Farmers' intention to continue Bt brinjal adoption in Bangladesh: pre and post-adoption drivers.

Abstract

Brinjal (eggplant) plays a crucial role in income generation for smallholder farmers but faces severe yield losses due to the Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer. Since 2014, an insect-resistant genetically modified brinjal (Bt brinjal) has been available in Bangladesh, yet its adoption remains low, with many farmers discontinuing its use. To better understand the implementation of GM crops beyond initial adoption, this study examines the factors influencing farmers' intention to continue adopting Bt brinjal. Using an extended expectation confirmation model, this study investigates how pre-adoption factors, such as performance and effort expectancies, influence the (dis)confirmation of expectations and how post-adoption factors, including perceived usefulness and satisfaction, shape farmers' intention to continue Bt brinjal adoption. Based on a structured survey with 151 Bt brinjal adopters, the proposed model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results reveal that pre-adoption performance and effort expectancies played a crucial role in shaping confirmation, which subsequently affected post-adoption perceived usefulness and satisfaction. Furthermore, satisfaction and perceived usefulness were key drivers of farmers' intentions to continue adopting Bt brinjal. The study contributes to the literature by integrating pre- and post-adoption constructs to explain continuance behavior and provides actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to enhance farmer satisfaction and long-term adoption of GM food crops.