Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture No. 4/08
Adoption of conventional biotechnology under declining smallholder crop productivity: case of tissue cultured sweet potatoes
Edward Mutandwa, Christopher T. Gadzirayi and Jordan Chihiya
Bindura University of Science Education, Bindura, Zimbabwe
Abstract
This study explored the factors influencing the adoption of tissue
cultured sweet potato varieties and impact on productivity among
smallholder farmers in Hwedza District of Zimbabwe. A multi stage
sampling approach was used to select 133 households for inclusion in
the survey. Structured and semi-structured interviews were used to
collect data from key informants such as extension officials and
biotechnology technocrats located at various institutes in the country.
Sweet potato yields were 1.8 tonnes and 0.5 tonnes per ha for tissue
cultured and unimproved sweet potatoes, respectively. Adoption was
influenced by gender, training, the household’s perception of sweet
potato enterprise, and age of the household head (P<0.05). There is
need to provide training in the production and marketing of the crop
and mainly target women farmers in scaling up use of tissue-cultured
sweet potatoes given the role they play in household food security
achievement.
Keywords: adoption, tissue culture, sweet potatoes, smallholder farmers, conventional biotechnology
JEL: Q 160
Vol. 47 (2008), No. 4: 327-342