Adoption of Integrated Pest Management Technologies: A Case Study of Potato Farmers in Carchi, Ecuador

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dc.contributor.authorMauceri, Mariaen
dc.contributor.committeechairAlwang, Jeffrey R.en
dc.contributor.committeememberNorton, George W.en
dc.contributor.committeememberStephenson, Stephen Kurten
dc.contributor.departmentAgricultural and Applied Economicsen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:30:09Zen
dc.date.adate2005-01-07en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:30:09Zen
dc.date.issued2004-12-16en
dc.date.rdate2005-01-07en
dc.date.sdate2005-01-05en
dc.description.abstractPotato farmers in Ecuador rely on chemical inputs to manage pests and optimize yields. IPM techniques are recommended to lower production costs, reduce exposure to pesticides, and improve the long-term sustainability of the agriculture system. We conducted a survey of 109 potato farmers in Carchi, Ecuador that included 30 Farmer Field School (FFS) participants, 28 farmers who had been exposed to FFS-participants, and 51 randomly selected farmers. Using an ordered probit model, the data were analyzed to identify determinants and constraints of adoption. Access to information through FFS was the main determinant of adoption of IPM, followed by field days, pamphlets, and exposure to FFS-participants. The study looked at the relative cost-effectiveness of information dissemination methods and found that field days and pamphlets have strong impacts on adoption considering their low cost of implementation. The only significant household variable was household size, where larger households adopted less IPM. Per capita land holdings were not significant in the model. There is evidence of farmer-to-farmer diffusion from FFS to non-FFS farmers. Further research is necessary to evaluate the nature and quality of information transfer between farmers. The study was limited by the small sample size and non-random selection of farmer respondents.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-01052005-161443en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-01052005-161443/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/30812en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartThesis2.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectAdoptionen
dc.subjectEcuadoren
dc.subjectPesticidesen
dc.subjectOrdered Probiten
dc.subjectIntegrated Pest Managementen
dc.titleAdoption of Integrated Pest Management Technologies: A Case Study of Potato Farmers in Carchi, Ecuadoren
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineAgricultural and Applied Economicsen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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