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Field Trials as an Extension Technique: The Case of Swaziland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2017

David G. Abler ,
Ganesh P. Rauniyar  and
Frank M. Goode
David G. Abler
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Ganesh P. Rauniyar
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Frank M. Goode
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
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Extract

One potentially serious problem in evaluating the effectiveness of extension programs is that participants are not picked at random. Self-selection can be a problem, and it can be compounded if extension officials concentrate on the most progressive farms. This study explores the relationships between adoption of maize high-yielding varieties (HYVs) and participation in field trials intended to foster HYV usage, drawing on data from Swaziland. Results indicate that it is impossible to say if field trials had any effect on adoption. Participating farms used more HYVs, but this could have been due to self-selection or the government's selection process.

Type
Articles
Information
Northeastern Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , April 1992 , pp. 30 - 35
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

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Footnotes

They are grateful to Dean Jansma, Doyle Grenoble, and Sam Dlamini for their helpful comments. The authors, however, are solely responsible for the views expressed in this article and for any errors or omissions.

References

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