Farmers’ Preference and Adoption of Drought Tolerant Maize Varieties: The Case of Drought Prone Areas, Ethiopia

Presenter's country

Ethiopia

Start Date

27-5-2016 1:30 PM

End Date

27-5-2016 2:35 PM

Location

Hall II

Submission type

Presentation

Abstract

The paper analyses smallholder farmers’ preference, adoption, adoption continuity and willingness to pay for Drought tolerant maize (DTM) varieties in drought prone areas of Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data is collected from Southern and Oromia regional states of Ethiopia, using structural interview. To analyze the data descriptive statistical was employed using STATA 12 software. The result of the study reveals that low level of schooling, lack of finance, lack of improved seed availability, recycling of hybrid seed, access to market, high price of improved seed and drought were found to be the most important limiting factors of maize production in the study area. Therefore, policy makers should due attention for the problems. The study also revealed that, grain yield, drought tolerance and early maturity are the most important trait used in selecting maize varieties by the sampled farmers. Of the sampled respondents, only 32% of sampled respondents have awareness for DTM varieties of which about 74% of respondents grown DTM varieties, though 40% of them did not continue to adopt the variety as a result of inadequate seed supply, high price and discontinuance. In agreement with this, 98.3% of the respondents showed interest either to try or continue growing DTM varieties as it has desired characteristics like drought tolerance, disease resistance and preference for flour to grain ration over other varieties. Because of this desired attributes of DTM varieties farmers were willing to pay more than 20 and 16 Ethiopian birr per unit kilo of hybrid and OPV, respectively. Therefore, it is recommendable for research institutions to consider the above desired attributes of DTM varieties in varietal development as subjective preference of farmers affect adoption decision.

Keywords

Perception, Preference, Adoption, Adoption Continuity, and Drought tolerant maize

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May 27th, 1:30 PM May 27th, 2:35 PM

Farmers’ Preference and Adoption of Drought Tolerant Maize Varieties: The Case of Drought Prone Areas, Ethiopia

Hall II

The paper analyses smallholder farmers’ preference, adoption, adoption continuity and willingness to pay for Drought tolerant maize (DTM) varieties in drought prone areas of Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data is collected from Southern and Oromia regional states of Ethiopia, using structural interview. To analyze the data descriptive statistical was employed using STATA 12 software. The result of the study reveals that low level of schooling, lack of finance, lack of improved seed availability, recycling of hybrid seed, access to market, high price of improved seed and drought were found to be the most important limiting factors of maize production in the study area. Therefore, policy makers should due attention for the problems. The study also revealed that, grain yield, drought tolerance and early maturity are the most important trait used in selecting maize varieties by the sampled farmers. Of the sampled respondents, only 32% of sampled respondents have awareness for DTM varieties of which about 74% of respondents grown DTM varieties, though 40% of them did not continue to adopt the variety as a result of inadequate seed supply, high price and discontinuance. In agreement with this, 98.3% of the respondents showed interest either to try or continue growing DTM varieties as it has desired characteristics like drought tolerance, disease resistance and preference for flour to grain ration over other varieties. Because of this desired attributes of DTM varieties farmers were willing to pay more than 20 and 16 Ethiopian birr per unit kilo of hybrid and OPV, respectively. Therefore, it is recommendable for research institutions to consider the above desired attributes of DTM varieties in varietal development as subjective preference of farmers affect adoption decision.