Innovation and imitation: Adoption of cocoa by Indonesian smallholders

Abstract This paper presents evidence on the role of copying in the diffusion of a new crop. The evidence is based on rural surveys carried out by the first author in regions in Indonesia where in the 1980s a new crop (cocoa) had been introduced. Quantitative estimates of the role of copying are obtained, which are then used to simulate the effect of copying on the timing of adoption of the crop.