Working Paper: NBER ID: w26052
Authors: Denise Hrner; Adrien Bouguen; Markus Frlich; Meike Wollni
Abstract: The slow adoption of new agricultural technologies is an important factor in explaining persistent productivity deficits among smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Farmers delay in particular the uptake of technology packages. Since knowledge constraints are an important barrier to adoption, effective extension approaches are key. In recent decades, extension systems in many SSA countries have moved towards decentralized “bottom-up” models involving farmers as active stakeholders. \nIn this study we assess the effects of a decentralized extension program and an additional video intervention on the adoption of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) among 2,382 farmers in Ethiopia using a randomized controlled trial. ISFM should enhance soil fertility and productivity by combining organic and inorganic soil amendments. We find that both extension-only and extension combined with video increase ISFM adoption and knowledge. We further find evidence for increased adoption of ISFM practices among farmers in treatment communities that do not actively participate in the extension activities. The additional video intervention shows a significant complementary effect for these non-actively involved farmers, in particular regarding the combined use of the practices on the same plot. A causal mediation analysis reveals that increases in knowledge explain part of the treatment effects on adoption.
Keywords: agriculture; extension services; knowledge transfer; video interventions; ISFM
JEL Codes: Q01; Q15; Q16
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| extension-only treatment (Y60) | ISFM adoption (F30) |
| extension-plus-video treatment (Y60) | ISFM adoption (F30) |
| extension-only treatment (Y60) | ISFM knowledge (G53) |
| extension-plus-video treatment (Y60) | ISFM knowledge (G53) |
| video intervention (Y20) | ISFM knowledge (G53) |
| video intervention (Y20) | ISFM adoption (F30) |
| extension-plus-video treatment (Y60) | ISFM knowledge (non-participating farmers) (Q12) |
| extension-plus-video treatment (Y60) | ISFM adoption (non-participating farmers) (J43) |
| ISFM knowledge (G53) | ISFM adoption (F30) |