Innovation Adoption of Dairy Goat Farmers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The main focus in the field of animal husbandry in Indonesia is the production and productivity that are still low due to the nature of business which is still conventional. This condition is characterized by the management of the farm business is integrated farming system with crop and other agricultural activities, involving family members, small-scale livestock ownership, lack of knowledge and skills of farming became the causes of low production and productivity in livestock business in rural area. Agricultural innovation including animal husbandry as a successful introduction and exploitation of knowledge and technologies for social and economic benefits. The use of such knowledge and technologies brings about positive changes in how people make or do things, and ultimately improves their livelihoods (Spielman et al. 2009), Adoption of agricultural innovations is extremely important for the country agriculture and consequently for the development of the people in the rural areas (Aksoy et al., 2011). Farmers in general, used to adopt recommended practices in partial with wide technological gap especially in those complex practices in nature (Singha and Baruah, 2012). 

The suply and demand of improved technologies involves a multi-faceted interaction among different actors both in public and private sector with each playing significant roles to stimulate and trigger nnovation development and adoption (Egyir et al, 2011). The acceptance of new technologies by farmers will contribute to the improvement of the economical profitability in shot term and the living condition of people in long term (Boz et al, 2002). With the recognition of the farmer as part of the process, it may serve as an incentive to promote adoption of any technology (Spielman, 2006). The adoption of agricultural technology depends on a range of personal, social, cultural and economic factors, as well as on the characteristics of the innovation itself (Pannell et al., 2006). The characteristics of the technology itself are also an important influence on farmers’ technology adoption and usage decisions (Adesina and Zinnah, 1993). While the dissemination model is built on the diffusion theory by actively providing information about the innovation via change agents or intermediaries (Devine et al, 1987). Matuschke and Qaim (2009) opined that not all farmers at the village level will influence the adoption decision of a farmer on farm technology. Previous research undertaken by some researchers showed that education levels, capital, income, farm size, access to information, positive environmental attitudes, environmental awareness and utlilisation of social networks are generally positively, associated with the adoption of best management practices (Prokopy et al, 2008). In particular, the relative complexity, risk and investment characteristics of technologies (Batz et al, 1999). age, size of farm (in dairy cattle), education and size of operation (El-Osta and Morehart, 2002), the risk preferences of farmers (Sunding and Zilberman, 2001) and extension farmer ratio (Egyir et al, 2011). significantly affect their adoption and diffusion. Yet innovating smallholder farmers face systemic constraints to access markets, and need to organize in groups to exploit opportunities (Ayele et al, 2012).

Many studies concur that interaction with extension services (Millar, 2010; Garforth et al., 2003; Butcher, 1998) and peergroup behaviour (Sauer and Zilberman, 2010) also positively impact farmers’ technology adoption decisions. It is clear from this brief review of the general technology adoption literature that many explanatory variables are considered important. Specifically in relation to breeding technologies, Khanal and Gillespie (2011) report that in the US dairy sector specialised, younger, more educated farmers are more likely to adopt advanced breeding technologies such as AI, sexed semen and embryo transplants. In the research of Aksoy et al (2011), studied in dairy farm, it was concluded that educational level of the farmers is an important problem to be overcome. The complexity of a scientific innovation is not a barrier to adoption if the communication pathway is appropriate and the message is tailored to the end user and can be understood and translated by intermediaries so that it fits with the practices of end users (Moreland and Hyland, 2013). In a study conducted by Turkyilmaz et al (2003) to determine the effects of socio-economical factors on the adoption of innovations in cattle farms in Aydin Province, it has been determined that the level of adoption in small and medium size farms was low in 25%, medium in 55% and high in 20% of the farms. On the other hand, in large size farms, while it was high in the other 50% of the farms. 

Transformation of innovation has been carried out through extension activities undertaken by the government, private institutions (cooperative/non-cooperative) and academic. The transformation is expected to assist in improving productivity, but often there is a clear demarcation between the condition and the field study sites, between institutions channeling innovation (extension agents), and the recipient of the innovation group (farmers) who have diverse characteristics and limitations in accepting new innovations. This has resulted in low adoption of innovations that lead to low farm productivity. Therefore, the instructor needs to pay attention to the farmers’ characteristics and situational characteristics that influence the decision of farmers to adopt innovations. 

Most of the area of Sleman Regency has fertile agricultural land because it is around Mount Merapi and has a huge potential in the farm Ettawa crossbred goat (PE). Sleman Regency has farmer groups of Ettawa crossbred goat located in Turi district, which is Nganggring, Sukorejo, and Kemiri Kebo village, as well as in Minggir, Pakem, and Seyegan district. Farmer groups of Ettawa crossbred goat in Sleman have conducted coaching and management extension as well as the transfer of innovation from various parties, related agencies, and universities. But in the reality, the absorption and use of innovation is still limited. This is related to how the adoption of innovation that runs from the factors that influence the characteristics of farmers in adopting innovations.

Based on these descriptions, this research was expected to answer the following research questions: How much the level of innovation adoption of farmer groups of Ettawa crossbred goat in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region province? And What are the farmers’ characteristics that affect the rate of innovation adoption of farmer groups of Ettawa crossbred goat in Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region province? Therefore, this study aims to determine the structure and level of the innovation adoption that was introduced to the members of the farmer groups of Ettawa crossbred goat, and to analyze the factors that influence to the adoption rate of the members in farmer groups of Ettawa crossbred goat in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta.