Tryout
Once farmers are aware about the existence of a new technology,
they can acquire further information and decide if
and when to first use the technology. Lindner et al. (1982) call
this the evaluation stage. Tryout of a new technology requires
farmers to be able to apply it, and to expect positive returns.
Information again plays a very important role as more indepth
and practical knowledge about the technical specifications
and the application modalities is needed for farmers to
be able to apply the technology. To judge expected returns,
farmers need information on technology attributes, such as
yield effects, and labor and capital intensity, and on market
prices and input costs. This is especially important for mineral
fertilizer, which is a knowledge-intensive technology. Uncertainty
and risk related to technology attributes and market
prices may lower farmers’ expected utility, especially for risk
UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION 133
averse farmers. As risk aversion is correlated with income and
wealth, poorer farmers might be less likely to try a new technology
(Marra et al., 2003).