Article contents
Agricultural Technology Extension and Adoption in China: A Case from Kaizuo Township, Guizhou Province*
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 June 2011
Abstract
This article describes agricultural technology extension, access to channels of information and adoption of agricultural technology in rural Guizhou, China. It addresses the questions of whether the agricultural technology extension process matches the needs of the villagers and whether in using extension services and adopting technologies there are differences between older and younger cohorts of farming households. Few farming households can get formal extension services and their main channels of information are neighbours, relatives and friends. Older cohort households like to learn by experience, while younger ones like to use written materials. There also appear to be differences in the ways women and men adopt technologies. Technology delivery and farming households’ needs are not well matched. Finally, the migration context has an influence on the suitability of technologies and the feasibility of applying them.
- Type
- Research Report
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © The China Quarterly 2011
References
1 Jinyuan, Xia, “30 years’ overview of Chinese agricultural technology extension and prospect,” Chinese Agricultural Technology Extension, Vol. 25, No. 1 (2009), pp. 4–14.Google Scholar
2 Lin, Justin Yifu, “An economic theory of institutional change: induced and imposed change,” Cato Journal, Vol. 9, No. 1 (1989), pp. 1–33Google Scholar.
3 Lin, Justin Yifu, Institution, Technology and Agricultural Development in China (Shanghai: Sanlian Publishing House, 1992)Google Scholar.
4 Qijie, Gao, “Facing the 21st century: Chinese agricultural technology extension,” Forum on Science and Technology in China, No. 6 (1995), pp. 41–43Google Scholar; Ziyang, He, “Factors influencing Chinese agricultural technology extension,” The World of Survey and Research, No. 1 (1993), pp. 56–61Google Scholar; Ruifa, Hu and Jikun, Huang, “Situation of Chinese agricultural technology extension input and the impact,” Strategy and Management, No. 3 (2001), pp. 25–31Google Scholar; Li, Y. and Yang, G., “A fresh agricultural system in China and its running mechanism,” Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, Vol. 21, No 3 (2005), pp. 354–58Google Scholar; Lin, Justin Yifu, “The Household Responsibility System reform and adoption of hybrid rice in China,” Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 36, No. 2 (1991), pp. 353–72CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Xia Jinyuan, “30 years’ overview,” pp. 4–14.
5 Ruifa, Hu and Jikun, Huang, “Situation of Chinese agricultural technology extension input and the impact,” Strategy and Management, No. 3 (2001), pp. 25–31Google Scholar; Hein Mallee, “The expanded family: rural labour circulation in reform China,” PhD dissertation, Leiden University, 1997; Song Yiching, “‘New’ seed in ‘old’ China,” PhD dissertation, Wageningen Agricultural University, 1998.
6 Dong, H., Lv, J. and Zhou, Y., “Factors influencing farming households’ technology adoption behaviour,” Agricultural Economy, No. 8 (2007), pp. 60–61Google Scholar; Meng, X., Rao, J. and Ye, J., “Factors influencing farming households in selecting new varieties,” Agricultural Technology Economy, No. 1 (2005), pp. 20–26Google Scholar; Wu, C., “Factors influencing farming household's technology adoption and the implications,” Shanghai Rural Economy, No. 4 (2007), pp. 17–18Google Scholar; Zhao, L., “Factors influencing farming household in adopting sustainable agriculture technologies and the implications,” Rural Economy Explore, No. 3 (2006), pp. 87–90Google Scholar.
7 Tiansheng, Wang and Yao, Wang, “Review on grain production development in Guizhou since 1949 and its prospect,” Guizhou Agricultural Sciences, Vol. 39, No. 9 (2009), pp. 1–9Google Scholar.
8 Ryder, N.B., “The cohort as a concept in the study of social change,” American Sociological Review, Vol. 30, No. 6 (1965), pp. 843–61CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
9 Jin, Songqing, Huang, Jikun, Hu, Ruifa and Rozelle, Scott, “The creation of technology and total factor productivity in China's agriculture,” American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 84, No. 4 (2002), pp. 916–30CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Yang, Liu and Yuhua, Wu, “Total factor productivity change in China's agriculture industry, 1995–2005,” Chinese Agricultural Mechanization, No. 6 (2008), pp. 41–44Google Scholar.
10 Qinghuo, Liu, “Total factor productivity in Guizhou's agriculture: preliminary measurement and analysis,” Social Sciences in Guizhou, No. 3 (1999), pp. 18–23Google Scholar.
11 Wang and Wang, “Review on grain production development in Guizhou since 1949,” pp. 1–9.
12 Zhu, M., Chen, W. and Li, N., “Thinking about farming households' needs and setting up new extension and communication methods – investigation farming households' behaviour in adopting new technologies,” Investigation and Research World, No. 2 (2002), pp. 25–27Google Scholar.
13 Miao, S.S. and Lu, Q., “Risk prevention of farming households in technology adoption,” Rural Economy, No. 2 (2006), pp. 98–100Google Scholar.
14 Zhang, Y. and Ying, R., “Priorities and factors of technology needs for farming households – case from farming household in Jiangshu province,” Jiangshu Social Science, No. 3 (2007), pp. 65–71Google Scholar.
15 Miao and Lu, “Risk prevention of farming households,” pp. 98–100.
16 Zheng, Z. and Xian, Z., Migration and Rural Women's Development (Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press, 2004)Google Scholar.
17 Adomi, E.E., Ogbomo, M.O. and Inoni, O.E., “Gender factor in crop farmers’ access to agricultural information in rural areas of Delta State, Nigeria,” Library Review, Vol. 52, No. 8 (2003), pp. 388–93CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
18 Nguthi, F.N., Adoption of Agricultural Innovations by Smallholder Farmers in the Context of HIV/AIDS: The Case of Tissue-cultured Banana in Kenya (Wageningen: Wageningen University Press, 2007)Google Scholar.
19 Guan, J., Chen, Y., Wu, H. and Ding, S., “Farming households' technology needs in South China,” Economic Issues, No. 4 (2007), pp. 84–86Google Scholar.
20 Dong, Lv and Zhou, “Factors influencing farming households’ technology adoption behaviour,” pp. 60–91.
21 Gao, Q. and Li, X., “Agricultural information infrastructure development and information services in China,” in van den Ban, A.W. and Samanta, R.K. (eds.), Changing Roles of Agricultural Extension in Asian Nations (Delhi: B.R. Publishing Corporation, 2006)Google Scholar.
22 Hu, R., Li, L., Zhang, Z. and Shi, S., “Extension mechanism based on farming households’ needs,” Agricultural Economic Issue, No. 11 (2006), pp. 50–56Google Scholar.
23 Biggs, S.D., “A multiple source of innovation model of agricultural research and technology promotion,” World Development, Vol. 18, No. 11 (1990), pp. 1481–99CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
24 Zhu, Chen and Li, “Thinking about farming households’ needs,” pp. 25–27.
25 Cao, J. and Meng, D., “Setting up farming household-centered and needed extension service mechanism,” Chinese Agricultural Technology Extension, No. 10 (2005), pp. 10–12Google Scholar.
- 5
- Cited by