The determinants of adoption of improved maize production technologies among farm households in Quthing, Lesotho

Abstract

Maize is a major staple food in Lesotho, and it constitutes between 50% - 60% of an average household diet. Maize production objectives vary because of characteristics demanded by the market, home consumption and animal feeds. Men tend to prefer high-yielding varieties to potentially sell the surplus. Women, on the other hand, are often interested in maize's culinary, processing, and nutritional qualities; long-term storability and tolerance of the cultivar to shocks, such as climate variability. The main objective of the study was to investigate the gender gap in agricultural productivity with focus on technology adoption of maize farm households in Quthing. The study obtained data from a randomly selected sample of 139 male and female headed households maize crop producers in the study area. The study used descriptive statistics and probit regression for data analysis. The results of the study showed that more male (82.5 %) farmers adopted improved maize production technologies compared to their female counterparts (54.2 %). The factors that influenced adoption of improved maize technologies in the study area were farming experience, confidence in extension skills, membership of farmer group, farmers‟ training and walking distance to agricultural office. The aforementioned factors are common factors that drive the adoption of improved maize technologies by both male and female farmers; except membership of farmers‟ group, confidence in extension skills and access to ICT that are specific to male and female farmers respectively. The study recommends that farmers should be encouraged to join and form farmers-based organizations. The study also recommends enhancement of access to information for farmers through extension services creating and producing relevant programmes available through the radio, television and the mobile phone platforms. The public and private extension systems must employ more field extension staff who will train farmers to improve their skills and production techniques. Extensions workers must benefit from capacity building to improve their competencies in supporting farmers in interventions aimed at improving adoption of improved maize production technologies by both male and female farmers in the study area.