Understanding entrepreneurial influences on the adoption of tissue culture plants: an application of the technology acceptance model

Purpose This study examines how farmers’ entrepreneurial orientation (EO)–specifically innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness, is associated with their adoption of Tissue Culture Plants (TCPs), directly and through technological perceptions.Methodology A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 318 market-oriented banana and coffee farmers in western Uganda. Data was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Reliability and validity were assessed before estimating direct and indirect effects, and significance was tested through bootstrapping.Findings Farmers’ innovativeness and risk-taking were positively associated with intention to adopt TCPs, with Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) partially mediating both relationships. Perceived Usefulness (PU) fully mediated the association between proactiveness and adoption intention. However, adoption intention was not significantly associated with adoption consistency, suggesting a potential intention–behavior gap.Practical implications Extension programs should engage enterprising farmers as technology champions while combining technical training with practical, benefit-oriented know-how. Farmer-led demonstrations, experiential learning, and follow-up assistance can reduce perceived TCPs complexity and strengthen consistent adoption.Theoretical implications Integrating EO into the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) enriches its explanatory power and highlights how EO shapes technological perceptions.Originality This study presents a novel application of the EO–TAM framework to agricultural biotechnology adoption and is among the first agricultural studies to disaggregate EO dimensions and examine their indirect associations with adoption intentions through PU and PEOU.