Understanding the Process of Agricultural Technology Adoption: Mineral Fertilizer in Eastern DR Congo

Isabel Lambrecht, Bernard Vanlauwe, Roel Merckx and Miet Maertens

World Development, 2014, vol. 59, issue C, 132-146

Abstract: We analyze the adoption of mineral fertilizer in South-Kivu. We model technology adoption as a three-step-process, including awareness, tryout, and adoption; and empirically analyze these steps using cross-sectional farm-household data, and bivariate and Heckman selection probit models. We find that awareness about fertilizer is high (57%) and mainly determined by education and social capital. Tryout is low (13% of aware farmers) but positively influenced by extension interventions. Continued adoption is high (70% of tryout farmers) but capital constraints are important and not all extension interventions are effective for continued adoption. Our results entail implications for extension policies in poor areas.

Keywords: mineral fertilizer; Sub-Saharan Africa; Eastern DR Congo; technology adoption; soil fertility; agricultural research and extension (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (81)

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Working Paper: Understanding the process of agricultural technology adoption: mineral fertilizer in eastern DR Congo (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:59:y:2014:i:c:p:132-146

DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.01.024

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