Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers
Small and medium enterprises in low income countries are key actors in the introduction and diffusion of new technologies. However, demand uncertainty can discourage small retailers from stocking newer, less familiar products, limiting the availability of innovative technologies and leading to the p...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Preprint |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Elsevier
2025
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/178119 |
| _version_ | 1855518421681176576 |
|---|---|
| author | Kariuki, Sarah Wairimu Muteti, Francisca Maertens, Annemie Ndegwa, Michael Kariuki Michelson, Hope Mbugua, Mercy Donovan, Jason |
| author_browse | Donovan, Jason Kariuki, Sarah Wairimu Maertens, Annemie Mbugua, Mercy Michelson, Hope Muteti, Francisca Ndegwa, Michael Kariuki |
| author_facet | Kariuki, Sarah Wairimu Muteti, Francisca Maertens, Annemie Ndegwa, Michael Kariuki Michelson, Hope Mbugua, Mercy Donovan, Jason |
| author_sort | Kariuki, Sarah Wairimu |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Small and medium enterprises in low income countries are key actors in the introduction and diffusion of new technologies. However, demand uncertainty can discourage small retailers from stocking newer, less familiar products, limiting the availability of innovative technologies and leading to the persistence of outdated but well-established products. In this study, we provided Kenyan agrodealers with a 10% price discount on new, drought tolerant maize hybrids. The discount increased the likelihood that the agrodealer stocked the new hybrids and increased the share of the new hybrids in overall sales. Effects were strongest among risk-averse dealers. The discount encouraged dealers to gather more information about the seeds, resulting in better-informed recommendations to farmers. Although it did not lower retail prices, the discount increased sellers' advisory efforts. Our findings show that modest incentives can shift agrodealer behavior and spur technology diffusion in rural markets. |
| format | Preprint |
| id | CGSpace178119 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1781192025-12-08T09:54:28Z Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers Kariuki, Sarah Wairimu Muteti, Francisca Maertens, Annemie Ndegwa, Michael Kariuki Michelson, Hope Mbugua, Mercy Donovan, Jason small and medium enterprises innovation technology adoption seed Small and medium enterprises in low income countries are key actors in the introduction and diffusion of new technologies. However, demand uncertainty can discourage small retailers from stocking newer, less familiar products, limiting the availability of innovative technologies and leading to the persistence of outdated but well-established products. In this study, we provided Kenyan agrodealers with a 10% price discount on new, drought tolerant maize hybrids. The discount increased the likelihood that the agrodealer stocked the new hybrids and increased the share of the new hybrids in overall sales. Effects were strongest among risk-averse dealers. The discount encouraged dealers to gather more information about the seeds, resulting in better-informed recommendations to farmers. Although it did not lower retail prices, the discount increased sellers' advisory efforts. Our findings show that modest incentives can shift agrodealer behavior and spur technology diffusion in rural markets. 2025-06 2025-11-24T15:24:08Z 2025-11-24T15:24:08Z Preprint https://hdl.handle.net/10568/178119 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Kariuki, S. K., Muteti, F. N., Maertens, A., Ndegwa, M. K., Michelson, H. C., Mbugua, M., & Donovan, J. A. (2025). Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers. Social Science Research Network (SSRN). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5242909 |
| spellingShingle | small and medium enterprises innovation technology adoption seed Kariuki, Sarah Wairimu Muteti, Francisca Maertens, Annemie Ndegwa, Michael Kariuki Michelson, Hope Mbugua, Mercy Donovan, Jason Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers |
| title | Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers |
| title_full | Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers |
| title_fullStr | Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers |
| title_short | Improving access to new technologies: An experiment with Kenyan input sellers |
| title_sort | improving access to new technologies an experiment with kenyan input sellers |
| topic | small and medium enterprises innovation technology adoption seed |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/178119 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kariukisarahwairimu improvingaccesstonewtechnologiesanexperimentwithkenyaninputsellers AT mutetifrancisca improvingaccesstonewtechnologiesanexperimentwithkenyaninputsellers AT maertensannemie improvingaccesstonewtechnologiesanexperimentwithkenyaninputsellers AT ndegwamichaelkariuki improvingaccesstonewtechnologiesanexperimentwithkenyaninputsellers AT michelsonhope improvingaccesstonewtechnologiesanexperimentwithkenyaninputsellers AT mbuguamercy improvingaccesstonewtechnologiesanexperimentwithkenyaninputsellers AT donovanjason improvingaccesstonewtechnologiesanexperimentwithkenyaninputsellers |