Diffusion (SL IB Geography)

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Grace Bower

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What is Diffusion?

Diffusion

Diffusion is the spread of something from place to place
This can include ideas, practices, technology and disease
Distance decay means that higher diffusion rates occur closest to the point of origin. Lower rates occur further away

Diffusion of innovation

Diffusion has different elements:
- Innovation - the first stage, where individuals or groups create a new idea/concept/object
- Time - diffusion typically increases over time, as more people adopt the innovation
- Social/Communication
  - Diffusion needs groups of people and stakeholders
  - It requires communication (face-to-face, writing or media), to transfer information and ideas
In 1962, Everett Rogers coined the Diffusion of Innovation Theory
There are 5 stages, showing different stakeholder groups

1. Innovators - the first people to use an innovation (without testing)
2. Early Adopters - innovation is improving, so more people begin to use it
3. Early Majority - The product is well known, used by a large proportion of people
4. Late Majority - cautious stakeholders, waiting for cheaper prices or improvements
5. Laggards - very reluctant, but eventually adopt the innovation

This information produces a Bell Curve
Combined with the Bell Curve information, the S Curve can show the adoption of innovation over time

diffusion

Bell Curve and S curve of the diffusion of innovation theory

Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations

Diffuson of Agricultural Innovations

Agricultural innovation is the implementation of new ideas, processes, or products to increase productivity and efficiency and reduce risks within a system
It can involve new solutions to issues and improved methods of problem-solving
Some examples of agricultural innovations include:
- Genetically Modified Crops
- Dam construction
- Precision agriculture
- Vertical farming
- Farm automation
Diffusion of agricultural innovations is the spread of these new processes, ideas and products between farming groups
There are 3 main types of agricultural innovation diffusion:
- Adoption/acquisition
  - Becoming aware of/interested in an innovation
  - Creating or following a new agricultural innovation
- Expansion
  - Innovation gets stronger at the origin, whilst also spreading to new places
- Relocation
  - Innovation moves away from the origin, reducing or eventually vanishing
  - Maybe a result of migration
  - Caused by transport networks (network diffusion)
Diffusion of agricultural innovations is vital for the development of agriculture:
- To improve food security
- To increase and maintain resource sustainability
- To increase economic development

Role of geographic factors in the rate of agricultural innovation diffusion

Geographic factor	Barrier	Effects on the rate of diffusion
Physical	Land suitability	Agricultural land/farms may not be suitable for certain innovations e.g. soil type
Physical	Remoteness	Lack of transport routes could hinder the diffusion of agricultural innovations
Economic	Labour	Adopting innovation can increase labour and costs and takes a long time Worries about lower yields put farmers off A lack of demonstrated examples can prohibit farmers from adopting innovative techniques
	Development	Agricultural innovations can be expensive. Poorer farmers may not be able to afford to adopt new technologies Lower education rates can influence innovation adoption
	Demand	Demand for certain innovations can be lower e.g. organic food prices are higher, so demand is lower
Political	Credibility	Uncertainty towards technologies and the reliability of policies/policymakers can affect diffusion rates
	Tradition vs innovation	Tradition acts as a barrier - some prefer traditional methods and don’t want to develop further
	Policy-making	In some cases, there aren't enough policies to support farmers in adopting innovations e.g. financial support Differing opinions from groups of people over what is the best innovation method

Diffusion of Diseases

The concept of diffusion also applies to disease
Disease diffusion is the spread of disease around the world
Diseases will begin at a source point and spread outwards
With distance decay, higher incidences of disease will occur closer to the origin
Globalisation has made disease diffusion a lot easier (transportation systems)
There are 5 types of disease diffusion:
- Expansion
  - The spreading of disease from place to place
  - Disease spread is intense in the origin
  - It becomes less severe in regions further away
  - A good example is the H1N1 flu, originating in Mexico
- Relocation
  - Spreading of disease, leaving fewer cases at the origin
  - Good examples include disease carriers like HIV
  - A person may bring diseases into an area. In 2010, Nepalese aid workers entered Haiti after the earthquake, resulting in a large cholera outbreak
- Network
  - Diseases spread through transport networks and social networks
  - Globalisation increases transport routes around the world
  - COVID-19 spread rapidly through transport routes (late lockdowns and border closures)
  - HIV spread through social networks (sexually transmitted)
- Contagious
  - Spread through direct contact
  - Distance decay is prominent here. Those closest to the source of the disease will be more likely to contract it than those further away
- Hierarchal
  - Disease transmission through an order of different places or people e.g.
    - Urban areas to rural areas
    - Higher to lower-income groups

Role of Geographic Factors in the Rate of Diffusion

Role of geographic factors in the rate of disease diffusion

Factor	Barrier	Effects on the rate of diffusion
Physical	Distance decay	Infection is lower further away from the origin
	Remoteness	Rural areas have less migration, therefore diffusion rates are lower Mountainous regions are not accessible, so diffusion is lower
	Climate	Extreme climates also reduce migration and therefore diffusion rates Warmer climates can make it easier for disease carriers e.g. mosquitos or tics Climate change and natural disasters can also impact disease spread e.g. increased flooding and pollution of water sources
Economic	Development	People may live in closer proximity in lower-income areas (densely packed housing), increasing the rate of disease diffusion Urban areas may have a higher diffusion rate than rural areas due to population size In areas with unsafe water, poor hygiene, poor sanitation, and lower education rates, disease diffusion will be higher Rate of globalisation. Some areas are not fully globalised, so diffusion rates will be lower e.g. North Korea, Eritrea, Turkmenistan
Political	Borders	Border control can reduce disease diffusion. The best example is North Korea during COVID-19
	Migration	US migration policies prohibit migrants who have infectious diseases. They must undergo medical screening
	Disease management	How governments control outbreaks can impact diffusion e.g. lockdowns across the world limited the spread of COVID-19 Specific management strategies like face masks, social distancing, banning public events, quarantines, vaccine rollouts, and contraception, also affect diffusion rates International regulations and public health information act as a barrier to disease diffusion

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Diffusion (SL IB Geography)

Revision Note

Diffusion

Diffusion of innovation

Diffuson of Agricultural Innovations

Author: Grace Bower