Adoption and Impact Assessment of Improved Technologies in Arabian Peninsula Countries: Towards an effective agricultural technology transfer system

Abstract

This study examined the sources of information on improved agricultural technologies introduced by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA's) Arabian Peninsula Regional Program (APRP) to the local farming systems. The study also assesses the various agricultural technology transfer methods used to enhance the widespread adoption of these technologies. The research uses primary data collected from 87 extension agents from the Arabian Peninsula (AP) extension systems (i.e. Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, and Yemen). A descriptive statistical analysis supported by Kendall's W-test and a chi-squared distribution test is employed to identify and assess the effectiveness of the different technology transfer methods used by the AP extension systems. To study the AP extension agents' opinions and point of views regarding the use of the improved technologies; a qualitative approach was used based on the Likert scale. Results show that mass media, farmer field schools (FFS) and neighboring farmers were perceived as the most productive agricultural extension methods to enhance adoption of the ICARDA-APRP introduced technologies, and the new agricultural innovations in general. The assessment of potential influencing factors on the effectiveness of these transfer methods reveals that each AP country has its own context, technology transfer method, and subsequent level of effectiveness. The most important influencing factors were found to include: the number of farmers per extension officer and category of farmers (i.e. farm size); the cost of extension methods; the target farmer and geographic location; age of extension officers; location and availability of extension offices; and leadership and supervision. The study recommends empowering national extension systems through both conventional and technology-led approaches using information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the mass media (particularly video and mobile phones) given their cost-effectiveness and impact on farmers' technology adoption decisions. To make the extension system more efficient in the AP region, the study also recommends the following: (i) development of private advisory services to serve medium to large-scale farmers or farmers' associations in exchange for direct payment; (ii) amendment of extension policies toward more market-oriented approaches; (iii) fostering farmer organizations' involvement in extension activities and financing and improving extension infrastructure and equipment; and (iv) increasing the number of extension agents, experts and subject matter specialist working in extension.