Abstract
Successful adoption of agricultural innovations depends not just on the right technology but also on markets, institutions, and policies. We illustrate this argument with four case studies of agricultural innovations in the semi-arid tropics, two with high and two with low adoption. We show that the success of both hybrid pearl millet in India and dual-purpose cowpea in Nigeria depended on identifying market demand correctly and on innovative institutions to overcome constraints in the production and delivery of improved seed. Conversely, the low adoption of improved varieties of pigeon pea in Malawi and conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe reflect uncertain market conditions, misunderstood demand and the lack of sustainable institutions for input delivery. The results highlight how variations in the enabling conditions may influence the fate of agricultural innovations.
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