Modeling the adoption and use intensity of improved maize seeds in Benin West-Africa: Double-hurdle approach

Improved maize seeds are one of the main factors that can contribute to improving maize productivity. This paper was carried out with the aim of identifying the determinants of adoption and improved maize seeds’ intensity use on households in all areas favourable to maize production in Benin using pooled data on 490 producers.  Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, percentage, frequency distribution, t and chi-square tests were used to summarize the characteristics of the sampled producers. Cragg's Double Hurdle model was also used to categorize producers who adopted or who did not adopt improved maize seed and those who intensified the use of improved maize seed. The results showed that literacy, easy access to improved seed, specific training received on the use of improved varieties and gender, affected the adoption of improved maize seed while easy access to improved seed, maize yield, relationship with extension services, total household size, age squared, number of experience years in maize production, and distance from the producer to where the seed was purchased had a significant influence on the decision to intensify the use of improved maize seed. The fact that the variable easy access to improved seeds affected not only the adoption of improved seeds but also the intensification of their use, confirmed that access to improved seeds was an indisputable success factor for the intensification of improved seed use. Giving producers the capacity to obtain improved maize seed that was financially and geographically improved was a very important aspect to be considered by policy makers in the definition of agricultural policies. Predisposing factors for access (perception of varieties, attitudes towards the choice of new varieties, knowledge and management of these varieties) and capacity factors for access (income, availability of seeds in the environment, and seed prices) must be considered. The establishment of a wide seed distribution network through government and non-governmental organizations or private actors could, therefore, be important to reduce transaction costs and improve access to improved maize seed, and then increase the rate of adoption and continued use of improved seed

Facteurs influençant l’intensité de l’utilisation des semences améliorées de maïs au Bénin

Au Bénin, des nouvelles semences améliorées de maïs ont été introduites dans diverses localités du pays pour contribuer à l’amélioration de la productivité du maïs. Le présent article a pour objectif d’évaluer les déterminants de l’intensité de l’utilisation des semences améliorées de maïs dans les zones favorables à cette culture au Bénin. L’étude contribue à l’amélioration de l'efficacité des services de recherche et de vulgarisation et de politique agricole, pour accroître la productivité des agriculteurs. Cette étude a été réalisée dans les zones agro-écologiques de production du maïs au Bénin. Les données ont été collectées sur un échantillon de 490 producteurs. Il ressort des résultats que les variables "quantité de semence utilisée", "formation particulière reçue sur l’utilisation des semences améliorées", "nombre d’années d’expérience dans la production" et "part sur 10 du revenu agricole annuel qui provient de la production de maïs" sont celles qui influencent l’intensité de l’utilisation des semences améliorées de maïs.Mots clés: Semence améliorée de maïs, adoption, intensité d’utilisation, modèle Tobit, BéninEnglish Title: Factors affecting the intensity of the use of improved maize seeds in BeninEnglish AbstractIn Benin, new improved maize seeds were introduced to improve maize productivity in various places. This paper aims to evaluate the determinants of the intensity of the use of the improved maize seeds in areas favorable maize crop in the country. The research contributes to the improvement of the effectiveness of the agricultural policy and agricultures services of research centers to increase the productivity of the farmers. The study was conducted in the agro-ecological zones of maize production in Benin, where data were collected on a sample of 490 producers. The results reveal that the variables “quantity of seed used”, “training received on the use of the improved seeds”, the “number of year of experiment in the production” and “the part on 10 of annual farm income comes from production of maize”influence significantly the intensity of the use of improved maize seeds.Keywords: Improved maize seeds varieties, adoption, utilization intensity, Tobit model, Beni