Factors Influencing the Technology Adoption Behaviours of Litchi Farmers in China

Abstract

Litchi is a traditional tree crop grown in Southern China. Sustainable development of the litchi industry is reliant on technology adoption by farmers. The top grafting technique allows for the introduction of new, quality litchi varieties. The fact that these new varieties ripen earlier or later than the traditional ones helps stabilize litchi prices. Selling new litchi varieties can increase farmers' incomes through higher prices of quality varieties and stabilizing prices by staggering the harvest periods. However, the rate of adoption of top grafting among farmers is low, and up till now, more than half of the litchi trees in China are still traditional litchi varieties. This study explores the factors that influence top grafting adoption by litchi farmers. Using primary data gathered by the China Agriculture Research System of Litchi and Longan (CARSLL) from 567 litchi farming households, a binary logit choice model is employed to determine the factors that influence adoption of litchi top grafting among litchi farmers. The results show that farmers owning larger litchi orchards are more likely to adopt top grafting compared to ones owning smaller orchards. Litchi information accumulation, including experience and training, significantly influences farmers' technology adoption levels. Moreover, a positive attitude toward technology also significantly influences technology adoption behaviours.

Gender-specific determinants of Zai technology use intensity for improved soil water management in the drylands of Upper Eastern Kenya

“…Well-versed farmers make accurate estimates of expected returns, a cushion from frustrations of returns overestimation resulting in stagnating and abandoning technologies. The results are consistent with Li et al (2020) who found information accumulation to have a positive and significant impact on technology adoption. In another study by Okeyo et al (2020) also found that farmer training positively influenced improved sorghum varieties' adoption among smallholders.…”

Choice of Information and Communication Technology Tools in Tomato Marketing Among Smallholder Farmers in Kirinyaga County, Kenya

“…The coefficient was positive implying that a unit increase in income corresponds with 7.2% increase in the probability of using a radio. These results agree with those by Eskia (2019); Li et al (2020) that increased farm income impacted on farmer's decision to use ICT tools. The farmers with higher levels of income can afford to own the ICT tools and be able to cover all cost of operations in accessing market information than those with low-income levels.…”

Natural disaster shock, risk aversion and corn farmers’ adoption of degradable mulch film: evidence from Zhangye, China

“…Of course, what further requires is that we believe that there are two possibilities of the inducing effect: subjective acceptance and passive adaptation. In the context of natural disaster shock, farmer’s experience has provided sufficient technical expertise for DMF adoption such as the depth of soil cover, the time of DMF adoption and the amount of water and fertilizer (Li et al , 2020). Besides, psychological confidence plays an important role for farmers in adopting new technologies (Torske et al , 2016).…”