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 A. Some Puzzles and Paradoxes Explained

 The above analysis may help to explain a number of puzzles and paradoxes

which are commonly encountered with technological innovation in the developing

world.

 1. Differential Adoption within Same Community. In many agricultural

areas, one can find farmers who have adopted a new innovation coexisting with

neighboring farmers who have failed to adopt even though the latter see the new

technology every day and are aware of it. "Demonstration effects" and

"neighbor effects" seem to have no impact upon adoption by the remaining farmers.

 2. Food Staple vs. Non-Food Staple Variations. A common experience is a

differential resistance to technological adoption between staple food crops and

non-staple food crops. Technological innovation tends to move more rapidly

among farmers specializing with non-food staples (especially commercial crops)

than is true with food staples, even where there is no significant relative price
discrimination.
 3. The "Dual Farmer." One frequently encounters farmers who grow both a

food staple and a non-food staple on their farms. Yet they are willing to

innovate or to employ a new technology with a commercial crop but persist in

utilizing traditional practices with the food staple.

 4. New Crops vs. Old Crops. Another common observation has been that the

 introduction of new crops into the farming regime of a peasant requiring new

 technology seems to be easier than changing the technology of a traditional,

 well-established crop.

 In each of the four cases, a good deal of the variation in adoption can

 be attributed to the relationship between subsistence standards of living, and

 the expected variance in output of the food staple under the new technology.

 In the first case, for example the non-adopters are most frequently those farmers