Incentivizing and nudging farmers to spread information: Experimental evidence from Ethiopia

A-Tier
Journal: American Journal of Agricultural Economics
Year: 2023
Volume: 105
Issue: 3
Pages: 994-1010

Authors (4)

Solomon Balew (not in RePEc) Erwin Bulte (Wageningen Universiteit en Res...) Zewdu Abro Menale Kassie (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Information does not flow freely through social networks. We use an experiment to study knowledge diffusion about an innovation (integrated pest management, IPM) in farmer groups in Ethiopia. Group leaders are incentivized to share knowledge with members through the conditional provision of material or social prestige rewards. We combine incentives with loss‐framed messaging to leverage loss aversion. Incentives increase diffusion effort, and combining incentives with loss‐framed messaging increases effort further. However, the treatments failed to induce follower farmers to experiment with IPM. We also document that reclaiming material rewards is difficult after a long delay, attenuating the effectiveness of the loss frame.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:wly:ajagec:v:105:y:2023:i:3:p:994-1010
Journal Field
Agricultural
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-24