Some people continue to adopt an innovation, rather vigorously, when experts (scientists or extension officers) feel that it should not be so done. This is over adoption. An example of this phenomenon is the indiscriminate sinking of shallow tube wells in a limited area, which may result in lowering of the water table, ultimately making the irrigation system ineffective.
Over adoption produces negative effect and may cause distortion or deterioration of the related systems. Over adoption occurs due to two reasons.
Inability to predict its consequences generally leads to over adoption.
A change agent’s role is to prevent the excessive adoption of the innovation by providing adequate knowledge about the innovation through training and communication. Here is a classic example of over adoption Farmers take up spraying of pesticides in vegetable crops especially in cabbage and cauliflower much above the recommended dosages of the agricultural scientists, causing series of problems to the health of the soil, humans and animals, this is mainly because they do not have knowledge of the harmful effects on human health. There are many examples in our day-to-day life where over adoption occurs.
If food has been recommended as good and nutritious we tend to over eat that food which may cause imbalance of certain nutrients.
In nature there has to be a balance for everything and it is up to the change agent to give proper information and guidance to the adopters on how much to adopt an innovation.
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