THE ADOPTION AND DIFFUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURE
Abstract
The adoption of agricultural innovations has long been of interest to agricultural scientists and sociologists. Most of this research has dealt with the transmission of farm innovations from agricultural scientists to farmers. This has led to the development of a large body of knowledge concerned with the adoption-diffusion process. This body of knowledge, now referred to as the classical adoption-diffusion perspective, assumes that the opportunity to adopt is equal for everyone, and therefore focuses upon individual characteristics to explain differences in adoption behavior. The traditional perspective has generally been applied to the adoption of commercially profitable rather than environmental or preventive innovations. Many researchers feel that traditional adoption-diffusion theory must be modified to some extent to explain adequately the use of environmental innovations in agriculture. This dissertation develops and tests a model that is applicable to preventive or environmental innovations. This research includes an examination of the recently developed market and infrastructure perspective of the diffusion of innovations, which is more concerned with the supply aspect of diffusion or how innovations are made available to individuals. Institutional factors, such as the promotional strategy of a diffusion agency, which may affect an individual's access to an innovation are of primary concern within this framework. The present model based upon the market and infrastructure perspective, was developed using recent empirical research dealing with the adoption and diffusion of environmental innovations in agriculture. The model is tested using data collected from a group of farmers in northeastern Indiana. These farmers participated in a demonstration project designed to introduce environmental agricultural innovations into the area. In general, the data provide modest support for the model. The findings provide support for assumptions of both the traditional diffusion perspective and the newly developed market and infrastructure perspective of adoption-diffusion. However, since at least some support is given to the latter there is evidence that the traditional adoption-diffusion model is lacking and that the present model does provide additional information about the direction diffusion research should proceed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Social structure
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