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Modelling adoption of natural resources management technologies: the case of fallow systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2004

ALBERT N. HONLONKOU
ALBERT N. HONLONKOU
Affiliation:
Institut National d'Economie, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, P.O. Box: 171, Godomey, Republic of Benin. Tel: (229) 04 92 20. Fax: (229) 30 30 24. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper presents an adoption model of a resource management technology derived from a three-step decision process (information, adoption, and intensity of adoption).

From the theoretical results it is found that while the levels of technical parameters such as duration and regeneration rate of soil fertility by improved fallow are relevant for adoption, it is misleading to ignore economic and social factors as they are reflected in the discount rate, risk, information, and prices of inputs and outputs.

It is also shown that models that do not take account of the problems of self-selection due to the ability of the potential adopters to acquire and process the relevant information about a technology, lead to biased estimators.

Empirical estimations generally confirm the theoretical results. It is found that the acquisition of information about resources management technology is influenced by age of farmers and actions of official extension services; the adoption decision is influenced by prior utilization, the bundle of land property rights owned, and the level of financial liquidity; and the intensity of adoption is influenced by the percentage of the farm that is degraded.

Type
Research Article
Information
Environment and Development Economics , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , July 2004 , pp. 289 - 314
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

The author is lecturer at the National Institute of Economy, University of Abomey–Calavi, Benin. He gratefully acknowledges the financial support of CIRES–KU–LEUVEN Project, Côte d'Ivoire and CIEPCA, IITA, Benin, that led to this paper. Comments from participants at the Research Workshop held in Morocco, 13–15 March 2000, organized by the Beijer Institute, helped to improve the paper. This paper was presented at the Environment and Development Economics Conference held on the 6–8 September 2000 in Stockholm, Sweden. The helpful comments of the participants are also acknowledged. Three anonymous reviewers and the Beijer Institute, especially Professor Karl–Goran Mäler helped to improve the paper. The editorial help of Dr Rosalind Stockley is also gratefully acknowledged.