| Limited use of conservation practices by farmers in developing countries has motivated a continuing focus on understanding the determinants of technology adoption. Although much time and thought has been dedicated to this effort, the identification of a common set of factors explaining adoption behavior remains elusive. Several factors that influence adoption of conservation practices by subsistence farmers were identified in this study carried out in the Andes of Western Venezuela.; Three explanatory models were considered. Factors analyzed relating to farm and farmer characteristics were: farm size, slope, soil, labor, crops, education, family size and age. However, it has been recognized that these two models alone are not sufficient to explain adoption behavior observed world wide. Consequently another set of factors, reflecting characteristics of the practices, was considered: permanence, complexity, immediate benefits, labor and input requirements, parcel impacts, applicability, and impact on income.; Several approaches were taken to understand the physical, agronomic and economic conditions that influence farmers' adoption decisions. Sediment traps were installed to measure soil movement in 15 cultivated parcels to examine the severity and causes of erosion. Lengthy interviews with farmers participating in the study, observation, and a socio-economic survey permitted the identification of changes in soil and water management introduced by the practices, and to an understanding of the importance of the incentive in the farmer's decision to adopt practices.; Relative to geologic processes and road construction, agricultural activities cause a small amount of sediment delivery to local streams. Flux of soil and stones from cultivated parcels ranged between 1.5 and 58.7 kg m{dollar}sp{lcub}-1{rcub}{dollar} y{dollar}sp{lcub}-1{rcub}{dollar} and averaged 31 kg m{dollar}sp{lcub}-1{rcub}{dollar} y{dollar}sp{lcub}-1{rcub}{dollar}. Flux was attributed to tillage translocation, weeding, and rainfall, in the case of mass movements. Runoff-induced transport did not contribute significantly to material flux.; Soil loss was not among the operating problems mentioned by surveyed farmers, and appears not to drive the decision to adopt conservation practices. Adoption of practices depended more on specific characteristics of the innovation than on farm or farmer characteristics. Complexity, negative impacts to the parcel, lack of immediate benefits, increased labor and input demands and uncertain long-term income prospects were significant factors. |
