Farmers' Training and the Adoption of Upland Agricultural Technologies in the Black River Watershed, Northwest of Vietnam

Abstract

This thesis aims to study the adoption of maize-related technologies in the Northwest of Vietnam. The study covers both sustainable and yield-enhancing technologies. A major hypothesis is to test the effects of training on adoption rate and farm yield. Previous literature shows that farmers' education and training are important in the adoption of new technologies, particularly with sustainable technologies. Three models are used: the training model, the adoption model, and the yield model. Findings show that farmers with and without training as well as adopters and non­adopters of new technologies are insignificantly different. Training has positive correlation with the adoption of new technologies but shows insignificant effects on yield. Farmers in the studied area do not adopt new technologies as a package. Adoption of improved maize unambiguously increases the yield. However, the adoption of other technologies shows insignificant effects. Future studies need to take into account factors like the time when a household started with each technology, the education level of the household head, and the area of land under each technology.