Analysis of factors affecting e-commerce adoption in agricultural cooperatives of Cameroon

Abstract

E-commerce holds immense potential as a transformative solution for addressing challenges within agricultural cooperatives in Cameroon, offering unprecedented opportunities for smallholder farmers to access markets and augment their incomes. Despite this potential, the adoption of e-commerce by agricultural cooperatives in the Centre region of Cameroon remains nascent, hindered by multifaceted barriers. This research endeavors to meticulously identify and comprehend the influential factors shaping e-commerce adoption among these cooperatives, focusing on technological, organizational, external environmental, and sociocultural contexts. The study unveils using a semi-structured questionnaire administered face to face to 115 agricultural cooperatives randomly chosen, a complex landscape, highlighting cultural hesitancy as a significant barrier, particularly entrenched in cooperatives with a decade-long operational history. Older leadership within such cooperatives, characterized by a lack of awareness and resistance to change, further compounds the challenge. Paradoxically, newer cooperatives led by dynamic personnel display a more proactive engagement with e-commerce, yet face their own set of challenges. Despite a 60% prevalence of technology access, underutilization persists, while concerns over fraud and security in e-transactions inhibit approximately 90% of cooperatives. In response to these findings, the dissertation proposes a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at fostering e-commerce adoption among agricultural cooperatives in the Centre region of Cameroon. These recommendations are structured into five key areas. Firstly, it advocates for government intervention through comprehensive policies and regulatory bodies dedicated to the unique challenges of agricultural cooperatives. Capacity-building initiatives are proposed, emphasizing targeted training programs and the establishment of resource centers. Cultural awareness programs targeting older leadership and initiatives to enhance technological literacy form additional pillars of the proposed strategy. The utilization of technology is encouraged, with a focus on optimizing existing resources and fostering a secure environment for e-commerce. Lastly, the recommendations emphasize addressing environmental concerns, promoting innovation in older cooperatives, and improving infrastructure to enhance accessibility.

Keywords: e-commerce adoption, factors of adoption, agricultural cooperatives, Centre Cameroon, digital transformation, sociocultural Dynamics.