Network analysis reveals that physical proximity and inward information sharing drive sustainable practice adoption among rice farmers, highlighting directional communication pathways.
Key Points
Determine whether the adoption of Sustainable Rice Platform practices is driven by directional social peer networks and physical proximity among farming households.
Analyzed survey data from 1363 rice-producing households across Central and Northeastern Thailand.
Constructed directed social networks from self-reported information exchanges and spatial networks based on shared subdistrict locations.
Estimated technology adoption using probit specifications and Spatial Durbin Models that jointly account for spatial peer outcomes and covariates.
Physical proximity to adopting peers was significantly and positively associated with household adoption, whereas average peer effects in the pooled social network were not statistically significant.
Network decomposition revealed a significant positive peer effect for inward ties (receiving information), whereas outward ties showed no significant association with adoption.
Program participation, access to irrigation, and prior use of related practices were also positively and significantly associated with adoption.