The Role of Crop Production Clubs in the Tecnology Transfer Process

This study was undertaken to determine if crop production club members represent an adopter category of the adoption diffusion theory as outlined by the literature, to obtain a more detailed description of the characteristics of the crop production club members and how they relate to the adopter categories and to determine the role crop production clubs play in the technology transfer process. A telephone survey was conducted using two groups, one selected from crop production clubs that had been organized for more than five years and the other a stratified random sample of non-club farmers in the surrounding area to the clubs. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information about innovative cropping practices, as well as demographic data, personal characteristics and communication behavior. A total of 38 crop production club members and 28 non-club farmers were contacted between April 22 and May 10, 1991. The results of the study found that the characteristics exhibited by crop production club members were similar to those outlined in the adoptiondiffusion theory for early adopters. Therefore crop production club members fit into the adoption-diffusion process as early adopters. Crop clubs use demonstrations as a way of introducing new innovations to their club members. Both groups indicated that they used neighbors often as a source of information and therefore, crop production club members likely transfer information to others through this and other channels. They transfer technology through the adoption-diffusion process as early adopters. From this study it can be concluded that crop production clubs do play a role in the technology transfer process