Public Policies For Enhancing Diffusion Of Technology: A Network Analysis For A Dairy Farmer Community In Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this study is to apply Social Network Analysis (SNA)approach to improve the understanding of how to shape effective information diffusionpolicies among small-scale dairy farmers in rural communities of Brazil, for whommilk production is an important source of income. We interviewed 24 dairy farmersrepresenting all participants of a dairy farmer association in a small-scale productioncommunity in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Two sociograms were builtby means of an adjacency matrix representing the two internal networks, friendship(F) and advising (A). The beta-centrality and betweenness centrality measures werecalculated to identify central farmers and correlate with efficiency indicators in eachnetwork (F and A) using a quadratic assignment procedure (QAP). The two internalnetworks structures and individual thresholds of adoption were represented in anagent-based model (ABM) to simulate the spread of the information among farmers.Our simulations indicate that the assortativity degree of social networks affects theinformation diffusion among farmers, highlighting the importance of opinion leadersversus convincing a critical mass to implement innovation strategies. Our analysissuggests that vertical policies focused on local opinion leaders will be more effectivefor enhancing the adoption of techniques that involve investments in private goodssuch as the adoption of artificial insemination, whereas horizontal policies, such asbroadcasting information, will be more effective in encouraging investments in publicand semi-public goods, such as the purchase of community cooling tanks and techniquesfor enhancing milk quality