Factors that affect adoption of Hybrid Maize in Mwanga District Implications for Continuing Education
This study investigated factors that influence the adoption of hybrid maize in Mwanga district and the implications for continuing education. Data for the study was collected from ninety randomly selected farmers in two villages. Field observation was also used for data collection. The data was analyzed using the Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) employing cross tabs and chi square techniques. Findings show that adoption was significantly associated with gender, income, farm size, and cost of inputs and complexity of growing hybrid maize. In addition factors such as the presence of coffee, into cropping system and the dehaling quality of hybrid maize also affected the adoption rate. Based on the findings training is still required to ensure that farmers adopt the technology correctly, which includes buying fresh supplies of hybrid maize seed every season. It is also recommended that farmers should find alternative arable areas in the lowland areas of Mwanga district to cultivate more maize so as to offset food shortages. At the policy level, reintroducing subsidies and is recommended as an option that should be considered. Key words; Adoption, Hybrid maize, Mwanga district Introduction Maize is the most important cereal food crop in Tanzania. It is grown in 13 agroecological zones of Tanzania mainland (Hattie, 1988 and Mbwaga, 1988) Major maize producing regions include Iringa, Mbeya, Rukwa and Ruvuma in the Southern Highlands, and Arusha and Kilimanjaro in the North of the country. Other regions include Kigoma, Morogoro, Mwanza, Tabora and Tanga. Maize is produced mostly by smallholder farmers whose farms average between 0.4 and 3 ha, and contribute about 80 percent of the total estimated national production. Maize is also produced by public institutions and private farmers with farm sizes of over 100 hectares, contributing 5 percent of the total national production (Semguruka, 1988) The remaining 15 percent is produced by medium scale farmers. The national objective of attaining self sufficiency in food production depends to a greater extent on the improvement of maize production. Since 1971 when food shortages became a frequent occurrence the government embarked on an ambitious maize production programmes aimed at increasing maize yields per unit area. Such Lecturer, Sokoine University of Agriculture .ICEE l'litine 2 A( l ,January, 2005 programmes included the National Maize Project of 1974 and the National Food Crops Credit Programme of 1975 (Mlay, 1988) The programmes aimed at assisting, smallholder farmers to adopt improved production technologies and practices through provision of farm inputs on credit basis. Despite all these efforts, average yield per hectare is still low compared to neighboring countries. For example in 1985 the average yield of maize was 1218 kg/ha in Tanzania while in Kenya and Zimbabwe maize yield was 1782 kg/ha and 1736 kg/ha respectively (FAO, 1985) Low adoption of improved seed, fertilizers and other agro chemicals coupled with inefficient extension systems are among reasons that have been attributed to low production for most food crops in the country (Marandu et al. 1988) Constraints to non adoption of innovations involve factors such as lack of credits, limited access to information, aversion to risk, inadequate farm size and inadequate incentives associated with farm tenure arrangements. Other factors include insufficient human capital, absence of equipment to relieve labor shortage, inappropriate transport infrastructure, and poor organization of input (seed, fertilizer, chemicals and water) supply (Feder et al. 1985) The introduction of hybrid maize varieties in Tanzania during the mid 1960s introduced a shift in maize production in Tanzania (James, 1989) However, the local varieties are often preferred by consumers because of their taste. Moreover, farmers like these varieties due to their resistance to pests and diseases and to low input requirement. According to a study by Ifella (1992) about 95 percent of the people in Iringa region were aware of the existence of high yielding, maize varieties at the time of the survey, but only 53 percent used hybrid maize seed. In Mwanga District (Kilimanjaro region) fewer farmers adopted the use of hybrid maize and their yield was far below the optimum level. In 1994 about 60 percent of the households in the district harvested between 400kg and 600kg of maize per hectare (Msuya, 1995) Since many of the households (62% in the sample had large families of 7 to 10 children, they could not meet household food needs from on farm production. These factors explain why Matthimbi (1995) found that the majority of households in Mwanga district have to buy maize from Tanga region and Moshi district virtually every year, as illustrated by the frequent food deficits that the district experiences. A study by (keno (1995) established that in September, 1992 about 68,726 people or 70 percent of the total population in Mwanga district experienced food shortages. Again in 1994 about 54,570 people or 55 percent of the population experienced food shortages, which constituted about one third (341,i) of all the people who were affected by food shortage in Kilimanjaro region during, that year. The same study tbund that some 64,259 people in Kilimanjaro region could not afford to buy food, Adoption "hybrid 111Cli:L' in illwanga district rMsuya 13engc' i of these about 74 percent were residents of Mwanga district. These data reflect the magnitude of the food situation in the district during the 1990s. The climate of Mwanga district varies depending on the altitude. The highlands, which lie at an altitude of about 1,200 2000 meters has rainfall ranging from 800 1,200 mm per year. While the lowlands receives only 400 600 mm or rainfall, which is poorly distributed. In this area drought resistant seed cultivation is recommended. Some parts of the highlands are well suited for the production of hybrid maize and other improved maize varieties. However, their adoption rate remains very low despite serious food shortages facing the district as alluded to above. The purpose of this study therefore is to assess factors that influence the adoption of hybrid maize in Mwanga district, with the view of proposing policy implications in order to change the precarious situation regarding food security. Methodology The population of the study was farmers who grew maize at Masumbeni and Kisanjuni villages in Mwanga District. In each village, a random sample of 45 respondents was systematically picked, thus making a total sample size of 90 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used for data collection. The other source of data collected was through direct observations. The data collected were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer programme. From the analysis, descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were determined. Crosstabulation analysis was used to determine how different factors affected the adoption of hybrid maize. Results and Discussion Farmers' Characteristics A total of 90 respondents were interviewed. Of these 45 were males and 45 females. Their ages ranged from 31 to over 50 years with the majority being in the 31 to 50 years. Traditionally, young men below 30 years of age do not own land. In fact, there were very few young men who were engaged in farming. Most of the respondents, (84% had completed primary level education. Although this level of education enabled them to read and write, it was probably not facilitative enough in the adoption of technologies and practices that required comprehension of technical extension leaflets and/or handbooks. The other 12 farmers or 13 percent had attended adult education classes and only 2 people or 2 percent had no formal education. Farm size was measured in total hectares currently under production, owned or rented by farmers. Most farmers (69% had farm sizes ranging from one to three hectares. The majority practiced mixed cropping consisting of maize, beans, plantains and cassava, others mixed food crops with cash crop (coffee) Regarding source of labor, all respondents reported that family members were an important 33 ATE l'ohonc 2 No I JanualT, 2005 source of farm labor. Only about 18 percent of the respondents had an annual income of over Tshs. 110,000 and about 80 percent of the respondents spent their money to buy food for their families, while 1$ respondents or 20 percent spent more of their annual income to pay for their children's school fees. This reflects a low level of income for the majority of people. On average the per capita expenditure on food in Tanzania stand at around 70 percent. This implied that most farmers in the study area did not enough income to even consider buying farm inputs like improved seeds as a priority. Level of adoption of Hybrid Maize All 90 respondents had heard about hybrid maize but only 59 percent had planted hybrid maize immediately after hearing about it. Twenty four respondents or 45 percent of those who grew hybrid maize have been growing it for 4 to 7 years while the rest had grown hybrid maize for 8 to 11 years. Only 17 respondents or 32 percent of those who grew hybrid maize said that they bought new hybrid maize seed every season while 68 percent selected good seed hybrid seed from the previous harvest. Scientifically, hybrid maize loses its vigor and the crop lacks uniformity when seed arc selected by the farmer from their second and subsequent generations (TARO, 1987) Nevertheless, farmers continue to select from their own harvest due to ignorance or they cannot afford to purchase new seed each year. Factors affecting the adoption of Hybrid Maize The adoption rate of technology can be assessed by studying the impact or influence of a number of factors. In this study the factors identified and investigated included farmers characteristics, technical, institutional