Usefulness of Network Analysis to Characterize Technology Leaders in Small Dual-Purpose Cattle Farms in Mexico

Oriana Villarroel-Molina,Antón García,Jaime Rangel,Carmen De-Pablos-Heredero,María Prosperina Vitale

doi:10.3390/su13042291

Abstract

The low technology adoption rate is one of the major problems in very small dual-purpose cattle farms in Mexico. Using the social network analysis approach, we characterized the farmer leaders in the innovation network and deepened the knowledge on the low technological adoption causes. The sample consisted of 383 very small farms of dual-purpose cattle characterized by using nine reproductive management technologies. Our findings suggested that the network position of farmers had a significant impact on the technological level. Hence, the farmers farthest from the technology leaders showed the lowest levels of betweenness centrality index and high rates of constraint. Apart from this, advice, productive orientation, and intensification were also differentiating elements at the technological level. The findings provided relevant insights and useful tools to policy makers to better support, coordinate and enhance the adoption of innovation among smallholders.

Highlights

We focused on the area of reproductive management, as it is the one with the lowest technological level
This research delved into the factors to explain the low technology adoption rate in the very small dual-purpose cattle farms in the Mexican tropics, employing the descriptive measure of social network analysis approach to examine its structure
The sample consisted of 383 farmers and nine reproductive management technologies are measured

Summary

Introduction

Smallholder plays an essential role in the EU and OECD countries, where they are an alternative to large and specialised farms; especially in the aftermath of the economic and financial crisis [3]. This does not mean that the problems faced by smallholders are identical in all these countries. Neither does it mean that the role of smallholder agriculture in broader processes of development is the same everywhere [4,5]

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Methods

Conclusion