Information transmission in irrigation technology adoption and diffusion: social learning, extension services, and spatial effects

In this article, we investigate the role of information transmission in promoting agricultural technology adoption and diffusion through extension services and social learning. We develop a theoretical model of technology adoption and diffusion, which we then empirically apply, using duration analysis, on a micro-dataset consisting of recall data covering the period 1994-2004 for olive-producing farms from Crete, Greece. Our findings suggest that both extension services and social learning are strong determinants of technology adoption and diffusion, while the effectiveness of each of the two informational channels is enhanced by the presence of the other.