Factors Affecting the Adoption of Fish Smoking Technology in Moree

Abstract

The paper studied the underlying factors that had informed the adoption decision of the Chorkor smoker in the Moree community. Fish smoking is an affordable traditional fish preser vation method that has been employed in most developing countries including Ghana. Smoked fish continues to be a major protein source in most Ghanaian diets. The contribution of tech nology can only be visible when and if the technology is widely used and diffused. Therefore, understanding the factors that affected this choice is beneficial. The main study objective was to examine the factors that led to the adoption of the Chorkor smoker. This was achieved by using a qualitative approach. A semi-structured interview was the main tool used to collect data for the study. The instrument for data collection was the interview guide. Snowball and purposive sampling methods were employed to recruit partici pants for the research. The primary source of information was derived directly from the fish smokers and other stakeholders of the Chorkor smoker. This study used Rogers’ theory of diffusion of innovations to describe and understand the life experiences of fish processors. The theory helped to explain adoption, the different types of adopters and why some people acquire technology faster than others. It is asserted that although adopting a new technology can be extremely difficult, even in cases when there are clear ad vantages, the adoption process is greatly influenced by a number of variables, including edu cation, awareness, cost of inputs and features of the technology. Academics and Non-Govern mental Organizations can benefit from this study as they begin to theorize the dynamic and multifaceted role gender plays in fish processing. It is recommended that major stakeholders launch awareness campaigns to educate fish smokers about the benefits of adopting newer fish processing technologies. This study establishes a strong foundation for future research on fish smoking technologies in Ghana and beyond.