The role of Information in agricultural technology adoption: experimental evidence from rice farmers in Uganda

Bjorn Van Campenhout, Wilberforce Walukano, Fiona Nattembo, Lydia Nazziwa-Nviiri and Jaap Blom

No 615888, Working Papers of LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance from KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance

Abstract: Optimal decision making among the poor is often hampered by a lack of critical pieces of information, false beliefs or wrong perceptions. This paper investigates the role of information deficiencies in the decision to use modern inputs and adopt recommended agronomic practices among rice farmers in Uganda. Using field experiments, we tested whether the provision of technical information concerning the existence and use of modern inputs and practices affects awareness and adoption of these technologies as well as farm production. In addition, we tested whether providing information aimed at changing the perception of returns on such intensification investments leads to different outcomes. In both experiments, the treatments took the form of short agricultural extension information videos shown to individual farmers using tablet computers. Although results show that the videos did seem to increase the awareness and influence the beliefs of rice farmers to some extent, practices and production generally seemed unaffected. Finally, the paper provides some clues as to why we find little impact on outcomes.

Keywords: agricultural extension services; information; ICT; rice; Uganda (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017-11
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Published in IFPRI Discussion Paper Series 01684/ 2017 , pages 1-47

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Journal Article: The Role of Information in Agricultural Technology Adoption: Experimental Evidence from Rice Farmers in Uganda (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ete:licosp:615888

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