FACTORS DRIVING THE ADOPTION OF IMPROVED CASSAVA CULTIVARS IN TESO SOUTH, BUSIA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Cassava's significance as a food crop is underscored by its ability to thrive in poor soils, withstand drought, and tolerate marginal conditions where other crops might fail. Despite its recognized importance and the introduction of improved cultivars, cassava output in Busia County remains poor. This study analysed the social, economic and institutional factors driving the adoption of improved cassava cultivars among 167 smallholder farmers in Busia County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to: document the level of adoption of improved cassava cultivars among smallholder farmers in Teso South, Busia County; determine the challenges facing cassava production among smallholder farmers in Teso South, Busia County; investigate farmers’ perceptions of improved cassava varieties among smallholder farmers in Teso South, Busia County and determine the social, economic and institutional factors influencing the adoption of improved cassava cultivars among smallholder farmers in Teso South, Busia County. Data was collected from the sampled farmers using a multistage sampling procedure in six wards. A Binary Logit model was used to investigate the effect of the selected social, economic and institutional factors on the adoption of improved cassava cultivars. Majority 127(76.0%) of the respondents indicated that they had not adopted improved cassava cultivars on their farms. A high prevalence of pests and diseases (65.9%) constituted the major challenge. Education level (p = 0.001), group membership (p = 0.001), and extension visits (p = 0.007) are highly significant, with each positively affecting adoption rates. Higher income (p = 0.010) also increases the likelihood of adoption. Additionally, gender (p = 0.045) and involvement in other farming activities (p = 0.029) are significant, indicating that active engagement in farming positively impact adoption. Farmers’ perceptions through cultivation techniques, input costs, ease of innovation implementation and farmers’ opinions through peer experiences significantly emerged as practical factors driving adoption. The results revealed that the average farm size in Teso South is 2 acres (48.2%), while that set aside for cassava cultivation by households is 0.25 acres (66.4%). To achieve effective adoption in Busia County, it is crucial to develop strategies that create affordable access to improved cassava cultivars. The roles of extension agents, along with a solid understanding of adoption theories, constraints to adoption, and the determinants of adoption, should be integrated into the social system of smallholder farmers through improved institutional support. Policies should be enacted to enhance access to affordable inputs, strengthen extension and farmer groups, promote gender inclusive interventions, and encourage youth participation to improve adoption and productivity in cassava farming. The study acknowledges potential methodological limitations such as recall bias and unobserved confounding variables, which may have implications for the robustness of the findings.