Effects of simplified information on voluntary adoption of sustainable land management technologies in the Ethiopian highlands: A cluster-randomized controlled trial

Soil degradation, which reduces soil productivity, is a critical sustainability issue central to global challenges, and numerous sustainable land management (SLM) projects have been implemented to address this issue. However, challenges persist in enhancing farmers’ motivation and voluntary participation, essential for the continuous implementation while information scarcity, particularly in remote areas, hampers the adoption of SLM technologies. This study investigated the effect of simplified information that provides technological guidance for farmers’ adoption of SLM technologies using a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Ethiopia’s erosion-prone highlands. First, overall and individual adoption levels were evaluated by comparing pre- and post-intervention changes in adoption between treatment and control groups using a difference-in-differences framework. Then, the effects of interactions between farmers’ contextual factors and the intervention on adoption were examined for each technology using ordered probit models of adoption patterns. Information significantly enhanced adoption, dependent on technology type and contextual factors. Individual-oriented technologies (e.g., compost making) and market surveys were particularly effective across diverse contexts, probably because they are relatively easy to implement and allow individual autonomy. Some technologies, including cover cropping and forage planting, had greater effects in more remote areas, indicating their suitability for farmers with limited access to external information, markets, or resources. The paper underscores the potential of informational interventions tailored to specific contexts as an effective dissemination approach to encourage voluntary behavior that leads to long-term effects.