Diffusion and adoption of new rice varieties for Africa (Nerica) in the Gambia

Rice ( Oryza sativa ) is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is ranked as the fourth most important crop in terms of production after sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ), maize ( Zea mays ) and millet ( Eleusine coracana ). The objective of this study was to establish adoption rates, and their determinants, of the New Rice Varieties for Africa (NERICA) in the Gambia. We used data from a stratified sample of 600 rice farmers and applied the Average Treatment Estimation (ATE) framework to establish rate of adoption and associated factors. The results revealed that NERICA adoption rate was barely 40% falling far below the expected 83%. The shortfall was due to the incomplete stakeholder exposure to NERICA in the period before 2006. The introduction of NERICA to villages was found to be a significant determinant of both exposure and adoption of NERICA varieties.Le riz ( Oryza sativa ) est l\u2019une des c\ue9r\ue9als les plus cultiv\ue9es en Afrique Sub-Saharienne. Il est la quatri\ue8me culture la plus importante en terme de production apr\ue8s le sorgho ( Sorghum bicolor ), le ma\uefs ( Zea mays ) et le millet ( Eleusine coracana ). L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait de \ue9tablir les taux d\u2019adoption et d\ue9terminants de nouvelles vari\ue9t\ue9s pour l\u2019Afrique (NERICA) en Gambie. Nous avons utilis\ue9 des donn\ue9es issues d\u2019un \ue9chantillon stratifi\ue9 de 600 riziculteurs, et le mod\ue8le d\u2019Estimation de la Moyenne de Traitements (ATE) \ue9tait appliqu\ue9 pour \ue9tablir le taux d\u2019adoption et les facteurs associ\ue9s. Les r\ue9sultats ont r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que le taux d\u2019adotpion du NERICA \ue9tait d\u2019environ 40% ce qui est en contraste avec le taux esp\ue9r\ue9 de 83%. Cette baisse \ue9tait due \ue0 une imparfaite pr\ue9sentation du NERICA aux partenaires avant l\u2019ann\ue9e 2006. L\u2019introduction du NERICA aux villages \ue9tait un d\ue9terminant significatif de la pr\ue9sentation et l\u2019adoption des vari\ue9t\ue9s NERICA

Willingness to pay for biofertilizers among grain legume farmers in northern Ghana

Open Access Journal; Published online: 27 April 2018Background: The call for use of improved Soil Fertility Management (SFM) technologies is a prerequisite to increase agricultural productivity among farmers. This study assessed farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for selected financially rewarding biofertilizer technologies/packages for legume production in northern Ghana. Primary data was elicited from 400 grain legume farmers selected from Northern and Upper West Regions of Ghana through a simple random sampling technique. The double bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) format of contingent valuation approach was employed to elicit willingness to pay values and determinants of farmers WTP was evaluated using the maximum likelihood estimation procedure. Results: The results showed that about 60%, 25% and 46% of soya, cowpea and groundnuts farmers were willing to pay for the selected biofertilizers (Biofix, BR3267 and Legumefix respectively) at prices not exceeding GHC 14.00, GHC 28.00 and GHC 20.00 per 0.2kg of the respective biofertilizers. Legume farmers in Northern Region were however willing to pay higher for the three biofertilizer technologies as compared to their counterparts in Upper West Region. For 0.2 kg each of Biofix, BR3267 and Legumefix, farmers in Northern Region were willing to pay approximately GHC 17.00, GHC 12.00 and GHC 23.00 respectively whereas those in Upper West Region were willing to pay GHC 14.00, GHC 9.00 and GHC 11.00 for the same quantity of each biofertilizer. The study identified farming experience, FBO membership, awareness and previous use of biofertilizers as significant determinants of farmers’ willingness to pay for Biofertilizers. Conclusion: Comparatively, mean prices farmers are willing to pay for these three technologies are below ex-factory prices, hence subsidizing the cost of production of these biofertilizers in the initial stages would be relevant for improving farmers’ uptake of these fertilizers. Sustained awareness creation through periodic education and sensitization by using FBOs as leverage points is also highly recommended to improve farmers’ understanding of the concept of biofertilizer use

The maize market in Ghana An alternative approach to the analysis of market performance

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX180450 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Diffusion and Adoption of new rice varieties for Africa (Nerica) in the Gambia.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is rankedas the fourth most important crop in terms of production after sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), maize (Zea mays)and millet (Eleusine coracana). The objective of this study was to establish adoption rates, and their determinants,of the New Rice Varieties for Africa (NERICA) in the Gambia. We used data from a stratified sample of 600 ricefarmers and applied the Average Treatment Estimation (ATE) framework to establish rate of adoption andassociated factors. The results revealed that NERICA adoption rate was barely 40% falling far below theexpected 83%. The shortfall was due to the incomplete stakeholder exposure to NERICA in the period before2006. The introduction of NERICA to villages was found to be a significant determinant of both exposure andadoption of NERICA varieties

Diffusion and adoption of new rice varieties for Africa (Nerica) in the Gambia

Rice ( Oryza sativa ) is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is ranked as the fourth most important crop in terms of production after sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ), maize ( Zea mays ) and millet ( Eleusine coracana ). The objective of this study was to establish adoption rates, and their determinants, of the New Rice Varieties for Africa (NERICA) in the Gambia. We used data from a stratified sample of 600 rice farmers and applied the Average Treatment Estimation (ATE) framework to establish rate of adoption and associated factors. The results revealed that NERICA adoption rate was barely 40% falling far below the expected 83%. The shortfall was due to the incomplete stakeholder exposure to NERICA in the period before 2006. The introduction of NERICA to villages was found to be a significant determinant of both exposure and adoption of NERICA varieties.Le riz ( Oryza sativa ) est l’une des céréals les plus cultivées en Afrique Sub-Saharienne. Il est la quatrième culture la plus importante en terme de production après le sorgho ( Sorghum bicolor ), le maïs ( Zea mays ) et le millet ( Eleusine coracana ). L’objectif de cette étude était de établir les taux d’adoption et déterminants de nouvelles variétés pour l’Afrique (NERICA) en Gambie. Nous avons utilisé des données issues d’un échantillon stratifié de 600 riziculteurs, et le modèle d’Estimation de la Moyenne de Traitements (ATE) était appliqué pour établir le taux d’adoption et les facteurs associés. Les résultats ont révélé que le taux d’adotpion du NERICA était d’environ 40% ce qui est en contraste avec le taux espéré de 83%. Cette baisse était due à une imparfaite présentation du NERICA aux partenaires avant l’année 2006. L’introduction du NERICA aux villages était un déterminant significatif de la présentation et l’adoption des variétés NERICA