Maize is the most important and strategic crop in Mexico, however, this sector suffers from low productivity. Among the various strategies to improve yield by hectare, improved maize seeds play an important role. In this context, adoption studies in Mexico of these types of seeds are scarce and in general do not jointly account for the timing of adoption factors affecting the adoption decision. This study analysed the determinants of the adoption rates of improved seeds using the survival analysis method. Farm-level data were collected in 2015 through a questionnaire administered to 200 maize farmers in Chiapas, Mexico. Our results showed that 60% of the farmers who adopted the improved seeds reached the decision within a 10 years’ period. Specifically, young farmers with a low number of family members from several generations of agricultural work, who exhibited positive attitudes towards innovation and with low risk perception were likely to adopt the new varieties. Furthermore, results showed that the NAFTA Mexican reform of agricultural policy in 1994 negatively affected the adoption rate of improved seeds. Improving the maize yield requires adequate extension information systems that allow farmers to receive more information on the importance of adoption innovation as well as help them market their products.

Appropriate technologies must be developed for adoption of improved seeds based on the farmers' preferences and needs. Our research identified the farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) as a key determinant for selecting the improved varieties of maize seeds and landraces in Chiapas, Mexico. This work also analyzed the farmers' observed heterogeneity on the basis of their socio-economic characteristics. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire from 200 farmers. A proportional choice experiment approach was applied using a proportional choice variable, where farmers were asked to state the percentage of preference for different alternative varieties in a choice set. The generalized multinomial logit model in WTP-space approach was used. The results suggest that the improved seed varieties are preferred over the Creole alternatives, thereby ensuring higher yields, resistance to diseases, and larger ear size. For the preference heterogeneity analyses, a latent class model was applied. Three types of farmers were identified: innovators (60.5%), transition farmers (29.4%), and conservative farmers (10%). An understanding of farmers' preferences is useful in designing agricultural policies and creating pricing and marketing strategies for the dissemination of quality seeds.

Es de importancia para las instituciones involucradas en el desarrollo del sector agropecuario conocer el grado de adopción y la velocidad con que las innovaciones tecnológicas son aceptadas por los usuarios. Es decir, cómo una novedad o innovación tecnológica deja de ser experimental y se transforma en una práctica de uso común en el sector social. Las variables de respuesta y el número de observaciones que integran las muestras bajo estudio proporcionan información valiosa por la diversidad de temas que pueden ser estudiados. Sin embargo, las variables de respuesta investigadas normalmente son expresadas en diferentes escalas cualitativas. En consecuencia, la información es analizada inapropiadamente o ésta es presentada descriptivamente. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de esta propuesta es presentar el uso de técnicas estadísticas para analizar y evaluar el proceso de adopción de innovaciones tecnológicas. La metodología que se propone incluye escalas cualitativas para analizarse con técnicas multivariadas como prueba de normalidad multivariada, análisis por componentes principales, aglomerados y correlación canónica. El uso de estas herramientas estadísticas se ejemplif icó con un estudio de adopción tecnológica realizada con productores de cebada.