A reassessment of the classical diffusion of innovations model in the Meknes region of Morocco [Ressource électronique] / Abderrazak Lakjaa

Doctor of philosophy : University of Minnesota : 1992

Bibliogr. p. 155-160

The purpose of this study was to reassess the assumptions of the classical diffusion of innovations model in the Meknes region of Morocco. The research questions for this study were as follows: (1) What are the rates of adoption of innovations for each homogeneous group of farmers? (2) What are the shapes of the adoption distributions of the six innovations which had been selected for this study? (3) How innovations are disseminated among farmers? (4) What are the characteristics of the opinion leaders identified in the diffusion networks? (5) Are there differences between the opinion leaders and contact farmers? The sample of this study was made up of all the 300 farmers located in eight contiguous villages. The data for this study were collected using two instruments, administered in two rounds, through interviewers and personal interviews. The first round aimed to classify farmers into homogeneous socio/economic/communication groups. The second round provided data related to the adoption and dissemination of innovations. The major findings of this study were as follows: (1) A vast majority of farmers in the high socio/economic/ communication category adopted the innovations. (2) Most of the early adopters were included in the high socio/economic/communication category of farmers whereas a vast majority of non-adopters were in a low socio/economic/ communication category. (3) The nature of innovations was a determinant in the adoption process. (4) The socio/economic/communication status and farmers' innovativeness were highly related. (5) None of the six diffusion curves was found to be normally distributed. (6) The dissemination of innovations occurred among farmers within each homogeneous socio/economic/communication category at almost the same rate as it occurred from a higher level of socio/economic/communication category. (7) The opinion leaders had a tendency to act as polymorphic opinion leaders. (8) The opinion leaders identified in this study did not coincide with the contact farmers identified in the Extension Training and Visit system.