Community Development Programs in Nepal: A Test of Diffusion of Innovation Theory

Many community development programs in developing countries distribute new technology to the rural poor to improve their quality of life. One such technology distributed widely is the improved cookstove. In disseminating improved cookstoves, community development programs have encountered social, cultural, and economic barriers to adoption. In this article, we examine the effect of several social-psychological factors, derived from diffusion of innovation theory, on adoption of new stoves. The analysis and findings are based on research conducted in central Nepal. We tested the hypotheses using a structural-modeling approach. All models were tested with the Linear Structural Relations (LISREL) program. We find that cultural compatibility and relative advantage are crucial for adoption of a new technology. We also find that complexity of a technology is not a deterrent to successful adoption and knowledge of a technology is not sufficient for adoption.