Farmers adoption of recommended rice varieties: a case of Kilombero district of Morogoro region, Tanzania

Abstract

Kilombero is one of the Districts in Tanzania that is famous in rice production and several practices have been introduced in order to improve production like improved rice seed varieties. Despite this adoption of recommended practices has not been convincing. A study was conducted to assess the current level of adoption and factors influencing adoption of recommended rice varieties. A cross - sectional research design was used where data were collected at a single point in time. A pre- tested questionnaire was used to collect data from 120 respondents from six villages, namely Mang’ula A and Mang’ula B from Mang’ula Ward and Kisawasawa and Ichonde villages from Kisawasawa Ward. Other villages were Mkula and Sonjo from Mkula Ward. The collected data were analysed by using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Computer Program. Chi-square was used to test whether there is significant difference between the two variables under investigation while correlation was used to test whether there is any relationship between the same variables. The study findings reveal low adoption of recommended rice varieties where by only 43.3% planted TXD 306 which is a recommended rice variety. Most of the investigated intervening factors like Efficiency misperception, Need tension and Prominence seemed to influence the adoption of recommended rice varieties while the independent variables had no influence in the adoption behaviour. This calls the need to address the factors that influence adoption in order to address the problem of low adoption in the study area and hence improve rice yield.