Misinformation in Agriculture: How Actors Shape Agricultural Information Systems

This study analyzes how agri-food misinformation is generated within Nigeria’s agricultural information systems and its influence on climate change adaptation. Using a mixed-methods approach, data from online surveys with 128 farmers and semi-structured interviews with key actors were analyzed through binary logistic regression and thematic analysis. Findings reveal that public extension agents are the most trusted actors, but their infrequent contact with farmers leaves a communication void, which is filled by other farmers within the social group. These informal channels serve as primary conduits for the unintentional spread of agri-food misinformation, often rooted in honest technical misinterpretations. When linked to socio-economic factors such as age and experience, this agri-food misinformation negatively influences adaptation decisions, leading farmers to abandon resilient practices like crop rotation and cover cropping during critical climate shocks. The study concludes that farmers are central, though unintentional, actors in the creation of agri-food misinformation. Addressing this challenge requires a coordinated agricultural information system that prioritizes direct communication, institutionalizes verification processes, and enhances farmers’ capacity to validate formal information.