Adoption of High-Yielding Groundnut Varieties: The Sustainability of a Farmer-Led Multiplication-Dissemination Program in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

This study examines the adoption of high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of groundnut by smallholders in eastern Uganda. The primary focus of this work is the analysis of the sustainability of impacts from a regional farmer-led HYV dissemination and multiplication program. Data collected in 2014 is used to determine the lasting impact of the program conducted a decade prior, from 2001 to 2004. The structure of the data, which includes a treatment and 2-part control group, is critical to the identification of project impacts, measured as groundnut land allocation to groundnut HYVs (%). Fractional regression, propensity score matching and instrumental variable techniques are utilized to address potential bias from model specification, selection, and endogeneity. We find that, on average, participating households allocated 21% more of their land in groundnuts to HYVs relative to controls. Diffusion of program benefits through spillover is revealed by statistically significant differences in mean adoption between neighbor and non-neighbor controls, such that benefits are transferred from participants to their neighbors but not to the non-neighbor control group. We also find that, because of seed saving practices, the average yield for HYVs decreased over time to levels below those obtained from landrace varieties. Thus, the program effectively aided in information dissemination and technology transfer within rural communities. However, additional knowledge transfer is critical to the sustainability of food security outcomes among participant farmers.

Socioeconomic Characteristics Influencing Level of Awareness of Aflatoxin Contamination of Feeds among Livestock Farmers in Meru District of Tanzania

“…About 19.5% managed to give at least miscellaneous and broader concepts as they perceive, such as mould, mould toxins/products, cancer causing toxins, diarrhoea-causing toxins, bloat-causing toxins, feed/food mould, and toxins due to rotting/spoilage/rusting. In a similar study by Jelliffe et al [ 32 ], respondents had difficulty in naming the toxins occurring in groundnuts as “aflatoxins”; instead they called them mould or bitter nuts. The important fungal toxins known to occur in foods and feeds include aflatoxins, fumonisins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, citrinin, ergot alkaloids and ochratoxins A, and patulin, aflatoxins being the most hazardous toxins [ 33 ].…”

Aflatoxin awareness and Aflasafe adoption potential of Nigerian smallholder maize farmers

“…, 2016 ). An additional 31.5% of household representatives indicated hearing about ‘rotten nuts, mouldy, bitter taste,’ leading Jelliffe et al ( 2016 ) to conclude that 92.5% of the sample group recognised aflatoxin as a problem in groundnut production. Therefore, more public awareness programs about the problems of aflatoxin are still needed in the region.…”

“…Also, in a non-representative sample of eastern Ugandan groundnut farmers in 2014, 61% of household representatives knew of aflatoxin by name (Jelliffe et al. , 2016 ). An additional 31.5% of household representatives indicated hearing about ‘rotten nuts, mouldy, bitter taste,’ leading Jelliffe et al ( 2016 ) to conclude that 92.5% of the sample group recognised aflatoxin as a problem in groundnut production.…”

Scaling-Up the Impact of Aflatoxin Research in Africa. The Role of Social Sciences

“…” [23] Farmers may also be aware of the problem but simply do not have the means to improve drying. A survey in Uganda on aflatoxin in groundnut revealed that despite the fact that 61% of households indicated that they had indeed heard of aflatoxin, 75% of households dried groundnuts on the open earth at home with only 3% using a tarpaulin, and 10% on pavement [24]. …”