Analysis of the factors affecting the adoption of innovations in dairy farms in Erzurum Province, Turkey

The main objective of this study was to determine the factors affecting the adoption of innovations in dairy farms in Erzurum, Turkey. To this end, data obtained by simple random sampling method from 154 dairy farms in Erzurum province were used. Six innovations, which were expected to be adopted by the producers have been taken up. The dependent variable of the study was divided into three categories, which are low, medium and high acceptance levels of the innovations. The data from 147 dairy farms were used for this study. "Ordered Probit" model was used. It was concluded that the old people had difficulty with respect to adoption of innovations. The ones who raise culture breeds instead of indigenous ones and the enterprises that take more advantage of the support policies for animal husbandry tend to adopt innovations earlier than the others. The education status, animal breed and benefiting from the government support policies were also found to be statistically significant. In conclusion, the government policy that will raise the educational level of the farmers, support farmers to raise culture breed animals, encourage them to establish associations, will also facilitate the adoption of innovations on the part of the farmers in general.