A recipe for success? Learning from the rapid adoption of improved chickpea varieties in Ethiopia

Abstract

Many studies detail constraints deemed responsible for the limited adoption of new
technologies among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. By contrast, here we
study the conditions that led to the remarkably fast spread of improved chickpea
varieties in Ethiopia. Within just seven years, the adoption rate rose from 30 to 80%
of the farmers. A combination of factors explains the rapid uptake. Their attraction
lay in superior returns and disease resistance. Chickpea was already an important
crop for rural households in the studied districts, for both cash income and
consumption. Good market access and an easy accessibility of extension services
advanced the adoption process. Thus, an attractive technology suitable for rural
households in a conducive environment enabled adoption. Our findings prompt us
to stress the importance of tailoring agricultural innovations to the realities and
demands of rural households, and the need to design and deploy interventions on
the basis of ex-ante knowledge on factors potentially determining their success or
failure