Building Farmers’ Capacity for Innovation GenerationWhat are the determining Factors

While farmers have been recognised as one of the key sources of innovation, many studies on agricultural innovations continue to consider farmers as adopters of externally driven innovations only. Based on cross-sectional data from 409 farm households, this study, in contrast, analysis the innovation-generating behaviour among rural farmers in northern Ghana. Inspired by two innovation theories €“ induced innovation and innovation systems we focus on the determinants of innovation behaviour. Employing recursive bivariate probit and endogennous treatment regression models which control for selection bias, we find that participation in Farmer Field Fora, a participatory extension approach with elements of innovation systems perspective, is a key determinant of innovation behaviour in farm housholds. Other important determinants are education, climate shocks and risk preferences. These results are robults to alternative specifications and estimation techiques.

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Type of ALiSEA product None
Title Building Farmers’ Capacity for Innovation GenerationWhat are the determining Factors
Description While farmers have been recognised as one of the key sources of innovation, many studies on agricultural innovations continue to consider farmers as adopters of externally driven innovations only. Based on cross-sectional data from 409 farm households, this study, in contrast, analysis the innovation-generating behaviour among rural farmers in northern Ghana. Inspired by two innovation theories €“ induced innovation and innovation systems we focus on the determinants of innovation behaviour. Employing recursive bivariate probit and endogennous treatment regression models which control for selection bias, we find that participation in Farmer Field Fora, a participatory extension approach with elements of innovation systems perspective, is a key determinant of innovation behaviour in farm housholds. Other important determinants are education, climate shocks and risk preferences. These results are robults to alternative specifications and estimation techiques.
Agroecology Category
  • Input reduction and recycling
  • Soil health
  • Economy and income
  • Sustainable food system
  • Climate
  • Natural resources governance
Agroecology Keyword
  • Compost
  • Soil fertility
  • Cash crop
  • Income
  • Food security
  • Adaptation to climate change
  • Climate change
  • Drought
  • Land rights
Contributing organisations Center for Development Research, University of Bonn
Author Justice A. Tamboo and Tobias Wunscher
Year 2014
Type of document Case Study Report
Language English
Spatial Information
Country Ghana
Administrative Level 1
Administrative Level 2
Web Link