Toward sustainable agrientrepreneurship: behavioral drivers of AI adoption among rural agrientrepreneurs in emerging economies

Mohammad Rashed Hasan Polas, Asghar Afshar Jahanshahi, Mohammad Ekramol Islam, Mohammad Falahat, Valliappan Raju and Khan Shariya Hasan Upoma

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 2026, vol. 20, issue 5, 1467-1495

Abstract: PurposeThis study aims to investigate the behavioral drivers influencing rural family business agrientrepreneurs’ intention to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) for sustainable agrientrepreneurship, addressing a significant gap in understanding technology adoption in resource-constrained and emerging economies.Design/methodology/approachUsing a positivist approach with hypothetical deductive observation, data from 392 rural Bangladeshi family business entrepreneurs were analyzed using Smart PLS 4.0 (SEM) and SPSS V25.FindingsThe findings reveal that innovativeness significantly and positively influences attitude and risk-taking behavior; relative advantage significantly and positively impacts the intention to adopt AI and influence attitude and risk-taking behavior; attitude mediates the relationship between innovativeness and relative advantage on AI adoption; and risk-taking behavior mediates the relationship between relative advantage and AI adoption, although it does not mediate the link between innovativeness and intention to adopt AI.Originality/valueThis study provides one of the few empirical insights into AI adoption among rural family business agrientrepreneurs. The study offers a framework for leveraging AI to improve food security and foster sustainable agricultural ecosystems. By extending behavioral models (theory of planned behavior, technology acceptance model and IDT) to this underexplored population and content, the study advances both theoretical understanding and practical strategies for promoting sustainable agri-tech adoption in emerging economies. It thereby contributes to achieving the sustainable development goals related to agriculture and food security.

Keywords: AI adoption; Behavioral drivers; Rural agrientrepreneurs; Emerging economies; Sustainable agrientrepreneurship; Sustainable development goals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:jecpps:jec-04-2025-0122

DOI: 10.1108/JEC-04-2025-0122

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