The Discontinuance of Environmental Technologies in the Humid Tropics of Costa Rica: Results from a Qualitative Survey

Previous studies in the Parismina watershed, Costa Rica, have revealed a high rate of discontinuance by one-time adopters of a suite of conservation farm technologies currently promoted by EARTH University. In the case of such technologies, the environmental benefits only accrue as long as the technology is in use. Most diffusion-adoption research is concerned with the process of initial adoption or rejection of particular innovations, with very few studies concentrating on the post-adoption stage which includes the continuance or discontinuance of the innovation. The objective of this study is to investigate why some farmers discontinue previously adopted environmental technologies while others continue to use them. Our results identify two general categories of factors influencing discontinuance: 1) factors related to specific characteristics of each technology and the additional labor required to maintain them; 2) factors springing from the wider socioeconomic context such as a change in farming practices or the devolution of responsibility for maintenance to a sole individual. We conclude by offering specific suggestions to extension agencies hoping to reduce levels of innovation discontinuance.