Development and Dissemination of Improved Cassava Varieties in Uganda: Analysis of Adoption Rates, Variety Attributes and Speed of Adoption

The transition out of extreme poverty and hunger in agrarian economies requires an understanding of how new agricultural technologies are adopted by poor farmers. In Uganda, improved germplasm from the cassava breeding program has generated new varieties that are increasingly being grown by farmers. Although considerable success has been achieved in adoption of these varieties in general, there is increasing pressure on breeding and technology dissemination programs to improve the targeting of their efforts. This paper identifies the specific cassava varieties adopted thus far and their desirable and undesirable attributes. In addition, it determines the adoption rates of these varieties and the factors that have influenced the speed of adoption of the most adopted variety. Results show that NASE 1, NASE 2, NASE 3, NASE 4, NASE 10 and NASE 12 are the varieties adopted so far. Farmers consider, inter alia, disease resistance, maturity period, taste and dry matter content in their decision to adopt new cassava varieties. From the Negative Binomial model, speed of adoption of NASE 3 was positively influenced by age of household head, household size and access to extension services. However, it was negatively influenced by number of hoes owned by a household. We conclude that there is need to continue breeding for adaptability to biotic stresses while improving on attributes that influence palatability and nutritive value of the crop. Strengthening the link between farmers and agricultural extension agents/service providers and improving the targeting of extension services will enhance the adoption of new cassava varieties.