This study empirically examined the effects of the participatory approach on the adoption of new crop varieties and agricultural practices. Particularly, we focused on the social network structure and examined how the introduced technologies diffused through networks in rural Ethiopia. Our empirical results indicate that if farmers knew and trusted fellow participants, the probability of adopting a new variety increased by 25 percentage points. However, this network had no statistical impact on the diffusion of new agricultural practices. We conclude that the participatory approach has great potential in the adoption of new crop varieties through the social networks of farmers in Ethiopia.
Seepersad, Joseph (author) and Dowlath, Pauline (author)
Format:
Proceedings
Publication Date:
1999-03-23
Published:
Trinidad: Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 138 Document Number: C20979
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, 8 pages, Session H, from "1999 conference proceedings -- Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education", 15th Annual Conference, 21-24 March 1999, Port of Spain, Trinidad, 25-26, Tobago
