Farmers' adoption of improved rice varieties in Cambodia
2018
Ghimire, R. | Suvedi, M.
Determinants of adoption of wet- and dry-season improved rice varieties in Cambodia were analyzed. Selection pattern and intensity of information sources, and barriers to adopt agricultural technologies by rice farmers were examined. Probit model was used to analyze household survey data, covering 24 provinces, 48 districts, 95 communes and 192 villages. The results show that farmers use a combination of information sources to meet their needs indicating that any single source does not satisfy all the farmers' information needs. The most used information sources were farm radio and television, followed by farm extension meetings/workshops. Frequent service providers for both male and female farmers were NGOs, local commune/village office and local extension service centers. The frequently-mentioned barriers to adopting new farm technologies are lack of technical knowledge/skills and technological incompatibility--farmers stated that technologies were not suitable to their farms. This may mean either that the technology is not climatically fit or it is labor-intensive, costly or not suitable to smallholder farmers. Other frequently mentioned barriers were unavailability of credit to invest in new technology and access to market information. Adopters and non-adopters were significantly different in educational levels, access to improved seeds, and contact with extension agents. The study highlights how the farmer's age, educational level, family size, and extension-related variables influenced the farmer's behavior in selecting wet- and dry-season rice varieties. Use of seed from their own harvest showed a negative effect on adoption, suggesting that access to seed from reliable sources will benefit the farmers by increasing production and income. Incorporating researchers' and extension officials' message in television and radio programs, and implementing educational learning programs may be the policy alternatives to enhance adoption and rice productivity in Cambodia.
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