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Farmer Field Days and Demonstrator Selection for Increasing Technology Adoption

Author

Listed:
  • Kyle Emerick

    (Tufts University and CEPR)

  • Manzoor H. Dar

    (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics)

Abstract

Inadequate learning is an oft-cited friction impeding the adoption of improved agricultural technology in the developing world. We provide experimental evidence that farmer field days, an approach used throughout the world where farmers meet, learn about new technology, and observe its performance, alleviate learning frictions and increase adoption of an improved seed by 40%. Further analysis demonstrates that these field days are both cost-effective and have a greater impact on poorer farmers. In contrast, we find no evidence that selecting the first adopters of new technology in participatory village meetings has any effect on future adoption.

Suggested Citation

  • Kyle Emerick & Manzoor H. Dar, 2021. "Farmer Field Days and Demonstrator Selection for Increasing Technology Adoption," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 103(4), pages 680-693, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:103:y:2021:i:4:p:680-693
    DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_00917
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

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    2. Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda O & Dillon, Andrew & Bloem, Jeffrey R. & Adjognon, Guigonan Serge, 2025. "Private sector promotion of agricultural technologies: Experimental evidence from Nigeria," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    3. repec:ags:aaea22:344219 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. James R. Stevenson & Karen Macours & Douglas Gollin, 2023. "The Rigor Revolution: New Standards of Evidence for Impact Assessment of International Agricultural Research," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 15(1), pages 495-515, October.
    5. Shikuku, Kelvin Mashisia & Lepariyo, Watson Saewua & Obonyo, Meshack Baraza & Ochenje, Ibrahim, 2025. "Crowdsourcing initiatives and the diffusion of information: Experimental evidence from livestock keepers in Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    6. Travis J. Lybbert & Ashish Shenoy & Tomoé Bourdier & Caitlin Kieran, 2024. "Striving to revive pulses in India with extension, input subsidies, and output price supports," Post-Print hal-05182066, HAL.
    7. Estefan, Alejandro & Ordoñez, Romina & Parilli, Cristina & Winters, Paul, 2025. "Hybrid agricultural extension and the adoption of climate-resilient varieties: Evidence from oil palm in the Amazon," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    8. Edward D. Perry & David A. Hennessy & GianCarlo Moschini, 2022. "Uncertainty and learning in a technologically dynamic industry: Seed density in U.S. maize," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(4), pages 1388-1410, August.
    9. Fiona Burlig & Andrew W. Stevens, 2024. "Social networks and technology adoption: Evidence from church mergers in the U.S. Midwest," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 106(3), pages 1141-1166, May.
    10. Jiahong Yuan & Xiaoyu Li & Zilai Sun & Junhu Ruan, 2021. "Will the Adoption of Early Fertigation Techniques Hinder Famers’ Technology Renewal? Evidence from Fresh Growers in Shaanxi, China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, September.
    11. Leight, Jessica & Awonon, Josué & Pedehombga, Abdoulaye & Ganaba, Rasmané & Gelli, Aulo, 2022. "How light is too light touch: The effect of a short training-based intervention on household poultry production in Burkina Faso," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    12. Das, Nandini & Gupta, Anubhab & Majumder, Binoy & Das, Mahamitra & Muniappan, Rangaswamy, 2024. "Does Training Farmers on Multiple Technologies Deter Adoption? Evidence from a Farm Management Training Program in Bangladesh," 2024 Annual Meeting, July 28-30, New Orleans, LA 343784, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Lisa Capretti, 2023. "Technology adoption constraints and Laser Land Levelling: evidence from Karnataka, India," Working Papers 1/23, Sapienza University of Rome, DISS.
    14. Shaibu Mellon Bedi & Carlo Azzarri & Bekele Hundie Kotu & Lukas Kornher & Joachim von Braun, 2022. "Scaling-up agricultural technologies: who should be targeted?," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 49(4), pages 857-875.
    15. repec:ags:aaea22:343784 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Chengyou Li & Zhouhao Sha & Tao Sun, 2023. "Rural Households’ Internet Use on Common Prosperity: Evidence from the Chinese Social Survey," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 797-823, December.
    17. Arslan, Cansın & Wollni, Meike & Oduol, Judith & Hughes, Karl, 2022. "Who communicates the information matters for technology adoption," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    18. Raissa Fabregas & Michael Kremer & Matthew Lowes & Robert On & Giulia Zane, 2025. "Digital Information Provision and Behavior Change: Lessons from Six Experiments in East Africa," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 527-566, January.
    19. Nicoletta Giulivi & Aurélie P. Harou & Shriniwas Gautam & Davíd Guereña, 2023. "Getting the message out: Information and communication technologies and agricultural extension," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 105(3), pages 1011-1045, May.
    20. Mehar, Mamta & Padmaja, Subash Surendaran & Prasad, Narayan, . "Coping with Climate Stress in Eastern India: Farmers’ Adoption of Stress-Tolerant Rice Varieties," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), vol. 19(01).
    21. Geoff Kaine & Vic Wright, 2025. "Farm Context and Farmers’ Perceptions of the Compatibility, Complexity and Relative Advantage of Innovations," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-17, August.
    22. Sulfiana Rustam & Rahim Darma & Muhammad Hatta Jamil & A. Nixia Tenriawaru & Letty Fudjaja & Rida Akzar & Nolila Mohd Nawi & Hamed Noralla Bakheet Ali, 2025. "Analyzing Marketing Mix Strategies and Personal Factors Influencing BISI Hybrid Maize Seed Purchases: Insights from Agricultural Development in Soppeng District, Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-24, March.
    23. Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda & Dillon, Andrew & Bloem, Jeffrey R. & Adjognon, Guigonan Serge, 2022. "Private sector promotion of climate-smart technologies: Experimental evidence from Nigeria," IFPRI discussion papers 2155, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    24. Travis J. Lybbert & Ashish Shenoy & Tomoé Bourdier & Caitlin Kieran, 2024. "Striving to revive pulses in India with extension, input subsidies, and output price supports†," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 106(3), pages 1167-1192, May.

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