School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences - Theses

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Author: Amudavi, David Mulama × End date: 1994 × Start date: 1993 × Type: Masters Research thesis ×

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    Influence of socio-economic factors on adoption of maize related technology : the case of smallholder farmers in Hamisi division, Kenya
    Amudavi, David Mulama ( 1993)
    Although new technologies continue to be developed for the farming community in low income countries, relatively few are ever adopted. This study uses the results of a survey among 145 farmers in Kenya to determine the extent to which they had adopted high yielding varieties (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers and pesticides as envisaged in the "Green Revolution" and identify the reasons for adoption and non-adoption. The study analyses some of the socio-economic factors influencing the acceptance of these technologies and progresses to outline some of the constraints limiting the adoption process. Relationships between adoption of HYV and awareness of technology, farmers' level of income, level of education and information seeking tendency were significant, as were adoption of pesticide and information seeking tendency, and adoption of chemical fertilisers in relation to both use of hired labour and frequency of attendance at meetings on financial matters. This implies that there is an increased probability of farmers adopting innovations when they are aware of the existence of technology that is appropriate, have higher levels of income and education, have higher propensity to seek for information, hire labour to assist in carrying out farm activities and regularly attend meetings on financial issues. Various constraints which act as deterrents to increased adoption of improved technologies included costly inputs, lack of credit, lack of pertinent information and knowledge about farm inputs, non-availability of inputs, unfavourable attitudes towards some technologies, and lack of resources. A change in extension and research strategy is emphasised towards one recognising smallholder farmers as equally deserving as large commercial farmers as clients for extension and marketing services, and being part of the research process to facilitate technology transfer.