Influences of independent variables on the adoption of recommended coffee production practices in Siha District, Kilimanjaro Region

Journal article

Aims: The adoption of recommended coffee agricultural practices is critical for enhancing the productivity and sustainability of smallholder coffee farmers. This study explores the influences of independent variables on the adoption of these practices. Study Design: A quantitative method was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires administered to the sample size of 198 smallholder farmers. Methodology: Data were analysed using SPSS version 20 with descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) to assess adoption levels. The Probit regression model was applied to evaluate the likelihood that a farmer adopts a given practice based on a set of explanatory variables. The regression examined the association between adoption decision and independent variables, including access to loan, annual income, gender, access to training, number of coffee plants, farm size and educational level. Results: The findings revealed that adoption rate varied across different coffee practices, while some practices like shade adoption and weeding are widely adopted, others like Integrated pest management (IPM) and pesticides use need more support to be widely implemented. Income, land size and access to training were found to significantly affect the adoption of many practices. Income and access to training were associated with the adoption of more advanced practices suggesting farmers with greater financial resources and knowledge are more likely to implement these practices. On the other hand, marital status and gender has no significant influence on adoption of most practices. Conclusion: The study concludes that addressing access to credits and education challenges among smallholder farmers can significantly improve the adoption of these practices, thereby increasing productivity and farmers income. Based on these finding practical training program to improve farmers knowledge, financial support to farmers and targeted interventions for younger farmers should be emphasized.