Boosting technology uptake

The document examines why small-scale mango farmers in Kenya have low adoption rates for harvesting and post-harvest technologies despite their potential to reduce crop losses, which exceed 25%. Using service-design methods, the study identifies that farmers prioritize quantity over quality due to limited access to high-value export markets and a reliance on brokers. It argues that technology promotion must account for the entire value chain, including the roles of brokers and farmers' organizations, and suggests that investments in quality-improving technologies must be paired with improved market access and refrigerated transport.

• More than 25% of the mango crop in Kenya is lost during the preharvest, harvest, and post-harvest stages due to factors such as pests, inadequate on-farm storage, and a lack of direct market access for small-scale farmers.
• While pre-harvest technologies like fertilizers and fruit fly traps are commonly used, there is low adoption of improved harvesting tools and post-harvest technologies, such as cold storage and processing equipment for pulp or juice.
• Small-scale farmers often prioritize the quantity of mangoes over quality because they have very limited access to the high-value export market due to poor infrastructure and lack of resources, making quality-improving technologies less attractive.
• Farmers face significant disincentives to invest in new technologies due to a distrust of brokers, who are perceived to use unfair pricing tactics, and a lack of negotiating power because farmers depend on these brokers for storage and transport.
• Economic constraints hinder technology uptake, as most farmers' income is spent on household expenses like food and school fees, and mango production is often not their primary source of income, meaning mango-specific investments must compete with other crops.
• Traditional harvesting methods, such as shaking trees or using wooden poles, are preferred over new tools because they are faster and require no investment, and since farmers sell to the processing market, fruit damage is not a major concern.
• The mango value chain involves key actors beyond farmers and end-buyers, specifically harvesters, brokers, and farmers' organizations; brokers in particular may be the more appropriate targets for certain technology investments if they handle the harvesting.

APA

Ran, Y., Annebäck, J., Widmark, E., & Osborne, M. (2018). Boosting technology uptake. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sei-pb-boosting-technology-mango-farming-1.pdf

Chicago

Ran, Ylva, Jenny Annebäck, Erik Widmark, and Matthew Osborne. Boosting technology uptake. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2018. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sei-pb-boosting-technology-mango-farming-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ran |first1=Ylva |last2=Annebäck |first2=Jenny |last3=Widmark |first3=Erik |last4=Osborne |first4=Matthew |title=Boosting technology uptake |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=April 2018 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sei-pb-boosting-technology-mango-farming-1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ran2018boosting, author = {Ran, Ylva and Annebäck, Jenny and Widmark, Erik and Osborne, Matthew}, title = {{Boosting technology uptake}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2018}, month = apr, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sei-pb-boosting-technology-mango-farming-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }