Learning about a New Technology: Pineapple in Ghana 论文

详细信息

发表期刊/会议

American Economic Review

发表日期

2010-03-01

发表年份

2010

摘要

This paper investigates the role of social learning in the diffusion of a new agricultural technology in Ghana. We use unique data on farmers' communication patterns to define each individual's information neighborhood. Conditional on many potentially confounding variables, we find evidence that farmers adjust their inputs to align with those of their information neighbors who were surprisingly successful in previous periods. The relationship of these input adjustments to experience further indicates the presence of social learning. In addition, applying the same method to input choices for another crop, of known technology, correctly indicates an absence of social learning effects. (JEL D83, O13, O33, Q16)