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Did You Really Get the Message? Using Text Reminders to Stimulate Adoption of Agricultural Technologies

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  • Catherine Larochelle
  • Jeffrey Alwang
  • Elli Travis
  • Victor Hugo Barrera
  • Juan Manuel Dominguez Andrade

Abstract

This article provides evidence from a randomised control trial conducted among potato farmers in Ecuador about the impact of mobile phone text messages on farmer knowledge about and adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) practices. Using psychological constructs, we examine competing explanations for non-standard decision-making leading to low adoption of beneficial agricultural technologies. Farmers who received text messages have significantly higher knowledge and are more likely to adopt most IPM practices than those in the control group. Findings provide evidence that text messages lead to behavioural changes by reducing inattention and sub-optimal heuristics in the face of complex decisions.

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  • Catherine Larochelle & Jeffrey Alwang & Elli Travis & Victor Hugo Barrera & Juan Manuel Dominguez Andrade, 2019. "Did You Really Get the Message? Using Text Reminders to Stimulate Adoption of Agricultural Technologies," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(4), pages 548-564, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:55:y:2019:i:4:p:548-564
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2017.1393522
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    1. Fuhrmann-Riebel, Hanna & D'Exelle, Ben & López Vargas, Kristian & Tonke, Sebastian & Verschoor, Arjan, 2024. "Can Reminders Promote Regular Pro-Environmental Behavior? Experimental Evidence from Peru," IZA Discussion Papers 17013, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Cai, Yi & Sun, Yucheng & Qi, Wene & Yi, Famin, 2022. "Impact of smartphone use on production outsourcing: evidence from litchi farming in southern China," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 25(4), September.
    3. Cai, Tian & Steinfield, Charles & Olson, Jennifer, 2017. "Keeping Top-of-Mind: The Impact of Audio Phone Reminders on Kenya Farmers' Knowledge and Uptake of Drought Tolerant (DT) Maize," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258110, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. George W. Norton & Jeffrey Alwang, 2020. "Changes in Agricultural Extension and Implications for Farmer Adoption of New Practices," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(1), pages 8-20, March.
    5. Mwambi, Mercy & Depenbusch, Lutz & Bonnarith, Uon & Sotelo-Cardona, Paola & Kieu, Khemrin & di Tada, Nicolas & Srinivasan, Ramasamy & Schreinemachers, Pepijn, 2023. "Can phone text messages promote the use of integrated pest management? A study of vegetable farmers in Cambodia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PA).
    6. Dzanku, F.M. & Osei, R.D., 2018. "Impact of pre– and post-harvest training reminders on crop losses and food poverty in Mali," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 275924, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Eduardo Nakasone & Maximo Torero, 2016. "A text message away: ICTs as a tool to improve food security," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 47(S1), pages 49-59, November.
    8. Yi Cai & Wene Qi & Famin Yi, 2023. "Smartphone use and willingness to adopt digital pest and disease management: Evidence from litchi growers in rural China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(1), pages 131-147, January.
    9. Sabrina Eisenbarth & Louis Graham & Anouk S. Rigterink, 2021. "Can Reminders of Rules Induce Compliance? Experimental Evidence from a Common Pool Resource Setting," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 79(4), pages 653-681, August.
    10. Tambo, Justice A. & Romney, Dannie & Mugambi, Idah & Mbugua, Fredrick & Bundi, Mary & Uzayisenga, Bellancile & Matimelo, Mathews & Ndhlovu, Mathias, 2021. "Can plant clinics enhance judicious use of pesticides? Evidence from Rwanda and Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    11. Nasir Abbas Khan & Qijie Gao & Shoukat Ali & Babar Shahbaz & Palwasha Khan & Muhammad Abid, 2022. "Analyzing ICT-enabled agricultural advisory services in Pakistan: evidence from a marginalized region of Punjab province," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1107-1129, December.
    12. Lasdun, Violet & Harou, Aurelie P. & Magomba, Christopher & Guerena, David, 2022. "Peer Learning in a Digital Farmer-to-Farmer Network: Effects on Technology Adoption and Self-Efficacy Beliefs," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322561, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Rodrigo Abed & Haroon Sseguya & James Flock & Silvanus Mruma & Hamisi Mwango, 2020. "An Evolving Agricultural Extension Model for Lasting Impact: How Willing Are Tanzanian Farmers to Pay for Extension Services?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-13, October.
    14. David Alfaro‐Serrano & Tanay Balantrapu & Ritam Chaurey & Ana Goicoechea & Eric Verhoogen, 2021. "Interventions to promote technology adoption in firms: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(4), December.
    15. Bjorn Van Campenhout & David J. Spielman & Els Lecoutere, 2021. "Information and Communication Technologies to Provide Agricultural Advice to Smallholder Farmers: Experimental Evidence from Uganda," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(1), pages 317-337, January.
    16. George W. Norton, 2020. "Lessons from a Career in Agricultural Development and Research Evaluation," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(2), pages 151-167, June.
    17. Camacho, Adriana & Conover, Emily, 2019. "The impact of receiving SMS price and weather information on small scale farmers in Colombia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 1-1.
    18. G.T. Abate & Tanguy Bernard & Simrin Makhija & David J. Spielman, 2019. "Accelerating technical change through video-mediated agricultural extension: Evidence from Ethiopia," Working Papers hal-02879823, HAL.
    19. Fred Mawunyo Dzanku & Robert Darko Osei, 2023. "Does combining traditional and information and communications technology–based extension methods improve agricultural outcomes? Evidence from field experiments in Mali," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 450-475, February.
    20. Fred Mawunyo Dzanku & Robert Osei & Isaac Osei‐Akoto, 2021. "The impact of mobile phone voice message reminders on agricultural outcomes in Mali," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(5), pages 789-806, September.
    21. Hongyun Zheng & Wanglin Ma, 2023. "Smartphone-based information acquisition and wheat farm performance: insights from a doubly robust IPWRA estimator," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 633-658, June.
    22. Baozhi Li & Ni Zhuo & Chen Ji & Qibiao Zhu, 2022. "Influence of Smartphone-Based Digital Extension Service on Farmers’ Sustainable Agricultural Technology Adoption in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-14, August.

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