoping review of technologies in practice, challenges, and opportunities for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 18, 101286. |
| [6] | Dutta, S., Mukherjee, B., & Sawarkar, A. (2024). Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Using Hydroponics Technique: A Smart Farming System. IntechOpen. |
| [7] | Esiobu, N. S. (2019). Understanding the allocative efficiency of cassava farms in imo state, nigeria. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development. |
| [8] | Folorunso, E. A., Schmautz, Z., Gebauer, R., & Mráz, J. (2023). The economic viability of commercial-scale hydroponics: Nigeria as a case study. Heliyon, 9. |
| [9] | Geng, W., Liu, L., Zhao, J., Kang, X., & Wang, W. (2024). Digital Technologies Adoption and Economic Benefits in Agriculture: A Mixed-Methods Approach. Sustainability. |
| [10] | Kim, D.-E., Son, G.-R., Yu, G., & Son, Y. (2023). A Study of the Relationship between Willingness to Participate, Expected Behavior, and Participation Constraints in Urban Farming Utilizing Hydroponics - Focusing on the Rooftop Hydroponic Farming Project at the GSES, SNU, 51(4), 76–89. |
| [11] | Kumar, M., Bethapudi, S. V., & Gawali, S. (2024). Information Communication Technology Enables Agricultural Innovation and Sustainable Growth of Agripreneurs. |
| [12] | Maigari, Z. B., Sani, R. M., Yakubu, S. M., & Musa, A. U. (2023). Factors influencing savings and investment among smallscale farmers in bauchi local government area, bauchi state, nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, 3(2), 187–200. |
| [13] | Mbatha, B. (2024). Digital divide: A phenomenon of unequal adoption of technology by SMMEs in the agribusiness sector in South Africa. Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa. |
| [14] | NPC (2006). Nigerian population commission censes survey. |
| [15] | Nwanojuo, M. A., Anumudu, C., & Onyeaka, H. (2025). Impact of controlled environment agriculture (cea) in nigeria, a review of the future of farming in africa. Agriculture, 15(2), 117. |
| [16] | Omonigba, T. A., Olaniyan, C., Afanwoubo, J., & Adepoju, A. A. (2024). Willingness to Pay for Improved Irrigation. Deleted Journal, 17(1), 115–129. |
| [17] | Omowunmi V. A. (2020). Ageing and Resultant Changing Gender Roles of Farmers’ Involvement in Cocoa Production in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 9(3), 39. |
| [18] | Parra-Acosta, Y. K., Almanza Junco, C. A., & Aponte Chiriví, D. O. (2023). Drivers, motivations and expected results of technology acquisition in agribusiness in the department of Cundinamarca, Colombia 23(2), 5–17. |
| [19] | Patel, T. K. (2024). Growing Beyond Soil: The Future of Farming with Hydroponics. 6(1), 07–20. |
| [20] | Rajatha, K., Prasad, S. R., Gobhinath, P. S. R., Nethra, N., & Thimmegowda, M. N. (2022). Soilless system: an approach for hybrid seed production in tomato (solanum lycopersicum). The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 92(9), 1107-1112. |
| [21] | Ukoha, I. I., Henri-Ukoha, A., Ibeagwa, O., Essien, U. A., and Osuji, M. N. (2017). "Determinants of Rural Farmers Preference for Cash-Less Transactions in Imo State," Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics (RAAE), Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, vol. 20(1), April. |
| [22] | Ukoha, I. I., Eze, C. C., Osuji, M. N., Echereobia, C. O., Osuji, E. E. (2025). Adoption Intensity of Digital Climate-Smart Agricultural Techniques (D-CSA) Among Dry-Season Female Vegetable Farmers in Nigeria: A Pathway to Climate-Resilient Farming. In: Onyeneke, R. U., Emenekwe, C. C., Nwajiuba, C. U. (eds) Energy Transition, Climate Action and Sustainable Agriculture. Springer, Cham. |
APA Style
Ikenna, U. I., Ikwuo, E. I., Nkiru, B. G., Nnenna, O. M., Odinakaci, C. C., et al. (2026). Are the Farmers Financially Ready to Adopt Hydroponic Farming for Green Bell-pepper Cultivation in Nigeria. International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences, 14(1), 69-78. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16
ACS Style
Ikenna, U. I.; Ikwuo, E. I.; Nkiru, B. G.; Nnenna, O. M.; Odinakaci, C. C., et al. Are the Farmers Financially Ready to Adopt Hydroponic Farming for Green Bell-pepper Cultivation in Nigeria. Int. J. Econ. Finance Manag. Sci. 2026, 14(1), 69-78. doi: 10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16
@article{10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16,
author = {Ukoha Igwe Ikenna and Ekpe Ibiam Ikwuo and Ben-Chendo Glory Nkiru and Osuji Marynn Nnenna and Cookey Chinaekwu Odinakaci and Uhuegbulem Ifyenwa Josephine},
title = {Are the Farmers Financially Ready to Adopt Hydroponic Farming for Green Bell-pepper Cultivation in Nigeria},
journal = {International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences},
volume = {14},
number = {1},
pages = {69-78},
doi = {10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijefm.20261401.16},
abstract = {This study examined farmers' willingness and financial factors influencing the adoption of the hydroponic system of bell pepper cultivation in Imo State, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling approach, 246 pepper farmers were selected from a population of 667 farmers across the three agricultural zones using the Yamane’s formula alongside the probability proportional to size (PPS). The data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire, which was further analyzed using descriptive statistics and the ordered probit model. The results showed that a total of twenty farmers (8.13%) reported that they were not willing at all to adopt the hydroponic system; 11.79% of the farmers indicated that they were only slightly willing to adopt the system; 23.58% of the pepper farmers were neutral, while 50% of the farmers were either willing or eager to adopt hydroponic farming for pepper production in Imo State. The results from the ordered probit regression demonstrated that the age of respondents, annual income, perceived cost of hydroponics, farming experience, perceived costs of inputs, expected return on investment, and savings levels were the variables that significantly influenced the willingness of pepper farmers in Imo State to adopt hydroponics farming for green pepper production. The study recommends the relevant stakeholders should prioritize subsidizing hydroponic inputs and also provide customized funding packages for new and seasoned pepper farmers, given that farmers' revenue, expenditures, and projected returns were among the most significant factors influencing their readiness to embrace the smart farming innovation.},
year = {2026}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Are the Farmers Financially Ready to Adopt Hydroponic Farming for Green Bell-pepper Cultivation in Nigeria AU - Ukoha Igwe Ikenna AU - Ekpe Ibiam Ikwuo AU - Ben-Chendo Glory Nkiru AU - Osuji Marynn Nnenna AU - Cookey Chinaekwu Odinakaci AU - Uhuegbulem Ifyenwa Josephine Y1 - 2026/02/02 PY - 2026 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16 DO - 10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16 T2 - International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences JF - International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences JO - International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences SP - 69 EP - 78 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2326-9561 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijefm.20261401.16 AB - This study examined farmers' willingness and financial factors influencing the adoption of the hydroponic system of bell pepper cultivation in Imo State, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling approach, 246 pepper farmers were selected from a population of 667 farmers across the three agricultural zones using the Yamane’s formula alongside the probability proportional to size (PPS). The data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire, which was further analyzed using descriptive statistics and the ordered probit model. The results showed that a total of twenty farmers (8.13%) reported that they were not willing at all to adopt the hydroponic system; 11.79% of the farmers indicated that they were only slightly willing to adopt the system; 23.58% of the pepper farmers were neutral, while 50% of the farmers were either willing or eager to adopt hydroponic farming for pepper production in Imo State. The results from the ordered probit regression demonstrated that the age of respondents, annual income, perceived cost of hydroponics, farming experience, perceived costs of inputs, expected return on investment, and savings levels were the variables that significantly influenced the willingness of pepper farmers in Imo State to adopt hydroponics farming for green pepper production. The study recommends the relevant stakeholders should prioritize subsidizing hydroponic inputs and also provide customized funding packages for new and seasoned pepper farmers, given that farmers' revenue, expenditures, and projected returns were among the most significant factors influencing their readiness to embrace the smart farming innovation. VL - 14 IS - 1 ER -