Demand for maize hybrids and hybrid change on smallholder farms in Kenya

Smale, Mélinda; Olwande, John

doi:10.1111/agec.12095

Cited by 49 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The gender variable's significant positive sign in the ordinal logit model (p<0.05; Table 6) means that maleheaded households were more willing to adopt hybrid maize. This confirmed the conclusions made by Ouma et al (2002), Smale and Olwande (2014). Female maize farmers are likely to be more concerned with satisfying household consumption needs than male counterparts who would be more likely engaged in commercial farming.…”

Section: Model Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Since land preparation is a proxy to family wealth and resource holdings, the significance of land preparation also implies that richer households have a greater probability to have adopted hybrid maize varieties. The positive effect of wealth on hybrid adoption is consistent with the findings from Smale and Olwande (2014). Drought effect was significant in the model (P<0.01; Table 6) with a negative effect on hybrid maize adoption.…”

Section: Model Resultssupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Adoption studies investigate seek to identify factors significantly linked to the use and diffusion of new technology such as hybrid maize varieties and over the past few decades have become legion in the development literature (Kebede et al, 1990;Adesina and Zinnah, 1993;Adesina and Baidu-Forson, 1995;Chilot, 1996;Ouma et al, 2002;Doss 2003Doss , 2006Mignouna et al, 2010;Smale and Olwande, 2014). Although a variety of factors have been identified explaining patterns of initial adoption, long term use, and re-adoption of hybrid maize varieties, because of cultural, agronomic, natural resources, political, and socioeconomic differences, it is difficult to generalize those factors affecting significantly the adoption of new crop varieties, either within or between countries (Ouma et al, 2002;Wekesa et al, 2003;Mignouna et al, 2010;Smale and Olwande, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Farmers with more formal schooling were found to be more technically efficient than less formally schooled producers, indicating that farmers with more formal education respond willingly to the new technology and produce closer to the frontier of production possibilities. Smale and Olwande (2014) investigated the long-run change in hybrid maize adoption on smallholder farms on Kenya given the substantial number of producers that grew hybrid maize for several years before returning back to OPV. Using the Tobit model it was detected that the gender of the household head had a significant effect on hybrid maize adoption.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Socioeconomic determinants of hybrid maize adoption in Kenya

Wang¹,

Vitale²,

Park³

et al. 2017

Afr. J. Agric. Res.

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Kenya has increasingly relied on modern agricultural technology to increase productivity since land extensification is no longer a feasible option to satisfy national food demands. Hybrid maize varieties have been one of the more successful technologies developed, responsible for dramatic yield increases in the developed world since World War II and more recently as an integral part of the Green Revolution. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that affect the adoption of hybrid maize varieties in Kenya. A household survey was conducted to collect data on demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as to elicit farmers' perceptions of the agronomic and consumption benefits of hybrid maize compared to open pollinated varieties. Using econometric (discrete choice) models, results showed that farmers' perceive that hybrid maize provides significant benefits in obtaining higher yields, but are less effective protecting against drought. Several other demographic and socioeconomic variables also had positive effects on hybrid maize adoption including access to modern farm equipment, distance to market, age, gender, education level and occupation of the household head. As Kenya and other African countries look to biotechnology as a means to increase productivity, the seed industry will need to continue finding ways to develop genetically modified maize to improve drought protection.

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Section: Model Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Model Resultssupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Socioeconomic determinants of hybrid maize adoption in Kenya

Wang¹,

Vitale²,

Park³

et al. 2017

Afr. J. Agric. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Despite the pockets of change across Africa, such change at the national level is a significant transformation in a region where a green revolution seemed largely unattainable (Howard and Mungoma 1997;De Groote et al 2002;Smale et al 2011;Smale and Olwande 2014). On average, maize area and productivity increased by 4.0 and 6.3 % pr annum, respectively, during the 10 years between 2004 and 2013.…”

Section: The Maize Story In Ethiopiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors that transformed maize productivity in Ethiopia

et al. 2015

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Maize became increasingly important in the food security of Ethiopia following the major drought and famine that occurred in 1984. More than 9 million smallholder households, more than for any other crop in the country, grow maize in Ethiopia at present. Ethiopia has doubled its maize productivity and production in less than two decades. The yield, currently estimated at >3 metric tons/ha, is the second highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa; yield gains for Ethiopia grew at an annual rate of 68 kg/ha between 1990 and 2013, only second to South Africa and greater than Mexico, China, or India. The maize area covered by improved varieties in Ethiopia grew from 14 % in 2004 to 40 % in 2013, and the application rate of mineral fertilizers from 16 to 34 kg/ ha during the same period. Ethiopia's extension worker to farmer ratio is 1:476, compared to 1:1000 for Kenya, 1:1603 for Malawi and 1:2500 for Tanzania. Increased use of improved maize varieties and mineral fertilizers, coupled with increased extension services and the absence of devastating droughts are the key factors promoting the accelerated growth in maize productivity in Ethiopia. Ethiopia took a homegrown solutions approach to the research and development of its maize and other commodities. The lesson from Ethiopia's experience with maize is that sustained investment in agricultural research and development and policy support by the national government are crucial for continued growth of agriculture.

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