Improved agricultural input delivery systems for enhancing technology adoption: evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia

Abstract In this study, we test the hypothesis that small-scale testing can reduce risk and uncertainty of trying new technologies. We conducted a field experiment, in cluster randomised control trial setting, to examine whether availability divisible packages seeds influences smallholder farmers’ decisions try wheat variety. Our results show adoption newly introduced variety was higher villages where small seed were introduced. find farmers tend experiment on their farmland are less likely adopt as coping mechanism for exposure at stage experimentation. The from treatment heterogeneity reveal supplying bags had differential causal effects individual farmers. intervention which made available impacted relatively younger poorer most. This finding provides an insight into significance delivery improve use varieties by smallholders.