Implications of socio-economic factors on adoption of paddy production innovations in Mvomero district, Tanzania

Adoption of innovations in paddy farming has a potential to impact productivity. The Government of Tanzania in partnership with non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) like Kilimo Trust (KT) have been promoting rice sector through implementation of agricultural programmes and strategies whereby among other initiatives farmers are encouraged to adopt innovations. However, the adoption of innovations by farmers is not sufficiently explored. The overall objective of the study was to assess the implications of socio-economic factors on adoption of paddy production innovations in the Mvomero District, Morogoro Region of Tanzania. Specifically the study sought to: i) establish the level of farmer participation in the innovations process in the study area, ii) determine the extent of adoption of the paddy innovations, iii) assess profitability for adoption of selected innovations, iv) analyze the factors affecting adoption of introduced innovations to paddy farmers, and v) assess the association between adoption of selected innovations and change in gender roles among paddy farmers in the study area. The study was conducted in Mvomero District. A cross-sectional research design was adopted in the study. Quantitative data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire involving 299 paddy farmers. Qualitative data were collected through key informant interviews (KIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Quantitative data analysis employed development of participation index, ordinal probit regression, binary logistic regression, two-limit Tobit model, net farm income (NFI) and return on investment (ROI) as measures of profitability. IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to compute descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Results show that the overall participation level of paddy farmers in the innovation process is medium using a five-form typology of participation. Only 3.7% of the respondents adopted all 12 SRI practices (full adopters). Binary logistic regression and Two-limit Tobit regression analysis indicated that farmers’ knowledge of innovations, land ownership, access to credit facilities, labour and market availability, were the most important predictors of the adoption of system of rice intensification (SRI), power tillers (PTs), wooden threshers (WTs) and combine rice mills (CRMs) (p < 0.05). The profitability analysis shows that adopters of SRI, PTs and WTs secured more profit compared to non-adopters (p < 0.01). There was an association between the adoption of SRI, PTs and WTs and gender roles which are production, labour offering and financial management (p < 0.05). The study concludes that medium level of farmers’ participation in the innovation process impairs active involvement of farmers into development of innovations, diffusion process as well as full adoption of paddy innovations. The selected innovations which were introduced in the study area are not fully adopted; this situation impacts paddy productivity and farmers’ wellbeing. Adoption of introduced innovations is profitable compared to non-adoption in the study area. Adoption of introduced innovations have impact in changing gender roles particularly paddy production role, financial management role as well as offering labour to on- and off-farm activities role. Researchers and extension agents are advised to ensure that there is active participation of paddy farmers along the innovation process. The active participation of paddy farmers along the innovation process will be achieved through conducting farmer trainings. The provision of training to farmers will help to create and raise awareness on introduced innovations. The Ministry of Agriculture under farmers’ training Division should design, implement, monitor and evaluate farmer training programmes on paddy innovations whenever introduced in Tanzania as it is responsible in the provision of various types of training to farmers. Rural development strategies that targeted to promote adoption of innovations in rural areas should be designed simple enough by development practitioners to be taken up by farmers and directed to promote profit to rural farmers. Extension agents should educate rural paddy farmers on innovations especially non-adopters so as to adopt innovations once introduced in rural paddy farming. Extension agents and paddy related stakeholders need to address gender roles to paddy farmers in course of adoption of innovations since adoption empowers women in regards to paddy production.

Tengeru Institute of Community Development (TICD)