Evolution and diffusion of agricultural technology in China

For the process to reach all farmers and potential beneficiaries of farming technology, diffusion along each of these paths is necessary. Focusing on the People"s Republic of China, this paper examines progress in diffusing the most critical elements of staple food crop technology. Innovation affecting agriculture is not limited to agricultural techniques but also includes improvements in organization to facilitate their use, extending the range of beneficiaries, and ensuring the sustainability and stability of the entire process. The paper reviews fundamental changes during the 1980"s in China"s economic organization and the interactive effects on technological change in the staple food crop sector. New agricultural technology involves an array of innovations, and discussion, therefore, has to focus on critical subcategories. The definition of what is critical depends upon national objectives, factor proportions, and the stage of development within a particular country. For China, identification is rendered more complex by its size and geographic diversity. The first section of the paper places the elements of innovation in a theoretical framework. The second section focuses on China"s progress overall in diffusing the most fundamental technical components for the first stage of agricultural transformation and food consumption development. The third section tracks during the last decade the diffusion process for these components within China"s 29 provinces and major municipal areas, and then within China"s poorest and most remote counties. The fourth section reviews economic system reform in China and its implications for the diffusion process. The fifth section identifies several areas of applied scientific research related to agriculture, discusses state-of-the-art farmer practices for which China is a principal source of innovation, and discusses the primary mechanisms of diffusion. The final section summarizes the main arguments. (Author abstract)