Can Network Theory-Based Targeting Increase Technology Adoption?
Cowles Foundation Discussion Paper No. 2139
Yale University Economic Growth Center Discussion Paper No. 1062
62 Pages Posted: 3 Aug 2018 Last revised: 9 Aug 2018
There are 2 versions of this paper
Can Network Theory-Based Targeting Increase Technology Adoption?
Can Network Theory-Based Targeting Increase Technology Adoption?
Date Written: August 3, 2018
Abstract
In order to induce farmers to adopt a productive new agricultural technology, we apply simple and complex contagion diffusion models on rich social network data from 200 villages in Malawi to identify seed farmers to target and train on the new technology. A randomized controlled trial compares these theory-driven network targeting approaches to simpler strategies that either rely on a government extension worker or an easily measurable proxy for the social network (geographic distance between households) to identify seed farmers. Our results indicate that technology diffusion is characterized by a complex contagion learning environment in which most farmers need to learn from multiple people before they adopt themselves. Network theory based targeting can out-perform traditional approaches to extension, and we identify methods to realize these gains at low cost to policymakers.
Keywords: Social Learning, Agricultural Technology Adoption, Complex Contagion, Malawi
JEL Classification: O16, O13
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation