FACTORS AFFECTING ADOPTION OF IMPROVED MAIZE VARIETIES IN GENA-BOSSA DISTRICT OF DAWRO ZONE, SOUTHERN NATIONS NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Adoption of improved maize varieties in agricultural production is considered as one of the most promising ways to ensure food security and alleviate poverty in Ethiopia. However, the adoption and dissemination of these varieties were constrained by various factors. This study was aimed at identifying the factors that influence adoption and intensity of use of improved maize varieties in Gena Bossa District of Dawro Zone, Sothern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. Cross-sectional household level data were collected during the 2015 production year from 120 randomly selected sample household and used for the study. Both descriptive statistics and econometric model were used to analyze the data. The result of descriptive statistics indicated, existence of significant mean and proportion differences between adopters and non-adopters in terms of age of the household head, family size, educational level of the household head, access to credit, frequency of contact with extension agent, access to fertilizer, agricultural training, number of oxen owned and radio ownership. From seventeen explanatory variables included in the model, six variables (access to credit, frequency of contact with extension agent, access to fertilizer, agricultural training, number of oxen owned and radio ownership) were the important variables which had positively and significantly influenced adoption and intensity of use of improved maize varieties. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were forwarded. Policy and development intervention should give emphasis to the improvement of institutional support system by strengthening the existing agricultural extension system, providing the required fertilizes and agricultural training on time, expanding the distribution of radio program and expanding access to credit for the purchase of oxen and other inputs to achieve the target of adoption of improved maize varieties for increasing the production and productivity of smallholder farmers in Gena-Bosa district.