Climate flexible tillage via KlimaBob in Brandenburg – Compliance Analysis and Evaluation of Conformance to Requirements

Abstract

Due to global climate change and its impact on local weather conditions, decision support systems are getting more important in agriculture. They allow farmers to adapt more effectively to the complex changes their farms are subject to. Marginal production sites must apply new tillage strategies adapted to new climatic conditions. Information about proper strategy adjustments are often disseminated through agricultural extension services and journals. A new internet information platform called “Climate flexible tillage” (KlimaBob) was established under the framework of the “Innovation Network of Climate Change Adaptation Brandenburg Berlin”. For a successful and permanent introduction of such a system analysis and verifications of individual acceptance among farmers are necessary, but are currently still missing. This paper addresses this research gap by referring to the established task-technology fit approach. For application a survey among farmers was carried out in the Brandenburg region. The resulting data provided the basis for a structural equation model that explains the task-technology fit of the new internet platform and hence the evaluation of the KlimaBob. The results indicate a strong influence of the performance spectrum of the system, by name characteristics of the KlimaBob and individual characteristics of users (for example time management, technology affinity and risk attitude) on the task-technology fit.