Early Adopters and the Diffusion of Information in Groups of Farmers

Rose Deperrois (), Adélaïde Fadhuile (), Julie Subervie () and Sophie Thoyer ()
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Rose Deperrois: GAEL - Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée de Grenoble - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes, CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier
Adélaïde Fadhuile: GAEL - Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée de Grenoble - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes
Julie Subervie: CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier
Sophie Thoyer: CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier

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Abstract: Peer-to-peer knowledge diffusion is increasingly recognised as a key mechanism in various economic contexts and may play a crucial role in fostering the adoption of new agricultural practices among farmers, including some that relate to agroecology. However, the conditions for effective peer learning remain poorly understood, particularly regarding the role of the injection point -the first individual to receive informationwithin a peer group. We conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with roughly 850 voluntary French farmers, randomly assigned to peer groups on a digital communication platform. Over an 18-month period, one farmer per treated group receives information on agroecology, serving as the injection point for diffusion. Treatment varies according to whether the injection point is an early adopter of agroecology or an ordinary peer. A benchmark group receives direct broadcasting of the information, so that it is directly accessible for all members. Results from the experiment show that injection points relay only a small fraction of the information to their peer groups, which ultimately results in better performance of the broadcasting diffusion strategy. However, recipients are more likely to read a post shared by an injection point than the same post when broadcasted. This highlights a trust effect coming from peer endorsement, a promising finding for the future of peer-to-peer learning policies.

Keywords: Agricultural practices.; Social learning; Information diffusion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05837486v1
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