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Formal rules and networks for technology diffusion in the context of plant disease epidemics: the case of small-scale producers of oil palm in Colombia

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posted on 2023-06-09, 17:55 authored by Paloma Bernal Hernandez
In this research we specifically look at how top-down diffusion strategies are essential for producers to deal with these stress situations. The research investigates the diffusion of strategies introduced by technical experts through network relationships prompted by a plant disease epidemic in the Colombian oil palm agribusiness. The thesis discusses how different pathways of technology diffusion emerge and are practiced in the context of top-down agricultural governance systems, and what the impacts of these pathways are in terms of the technology adoption of small-scale producers in developing agricultural clusters. The framework of this thesis draws upon three main bodies of literature: innovation diffusion, social capital and contract farming arrangements. The main argument of the research is that despite high levels of top-down control, there is more than one way in which diffusion of codified practices occurs. Using three case studies in the Colombian oil palm agribusiness, the main findings are, first, that formal rules are a critical factor in the creation of two scenarios of diffusion: a diffusion pathway of governance dictated by dominant change agent control, and a diffusion pathway of governance dictated by change agent control and user participation. Second, short-term practices are introduced, regardless of the type of model, mainly through network links between agro-industrial firms and producers that underpin non-formal systems of relationships. Third, successful adoption of long-term practices occurs in scenarios with a broad distribution of functions among multiple key actors and producers. The adoption of long-term measurements is also significantly related to the following factors: the long term vision, the attachment to land and the engagement in collective action of rural farmers, and the long-term sustainability vision of agro-industrial firms regarding the integration of smallholders into agribusiness. This thesis contributes to the innovation-diffusion literature by: • extending the view that the current literature offers on centralised-diffusion systems; • considering the influence of formal rules in the creation of multiple scenarios of diffusion and the effect of these rules, the nature of users and the interest of change agents in the adoption of short-term and long-term practices; • highlighting the role of informal relationships in top-down relationships; and • recognising the potential of network methods as an instrumental way to reflect types of governance centralised-diffusion systems.

History

File Version

  • Published version

Pages

357.0

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Theses

Qualification level

  • doctoral

Qualification name

  • phd

Language

  • eng

Institution

University of Sussex

Full text available

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2019-05-28

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