THE DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF IMPROVED MAIZE VARIETY IN KOLA TENBEN DISTRICT, CENRAL ZONE TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

In most of the world’s poorest countries and especially, those in Africa, agriculture contributes to offer the leading sources of employment and to contribute large fraction of national income. In many of these countries, however, agricultural productivity is extremely low. Maize plays a major role in the livelihood and food security of most small holder farmers in Africa. Adoption of improved maize varieties in agricultural production is considered as one of the most promising ways to ensure food security and alleviate poverty in Ethiopia. However, the adoption and dissemination of these varieties were constrained by various factors. This study was aimed at identifying the factors that influence adoption and adoption of improved maize varieties in kola Tenben District of Central Zone, Tigray. Cross-sectional household level data were collected during the 2024/25 production year from 137 randomly selected sample household and used for the study. Both descriptive statistics and econometric model were used to analyze the data. The result of descriptive statistics indicated, existence of significant mean and proportion differences between adopters and non-adopters in terms of age of the household head, family size, educational level of the household head, frequency of contact with extension agent, access to fertilizer, number of oxen owned and radio ownership. From seven explanatory variables included in the model, four variables (frequency of contact with extension agent, access to fertilizer, number of oxen owned and radio ownership) were the important variables which had positively and significantly influenced adoption and adoption of improved maize varieties. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were forwarded. Policy and development intervention should give emphasis to the improvement of institutional support system by strengthening the existing agricultural extension system, providing the required fertilizes and agricultural training on time, expanding the distribution of radio program and expanding access to credit for the purchase of oxen and other inputs to achieve the target of adoption of improved maize varieties for increasing the production and productivity of smallholder farmers in Kola Tenben district.