ISSN 2375-1061
African Journal of Agricultural Marketing ISSN 2375-1061 Vol. 5 (7), pp. 001-009, July, 2017. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Determinants of adopting imazapyr-resistant maize for Striga control in Western Kenya: A double-hurdle approach
D. B. Mignouna1,2*, V. M. Manyong1, K. D. S. Mutabazi2 and E. M. Senkondo2
1International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P. O. Box 34441, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
2Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P. O. Box 3007 Morogoro, Tanzania.
Accepted 10 May, 2017
Abstract
Discussions and debates have been on going about Striga, a major constraint to increasing maize production and food security in western Kenya. To inform these debates this paper applies econometrics to farm survey data in order to estimate and determine the factors which drive farmers’ decision to adopt imazapyr-resistant maize (IRM), a novel technology for Striga control. The study uses data from a multistage, random sample of 600 households of which, 169 were IRM adopters and 431 were non-adopters. This paper tests the hypothesis that the factors affecting farmers’ decision to adopt IRM are not necessarily the same as those affecting their extent of adoption. Results from the double-hurdle model indicates that age of the household head, household size, membership to social group, access to extension services and perception towards IRM for Striga control were found to influence the decision to adopt IRM. And, household size, gap between maize production and consumption per capita, access to extension services and perception towards IRM for Striga control influenced the extent the farmer is willing to adopt. The paper concludes with policy implications aimed at renewing the focus on IRM transfer in western Kenya and other areas with similar conditions.
Key words: Adoption, double-hurdle model, imazapyr-resistant maize (IRM) technology, Striga, Kenya.