What is technology adoption? Exploring the agricultural research value chain for smallholder farmers in Lao PDR

Title
What is technology adoption? Exploring the agricultural research value chain for smallholder farmers in Lao PDR
Publication Date
2020-03
Author(s)
Alexander, Kim S
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9015-1683
Email: kalexa26@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:kalexa26
Greenhalgh, Garry
Moglia, Magnus
Thephavanh, Manithaythip
Sinavong, Phonevilay
Larson, Silva
Jovanovic, Tom
Case, Peter
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Springer Dordrecht
Place of publication
The Netherlands
DOI
10.1007/s10460-019-09957-8
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/63266
Abstract

A common and driving assumption in agricultural research is that the introduction of research trials, new practices and innovative technologies will result in technology adoption, and will subsequently generate benefts for farmers and other stakeholders. In Lao PDR, the potential benefts of introduced technologies have not been fully realised by benefciaries. We report on an analysis of a survey of 735 smallholder farmers in Southern Lao PDR who were questioned about factors that infuenced their decisions to adopt new technologies. In this study, we have constructed measures or states of adoption which identify key elements of an adoption decision-making nexus. Analysis was conducted to statistically group explanatory factors of adoption. The key explanatory factors represented attributes of the farmer, the factors considered when undertaking production decisions and elements of the agricultural value chain that present as opportunities or constraints. We describe the combination of farmer's personal attributes, perceptions of the value chain, and the introduction of new technologies by external actors as an "agricultural research value chain", where agricultural research activities intervene to derive greater benefts for local farmers. A generalised linear model, via Poisson (multiple) regression analysis on the identifed explanatory factors, was applied to explore how they infuence adoption measures and we found several signifcant relationships.

Link
Citation
Agriculture and Human Values, v.37, p. 17-32
ISSN
1572-8366
0889-048X
Start page
17
End page
32

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