Factors Affecting the Innovativeness Among Buffalo Farmers in the Samsun Province of Turkey

Abstract

Innovativeness is the degree of adoption and benefiting from innovations by an individual earlier than others. The early adoption of agricultural innovations contributes to a more effective and efficient production structure for farmers by increasing productivity, quantity, and quality. Although many studies have been conducted in the literature regarding innovation in producing different agricultural products, more research must be undertaken on buffalo production. This study aims to determine innovativeness among farmers raising buffalo in Samsun Province and to reveal the factors affecting it. The data consists of surveys of 184 farmers drawn by stratified random sampling. The research findings showed that large-scale farmers are more innovative than small-scale farmers. The factors affecting innovativeness are socioeconomic characteristics such as the age of the farmer, monthly income, and number of animals they own; and communication behaviors included the frequency of meeting with extension staff, the frequency of reading newspapers, the frequency of using the internet, and seeking the opinions of others on agricultural issues. Measures to be taken in the study area to diffuse innovations in buffalo farming are to provide support to farmers such as breeding animals, milking machines, and cooling tanks; to make farmer organizations more effective in the region, and to take adequate measures for the protection and sustainable use of pasture lands in the area, emphasizing the importance of environmental conservation and the role of farmers in achieving it.