Assessing agricultural development interventions in the western highlands of Guatemala: A farmer-centered approach.

摘要

Growing numbers of agricultural development organizations working with resource-poor farmers are promoting resource conserving agricultural technologies (RCATs) as a strategy to improve food security and farm family livelihoods in developing countries. Researchers have found that non-adoption and discontinuance of these technologies is frequently high. Most traditional approaches to assessing these interventions fail to reveal the reasons behind farmers' adoption, non-adoption, or discontinuance of these technologies; they also tend not to explore long-term impacts of the interventions. This study examines stakeholder experiences with agricultural development organizations promoting RCATs in four villages in the western highlands of Guatemala. The study explores the diverse factors that influence farm household participation in agricultural development groups and the adoption, rejection, continuance or discontinuance of the promoted RCATs. The study also analyzes the long-term impacts of the interventions. Finally, recommendations for research and development practice are presented.