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Agricultural innovation systems and farm technology adoption: findings from a study of the Ghanaian plantain sector
Abstract and Figures
Purpose: We assess farm technology adoption in an integrated analysis of social networks and innovation in plantain production in Ghana. The paper explores the strength of social networks in the agricultural innovation systems (AISs) and the effect of AISs on adoption of improved farm technology.
Methodology/Approach: The paper uses social network analysis (SNA) tools to identify, map and analyze the AISs and the two-stage Heckman selection model. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods allows testing the differential effects of social networks on technology adoption.
Findings: We find weak innovation systems in the study area. Farmers are central in the social networks but have little to no influence in the innovation system perspective. Social network capital plays a critical role in improving adoption of improved farm technology.
Practical implication: Focal farmers are important actors disseminating farm technology. They should be supported by policies to interact more effectively with research and extension agents. Strengthening the role of social networking in the innovation system will enhance adoption of improved farm technology.
Theoretical implications: The inclusion of SNA indicators in the adoption model is a novel approach for quantifying the effect of the innovation system and contributes to understanding the roles of different actors. Further validation of the SNA indicators is needed for a comprehensive analysis of the innovation system.
Originality/value: The innovation system approach is useful for researchers and policy-makers by encouraging them to consider new innovation actors and relationships in technology development and dissemination. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods can help to identify starting points for policies to promote innovations among farmers.
full text available here: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/vfQutrwNb6K2qZhFuzPe/full
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... The study focused on the entire network rather than individual actors, utilising centrality, indices such as in-degree, out-degree, and closeness (Shan et al., 2018;Weyori et al., 2018) were followed. Centrality measurements were examined to reveal linkage strength and centrality degree within the ginger value chain network. ...
... Plantain production worldwide was 41.11 million MT between 2001 and 2021, and Ghana was among the countries with a high contribution [3]. In Ghana, plantain is ranked third after yam and cassava as the most stable food crop and contributes about 13.1% of the Agriculture's Gross Domestic Product [4,5]. The importance of growing plantain cannot be underestimated in recent years since plantain is gradually becoming a cash crop [6]. ...
Commercial production of plantain (Musa spp) is challenging due to insufficient planting materials as vegetative propagation using the same planting materials year after year causes cultivar decline due to pathogen load. Although different types of plantain suckers (maiden, sword and peeper) are available as sources of ex-plant for in vitro propagation, there is a dearth of information on the appropriate type of sucker to be used as source of ex-plants for in vitro initiation and bud proliferation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sucker types of two local plantain cultivars for in vitro establishment, their proliferation performance (bud and shoot number) on Recipient á Immersion Temproraire Automatique (RITA) temporary immersion bioreactor system (TIBS). This research also assessed the relatedness of sucker types at different developmental stages. Explants obtained from three different sucker types (maiden, sword and peeper) of the two local plantain cultivars Apantu (false horn plantain) and Apem (french plantain) were aseptically initiated on a supplemented Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) complete medium while the ex-plant multiplication was done on RITA@ TIBS. Genomic DNA from cigar leaves of the parent plant and suckers derived from the parent plant (maiden, sword and peeper) were also extracted using a modified Cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol and analyzed with 15 SSR markers. Analyzed data shows a significant difference (p ≤ 0.01, p ≤ 0.05) in ex-plants contamination, the number of leaves and shoots. Sword sucker had the lowest contamination of 0% among the three explants used for initiation. Suckers arising from a parent were more closely related to suckers of the same age than to their parent plant. These advances are expected to boost the proliferation rates of tissue culture plantain for commercial production.
... Enhancing information flow lessens information asymmetry between network actors; it also makes it easier for innovation to spread; it gives actors with limited access to resources; and it increases the capacity and social capital of members. The ongoing interactions between the actors make this possible and may also induce adjustments in conduct to live up to the expectations of other prominent actors 6 . Today, many countries have reviewed their agricultural knowledge systems and shifted from supply-driven innovation to a more interactive, demand-driven approach known as agricultural innovation and extension systems approach (AIES). ...
The Agricultural Innovation System is a network of various actors including research, extension, and farmer organisations along with other stakeholders. This network along with supporting institutions and policies, bring new agricultural products, processes, and other innovations for social and economic use. Farmers access to the latest advancements in agriculture is facilitated by Extension Advisory Services (EAS). EAS have focused more on demand driven methods, for which many public and private entities are prepared to meet the various demands of the farmers. Presently, institutional issues are impeding the efficacy and efficiency of Agricultural Extension Systems since the institutions are operating at separate levels without any functional convergence at the local level. It is necessary to design and test convergence models for the implementation of various programmes that meet the various needs of several type of clienteles. Keyword: Agricultural innovation and extension system, convergence, extension advisory services, farm women, farm youths, pluralistic approach.
... However, hindered by myriad challenges, agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa has yet to reach its potential, as historical data indicates the sector's lackluster influence on African structural transformation [57], [58]. Key among the reasons for this gap is the low technological innovations in the sector [59]. As a result, the call to incorporate technological innovations into the agricultural systems in Africa has been championed by policymakers, development organizations, and media [60]- [62], with some academia taking a more optimistic but cautious and critical position on the phenomenon [63], [64]. ...
... Researchers have also found that social network theory can help explain technology adoption and argued that there is a shift in interest towards a more dynamic analysis of social networks (Tscherning, 2011;Borgatti, Everett, and Johnson, 2018). Previous studies ( Spielman et al. 2011b;Mapila et al. 2016;Mittal, Padmaja, and Ajay 2018;Weyori et al. 2018;Teklewold et al. 2019a;Tesfaye et al. 2020b Onumah, Asante, andOsei 2021;) used social network analysis to describe actors' interaction and power in the agricultural innovation system. Other studies (Caniëls and Romijn 2008); (Lopolito, Morone, and Sisto 2011);Falcone, Lopolito, and Sica 2018); F. Hermans et al. 2013),and Giganti and Falcone 2021) also presented methodological conceptualization of niche and suggested an empirical methodology based on a social network analysis to be applied for investigating the relational network of a niche. ...
Agriculture is a crucial aspect of Ethiopia's economy, and innovations in the field, especially those related to maize production, are vital for improving smallholder farmers' food security. This study examined actors and their interactions at different levels of aggregation in improved maize varieties. To achieve this objective, perspectives on sustainability transition have been integrated into the innovation system, social network perspectives, and a multi-level power framework. Approximately 49 actor organizations were selected at niche, regime and landscape levels through purposive sampling using the snowball technique. Focus group discussions (FGD) with farmers and key informant interviews with selected organizations were used to collect data. The social network analysis approach was employed to analyze actors' interactions and their influences on the generation, dissemination and utilization of improved maize varieties. The findings reveals that agricultural extension service providers and government seed enterprises such as the Regional Bureau of Agriculture and Amhara Seed Enterprise, a regime level actor that influence the generation, dissemination and utilization of improved maize varieties. Given the priority that the Ethiopian government has placed on achieving food security by strengthening private sectors in the promotion of improved maize varieties, the findings of this study may suggest the need to involve/engage private actors at regime level to foster interaction among governmental and non-governmental actors for a sustainable supply of quality improved maize varieties.
... The available land for farming significantly influences the adoption of new innovative practices (Weyori et al., 2018). The dimensions of available arable land yield both advantageous and disadvantageous consequences for adoption, and certain determinants of adoption can also exert a negative influence on farm size. ...
The study sought to redesign production systems for water-use efficiency (WUE) using a quantitative approach to enhance food security and rural livelihoods. The study focused on water management practices, and challenges hindering the transition towards water efficient smallholder production systems. The study was guided by the following objectives: i) to examine production systems employed by smallholder farmers for WUE, ii) to assess the challenges in accepting formal water management systems iii) to determine the application of water-use efficiency approaches by smallholder farmers in the Numbi area, and iv) to determine the acceptance of formal water management systems at the study area. A structured questionnaire was administered to 141 farmers in the Numbi area of Mbombela Local Municipality, Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The analysis of the study's goals and objectives was carried out using various analytical tools including descriptive statistics, oneway ANOVA, and the binary logistic regression model. The study findings reveal that farmers understand the WUE concept as they have adapted WUE approaches which align with their primary irrigation water sources and farming practices. The smallholder farmers have also demonstrated a cautious utilisation of the limited water resource. However, the rate at which these production systems adapt to the changing climate is reduced by resource constraints. These challenges encompass insufficient irrigation equipment, inadequate knowledge and skills in irrigation water management, the impact of climate change, limited access to financial institutions for funding, and modest returns from seasonal sales. Therefore, the study recommends that to redesign production systems for water-use efficiency (WUE), several factors such as socioeconomic considerations, collaborative efforts among farmers, long-term planning, awareness building and training, technology and infrastructure integration, climateresilient farming practices, financial support mechanisms, as well as robust research and extension services have to be prioritised by stakeholders and policy makers.
Background: Social networks critically shape agricultural practices and information dissemination in rural communities. In India, the Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) aim to enhance agricultural support by providing essential services at the village level. However, variations in farmers' knowledge and utilization of RBK services often reflect differences in social network dynamics. This study explores how social network structures influence the dissemination of RBK information among farmers, addressing a gap in the literature. By identifying knowledge sources, mapping social networks and comparing network structures, the study aims to improve the effectiveness of RBKs and support agricultural development. Methods: The study, conducted during 2020-2023, employed an exploratory approach to assess social network structures among farmers regarding the transfer of knowledge about Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) services. A multi-stage sampling method was used: East Godavari district and four mandals were purposively selected, followed by random sampling of three villages per mandal and ten farmers per village, resulting in 120 respondents. Data collection involved structured interviews and focus group discussions to identify and classify sources of knowledge about RBK services. Social Network Analysis (SNA) was employed using UCINET and Netdraw to map and analyze these knowledge networks. Result: The study revealed that local interpersonal sources, such as village secretaries and agro-input dealers and technical staff of RBKs are primary knowledge sources for farmers regarding RBK services. High-knowledge farmers exhibit denser and more extensive social networks across all categories of knowledge sources. Technical staff of RBKs and online platforms are notably influential for high-knowledge respondents. Conversely, Assistant Directors and Joint Directors of Agriculture are least utilized.
This study evaluated the implications of the Innovation for Agribusiness (InovAgro) value chain interventions (VCIs) on farmers’ input use, market information access and land access. We used a spatial identification strategy to classify farmers as beneficiary or non-beneficiary farmers. The study used a FFs DiD analysis on a matched sample using the three-wave panel data. Our findings show that InovAgro VCIs have a positive and significant effect on beneficiary farmers’ use of yield-boosting agricultural inputs, productivity and access to agricultural market information. Our findings also show that simultaneous exposure to all three VCIs under the complete package had a positive effect on overall farmer assets.
Indigene entrepreneurship literature has investigated the effects of different business expansion strategies (e.g. human resourcing strategies, marketing strategies and value proposition strategies) on the innovation commercialisation of indigene firms. Despite this increasing interest of entrepreneurship scholarship, it remains unclear which configurations of these strategies coalesce and give effect to germane indigenous commercialisation outcomes in emerging economies contexts. Moreover, whether and the extent to which business performance of indigene firms varies across their commercialised innovations, remains grey area. To address this knowledge gap, the current study drew on empirical data extracted from 306 small indigene businesses operating in different locations in Johannesburg (South Africa). The AMOS results suggest that while human resourcing and value proposition strategies exerted a positive and significant effect on the commercialisation of indigenous innovations, marketing strategies had no statistically significant effect on the commercialisation of such innovations. While revenue, profitability and employment scores (as business performance dimensions) varied significantly in relation to indigenous innovation commercialisation, some year-on-year sales growth scores did not differ significantly in relation to the commercialisation of indigenous innovations. The study presents important theoretical and practical implications for improving sale growth of indigene firms by leveraging the commercialisation of innovations in resource-poor contexts.
In this article, we assess the determinants of adoption of agricultural technologies under climate risk and evaluate their
impact on food security using data from Niger, together with a set of novel weather variation indicators. We employ multivariate
probit and instrumental variable techniques to model adoption decisions and their impact. We find that the adoption of both
modern inputs (inorganic fertiliser and improved seed) and organic fertiliser is positively associated with crop productivity
and crop income. The use of crop residues does not seem to correlate positively with crop productivity and could even have
a negative effect. We find a strong negative association on crop productivity among households reporting that they had experienced
a delayed onset of the rainy season. We also find that factors driving modern input use are different from those of crop residues
and organic fertiliser. While the latter can be characterised as low-investment capital requirements, more labour requirements
and longer times for results, the former includes higher investment capital requirements, fewer labour requirements and shorter
times for returns. Furthermore, we find that weather variability is one of the strongest determinants of the type of practice
adopted. In regions with greater rainfall and temperature variability, crop residue incorporation into soils is more widely
adopted. The probability of using modern inputs and organic fertiliser is negatively and strongly correlated with variability
in rainfall and temperature. Households with higher levels of wealth, education and labour are most likely to adopt modern
inputs. Distance to the nearest market and extension service also plays a strong role in adoption; the greater the distance,
the less likely they are to use modern inputs. The converse holds true for organic fertiliser use: the greater distance the
farm household is from the market and the extension centre, the more likely it is to use organic fertiliser.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the key factors that influence the adoption of agrochemicals on plantain farms in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper employs probit estimation using data from a stratified random sample of 249 farmers in four districts in Ghana.
Findings
The results show that adoption of agrochemicals is positively associated with: being literate, older than 40 years of age, having higher income from sales, living in villages distant to Accra (capital of Ghana), having access to hi‐tech machinery, being migrant, and being linked to extension services and financial institutions. Contrary to expectation, a farmer's gender and association with farmer‐based organizations (FBO) and non‐governmental organizations (NGO) did not make a difference.
Practical implications
The results suggest that there are no exclusions to innovation systems such as agrochemical adoption based on gender or living in rural areas; women are just as technologically empowered as men, while rural farmers have an option to retain their indigenous management practices or adopt new and improved practices such as using agrochemicals. Major efforts to improve access to agrochemical adoption lie with government extension officers, as the functions of FBO and NGO have yet to make a significant difference. More needs to be done to bring young, illiterate, low income and indigene farmers into inclusive plantain science techniques and applications in Ghana.
Originality/value
The paper reveals how vulnerable groups such as rural populations and women plantain farmers are being included in systems that support agrochemical adoption.
Purpose: This paper identifies the stakeholders of System of Rice Intensification (SRI), their roles and actions and the supporting and enabling environment of innovation in the state as the elements of the Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) in SRI in Tripura state of India and studies the relationship matrix among the stakeholders. Methodology: A descriptive research design was followed to study the agricultural innovation system in SRI. Criterion and expert sampling were employed to select the stakeholders and data was collected by a personal interview method with the help of a semi-structured schedule. Actor Linkage Matrix was employed to study the linkage among the stakeholders in the innovation systems.
Agricultural technologies typically spread as farmers learn about profitability through social networks. This process can be nuanced, however, when net returns for some farmers may not be positive. We investigate how social learning influences demand for a resource-conserving technology in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. We identify potential adopters through an experimental auction and randomly select a subset to adopt. We exploit this variation in adoption across networks to estimate network effects on demand for the technology one year later using a second auction. Technology benefits vary, and network effects are completely conditional on benefits. Having a benefiting adopter in one’s network increased demand by over 50 percent, whereas having a non-benefiting adopter had no effect. These effects are strong enough to bring average demand in line with expected benefits. For many farmers, however, demand remains below the market price, suggesting that network effects will lead to increased—but not rapid widespread—adoption.
