Did You Really Get the Message? Using Text Reminders to Stimulate Adoption of Agricultural Technologies. Issue 4 (3rd April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Larochelle, Catherine; Alwang, Jeffrey; Travis, Elli; Barrera, Victor Hugo; Dominguez Andrade, Juan Manuel
• Is Part Of: Journal of development studies. Volume 55:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 548
• Page End: 564
• Publication Date: 2019-04-03
• Subjects: Economic development -- Periodicals; Economic history -- 1945- -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; Développement économique -- Périodiques; Histoire économique -- 1945- -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Conditions économiques -- Périodiques; 338.91
• DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2017.1393522
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0388

Abstract

Abstract : This article provides evidence from a randomised control trial conducted among potato farmers in Ecuador about the impact of mobile phone text messages on farmer knowledge about and adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) practices. Using psychological constructs, we examine competing explanations for non-standard decision-making leading to low adoption of beneficial agricultural technologies. Farmers who received text messages have significantly higher knowledge and are more likely to adopt most IPM practices than those in the control group. Findings provide evidence that text messages lead to behavioural changes by reducing inattention and sub-optimal heuristics in the face of complex decisions.