Business Environment Determinants of Smart Farming Adoption in an Emerging Agricultural Economy: A TOE-Based Analysis in Honduras

Smart farming (SF) integrates digital technologies, automation, and data analytics to enhance agricultural decision-making and sustainability. However, adoption in emerging economies remains limited due to structural constraints. This study examines the determinants of SF adoption intention in Honduras using an extended Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework that incorporates technological attributes, farm manager characteristics, organizational factors, and business environmental conditions. A cross-sectional survey of 313 agricultural workers, mainly young and female, was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The model explained 80.8% of the variance in adoption intention. Among the eleven hypothesized predictors, only government support and changes in the digital environment showed significant positive effects. Technological factors, managerial capabilities, organizational conditions, and competitive pressure were not significant. These findings indicate that, in structurally constrained agricultural systems, external enabling conditions—particularly institutional support and digital infrastructure—play a decisive role in shaping adoption intention. The results highlight the need for policies that strengthen rural connectivity, technical training, financing mechanisms, and institutional assistance to facilitate effective implementation of smart farming technologies. The study validates the TOE framework in an emerging economy and underscores the contextual variability of its explanatory dimensions.