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Farmers’ Demand and the Traits and Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations in Developing Countries

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  • Karen Macours

Abstract

International agricultural research is often motivated by the potential benefits it could bring to smallholder farmers in developing countries. A recent experimental literature has emerged on why innovations resulting from such research, which often focuses on yield enhancement, fail to be adopted due to either external or internal constraints. This article reviews this literature, focusing on the traits of the different technologies and their complexity and distinguishing between yield-enhancing, variance-reducing, and water- or labor-reducing technologies. It also discusses how farmers’ reallocation of inputs and investments when external constraints are lifted suggests that they often do not seek to increase yield or input intensity. The article further reviews evidence indicating that a technology's potential as observed in agronomical trials is not necessarily a good predictor for smallholder farmers’ demands for the technology in real-life conditions. The last section derives conclusions for the research and policy agenda.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Macours, 2019. "Farmers’ Demand and the Traits and Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations in Developing Countries," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 11(1), pages 483-499, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:reseco:v:11:y:2019:p:483-499
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-resource-100518-094045
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    Cited by:

    1. Emerick, Kyle & De Janvry, Alain & Sadoulet, Elisabeth & Dar, Manzoor & Wiseman, Eleanor, 2020. "Private Input Suppliers as Information Agents for Technology Adoption in Agriculture," CEPR Discussion Papers 15584, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Sadick Mohammed & Awudu Abdulai, 2022. "Heterogeneity in returns to agricultural technologies with incomplete diffusion: Evidence from Ghana," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 323-353, February.
    3. Kazushi Takahashi & Rie Muraoka & Keijiro Otsuka, 2020. "Technology adoption, impact, and extension in developing countries’ agriculture: A review of the recent literature," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(1), pages 31-45, January.
    4. Osiemo, Jamleck & Sibiko, Kenneth Waluse & Ng'ang'a, Stanley Karanja & Notenbaert, An M.O., 2024. "Are dairy farmers willing to pay for improved forage varieties? Experimental evidence from Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    5. Daniel Agness & Travis Baseler & Sylvain Chassang & Pascaline Dupas & Erik Snowberg, 2022. "Valuing the Time of the Self-Employed," Working Papers 2022-2, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    6. Chowdhury, Shyamal & Smits, Joeri & Sun, Qigang, 2020. "Contract Structure, Time Preference, and Technology Adoption," IZA Discussion Papers 13590, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Takahashi, Kazushi & Mano, Yukichi & Otsuka, Keijiro, 2019. "Learning from experts and peer farmers about rice production: Experimental evidence from Cote d’Ivoire," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 157-169.
    8. Noeldeke, Beatrice & Winter, Etti & Ntawuhiganayo, Elisée Bahati, 2022. "Representing human decision-making in agent-based simulation models: Agroforestry adoption in rural Rwanda," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    9. Bettles, Joseph & Battisti, David S. & Cook-Patton, Susan C. & Kroeger, Timm & Spector, June T. & Wolff, Nicholas H. & Masuda, Yuta J., 2021. "Agroforestry and non-state actors: A review," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    10. Jérémie Gignoux & Karen Macours & Daniel Stein & Kelsey Wright, 2023. "Input subsidies, credit constraints, and expectations of future transfers: Evidence from Haiti," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 105(3), pages 809-835, May.
    11. Gartaula, Hom N. & Gebremariam, Gebrelibanos & Jaleta, Moti, 2024. "Gender, rainfall endowment, and farmers’ heterogeneity in wheat trait preferences in Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    12. Corral,Carolina & Gine,Xavier & Mahajan,Aprajit & Seira,Enrique, 2020. "Autonomy and Specificity in Agricultural Technology Adoption : Evidence from Mexico," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9367, The World Bank.
    13. Paola Mallia, 2022. "You reap what (you think) you sow? Evidence on farmers’behavioral adjustments in the case of correct crop varietal identification," Working Papers hal-03597332, HAL.
    14. Jérémie Gignoux & Karen Macours & Daniel Stein & Kelsey Wright, 2021. "Agricultural input subsidies, credit constraints and expectations of future transfers: evidence from Haiti," PSE Working Papers halshs-03131411, HAL.
    15. Carolina Corral & Xavier Giné & Aprajit Mahajan & Enrique Seira, 2020. "Appropriate Technology Use and Autonomy: Evidence from Mexico," NBER Working Papers 27681, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Schulz, Dario & Börner, Jan, 2021. "Context and Technology Traits Explain Heterogeneity Across Adoption Studies of Agricultural Innovations: A Global Meta-Analysis," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315003, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    17. Wossen, Tesfamicheal & Abay, Kibrom A. & Abdoulaye, Tahirou, 2022. "Misperceiving and misreporting input quality: Implications for input use and productivity," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    18. Andrew Dillon & Nicoló Tomaselli, 2024. "Making Markets: Experiments in Agricultural Input Market Formation," Working Papers - Economics wp2024_18.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    19. Xavier Giné & Shreena Patel & Bernardo Ribeiro & Ildrim Valley, 2022. "Efficiency and equity of input subsidies: Experimental evidence from Tanzania†," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(5), pages 1625-1655, October.
    20. Chowdhury, Shyamal & Smits, Joeri & Sun, Qigang, 2020. "Contract structure, time preference, and technology adoption," GLO Discussion Paper Series 633, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    21. KOJIN, Emi & DO, Van Hoang & NGUYEN, Thiet & ARIMOTO, Yutaka & VO, Hong Tu & MANO, Yukichi & NGUYEN, Duy Can & TSUKADA, Kazunari, 2023. "Government and market initiatives for the governance of fertilizer quality in Vietnam," Discussion paper series HIAS-E-130, Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study, Hitotsubashi University.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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