ISSN: 0258-8587 E C O N O M I C S W O R K I N G P A P E R 0 3 - 0 1 Adoption of Maize and Wheat Technologies in Eastern Africa: A Synthesis of the Findings of 22 Case Studies CHERYL DOSS, WILFRED MWANGI, HUGO VERKUIJL, AND HUGO DE GROOTE Apartado Postal 6-641, 06600 México, D.F., México Worldwide Web site: www.cimmyt.org E C O N O M I C S Working Paper 03-01 Adoption of Maize and Wheat Technologies in Eastern Africa: A Synthesis of the Findings of 22 Case Studies Cheryl Doss, Wilfred Mwangi, Hugo Verkuijl, and Hugo de Groote* * International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Apartado Postal 6-641, 06600 Mexico, D.F., Mexico. The views expressed in this paper are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIMMYT. 34 CIMMYT® (www.cimmyt.org) is an internationally funded, nonprofit, scientific research and training organization. Headquartered in Mexico, CIMMYT works with agricultural research institutions worldwide to improve the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of maize and wheat systems for poor farmers in developing countries. It is one of 16 food and environmental organizations known as the Future Harvest Centers. Located around the world, the Future Harvest Centers conduct research in partnership with farmers, scientists, and policymakers to help alleviate poverty and increase food security while protecting natural resources. The centers are supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org), whose members include nearly 60 countries, private foundations, and regional and international organizations. Financial support for CIMMYT’s research agenda also comes from many other sources, including foundations, development banks, and public and private agencies. Future Harvest® builds awareness and support for food and environmental research for a world with less poverty, a healthier human family, well-nourished children, and a better environment. It supports research, promotes partnerships, and sponsors projects that bring the results of research to rural communities, farmers, and families in Africa, Asia, and Latin America (www.futureharvest.org). ® International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) 2002. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors. The designations employed in the presentation of materials in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of CIMMYT or its contributory organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. CIMMYT encourages fair use of this material. Proper citation is requested. Correct citation: Doss, C., W. Mwangi, H. Verkuijl, and H. de Groote. 2003. Adoption of Maize and Wheat Technologies in Eastern Africa: A Synthesis of the Findings of 22 Case Studies. CIMMYT Economics Working Paper 03-01. Mexico, D.F.: CIMMYT. Abstract: This paper synthesizes the findings of 22 micro-level studies on technology adoption carried out by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) with national agricultural research systems in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from 1996-1999. The authors found that technology adoption is taking place across Eastern Africa but considerable scope remains to improve the productivity of smallholder agriculture in higher potential regions with high levels of adoption. Extension was the variable most highly correlated with technology adoption, and extension services continue to play an important role in disseminating information on new varieties and how to manage them. Despite the usefulness of the micro-study results, especially for priority setting and impact assessment, future adoption studies can be improved by standardizing definitions across studies and using sampling techniques that allow results to be generalized across wider areas. Finally, the paper suggests that maize and wheat breeding research should be made more relevant to the preferences and circumstances of farmers, that the link between research and extension should be strengthened and include the private sector and non-governmental organizations, that policies should support the development and expansion of efficient markets for inputs and outputs, and that rural credit systems should be strengthened. ISSN: 0258-8587 AGROVOC descriptors: Maize; Wheat; Innovation adoption; Technology transfer; Plant breeding; Small farms; Case studies; Fertilizers; Private sector; Nongovernmental organizations; Research institutions; International organizations; Ethiopia; Kenya; Tanzania; Uganda AGRIS category codes: E14 Development Economics and Policies F30 Plant Genetics and Breeding Additional Keywords: Eastern Africa Dewey decimal classification: 338.16 Printed in Mexico. 35 Contents Page iv Tables v Acknowledgment 1 Introduction 1 Eastern African Adoption Studies 3To What Extent have Farmers Adopted Improved Technologies for Maize and Wheat in Eastern Africa? 3 Maize 6 Wheat 6 Fertilizer 7 Conclusion 8 Which Farmers are Using Improved Technologies? 12 Farmer characteristics 16 Technology characteristics 17 Farmer objectives 17 Conclusion 17 What are the Main Obstacles to Farmers Adopting Improved Technologies? 18 Availability of information 19 Profitability 22 Conclusion 24 Are Improved Seeds and Fertilizer Available? 24 Ethiopia 25 Kenya 26 Tanzania 27 Uganda 28 Conclusion 28 Implications for Policy and Research 30 References 31 Appendix 1. CIMMYT/National System Eastern African Adoption Studies 36 Tables Page 2Table 1. Description of adoption studies, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, 1996-1999 4Table 2. Percentage of sampled farmers adopting improved technologies, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, 1996-1999 9Table 3. Summary of estimations of adoption of improved wheat and maize, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, 1996-1999 11 Table 4. Summary of estimations of adoption of fertilizer, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, 1996-1999 20 Table 5. Availability and sources of information on improved technologies, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, 1996-1999 23 Table 6. Percentage of farmers using formal credit, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, 1996-1999 24 Table 7. Percentage of surveyed farmers reporting unavailability of seed or fertilizer, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, 1996-1999 37iv Acknowledgment The authors thank CIMMYT science writers Satwant Kaur and Mike Listman for their editorial assistance and designer Antonio Luna Avila for his help with layout. 38v Adoption of Maize and Wheat Technologies in Eastern Africa: A Synthesis of the Finding of 22 Case Studies Cheryl Doss, Wilfred Mwangi, Hugo Verkuijl, and Hugo de Groote Introduction The adoption of improved technologies for staple crop production is an important means to increase the productivity of smallholder agriculture in Africa, thereby fostering economic growth and improved well being for millions of poor households. Yet, for much of Africa, basic descriptive data on the technologies used by farmers have not been available. In contrast to many other parts of the world, many African governments do not collect or report such data. Without basic, descriptive information about who is adopting technologies and who is not, it is difficult to formulate policies for increasing agricultural productivity. To compile data and improve the capacity of local institutions to conduct technology adoption studies, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT, by its Spanish abbreviation) collaborated with national agricultural research systems in 22 micro- level studies of technology adoption in four countries in Eastern Africa—Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda—during 1996-1999. The studies examined the adoption of improved wheat and maize varieties, as well as adoption of chemical fertilizers. This paper synthesizes and analyzes the study results.1 It is organized around four key questions: To what extent have farmers adopted improved technologies for maize and wheat in Eastern Africa? Which farmers are using the improved technologies? What are the main obstacles to farmers adopting improved technologies? Are improved seeds and fertilizer available? The final section discusses policy implications and offers recommendations. Eastern African Adoption Studies Table 1 provides a brief description of the micro-studies. All 22 studies involved collecting farm level data from households in survey areas. The data were representative of those collected for most adoption studies—farmers’ characteristics, and descriptions of farms and technology use—and followed CIMMYT’s manual for survey design (CIMMYT 1993). Researchers from the national agricultural research systems (henceforth: “national systems”) in each country chose the study regions, which typically represented primary maize and wheat growing areas. The sample size for each study was fairly small, ranging from 36-353. In addition to recording descriptive data, most studies ran simple econometric models to analyze determinants of adoption of improved varieties and/or fertilizer. 1 The research report for each of these studies is listed in Appendix 1. 1 Table 1. Description of adoption studies, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, 1996-1999. Improved Market Agricultural Population / Farm Country/region Year Crop varieties† Fertilizer† access†† potential††† km2‡ size/ha‡‡ ETHIOPIA Bale Highlands 1997 Wheat Yes Yes Medium High 60 3-4 Central Highlands 1997 Wheat Yes Yes Medium High 102-171