Factors affecting technology choice behaviour of rubber smallholders: a case study in central Hainan, China

Smallholders’ choice and behaviour directly affect the contribution and promotion of agricultural technology to agricultural production. Here, we analysed technology choice behaviour of 102 rubber smallholders in a mountainous region of central Hainan, China. The results showed that rubber plantations are an important source of smallholders’ income. However, operations were not standardised, and thus, the smallholders’ businesses were found to be decentralised. Among many available services, smallholders prioritised disease and pest management technology, tapping technology, and fertilisation technology. The disease and pest management technology were the most popular, which may reflect the serious impact that pests have had on rubber tree mortality. Working together is an important direction in diseases and pest controlling which are easily to be standardised in the future. Smallholders’ age, the year of rubber planting, and participation in technical training of smallholders significantly affected their choice and behaviour. The smallholders’ education level and family economic status have no significant influence on their adoption of technology. Their participation in technical training has played a positive role in their rubber technology adoption. The precise training policies from the government and other training organisations for smallholders’ rubber technology need to be improved according to their characteristics. Our study can help to understand and improve rubber smallholders’ technology choice behaviour and enhance their good agricultural practices, after which the technology transfer and its contribution to the production of rubber plantations could be enhanced.