Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development

Among smallholder maize farmers in Ethiopia (and similar areas in Africa), yield and stress tolerance traits in maize varieties are important. While high yields remain a major objective, breeding and seed system development programs are increasingly based on the recognition that farmers also have an...

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Main Authors: Marenya, Paswel Phiri, Wanyama, Rosina, Alemu, Solomon, Westengen, Ola T., Debello, Moti Jaleta
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129812
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author Marenya, Paswel Phiri
Wanyama, Rosina
Alemu, Solomon
Westengen, Ola T.
Debello, Moti Jaleta
author_browse Alemu, Solomon
Debello, Moti Jaleta
Marenya, Paswel Phiri
Wanyama, Rosina
Westengen, Ola T.
author_facet Marenya, Paswel Phiri
Wanyama, Rosina
Alemu, Solomon
Westengen, Ola T.
Debello, Moti Jaleta
author_sort Marenya, Paswel Phiri
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Among smallholder maize farmers in Ethiopia (and similar areas in Africa), yield and stress tolerance traits in maize varieties are important. While high yields remain a major objective, breeding and seed system development programs are increasingly based on the recognition that farmers also have an interest in other agronomic and consumption traits. In this paper we illustrate these issues by measuring the trade-offs farmers may be willing to make for specific traits in the mid-altitude maize markets in Ethiopia. Based on Choice Experiments among 1499 respondents, we estimate the preference for a set of agronomic and consumption traits relative to yield. by capturing farmers’ “willingness to sacrifice yield”. The results suggest a significant willingness to sacrifice yield for drought tolerance among both male and female household members, but not for early maturity per se. There was also a high willingness to sacrifice yields for plant architecture traits like closed tip and lodging resistance among male participants, but not among females. Heterogeneity in responses according to gender, education and land area under maize cultivation suggests that market segmentation is necessary for seed system development to become more demand-led and inclusive. Final and realistic segmentation will depend on the commercial viability or social impact potential of each segment.
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publishDate 2022
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spelling CGSpace1298122025-11-06T13:09:37Z Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development Marenya, Paswel Phiri Wanyama, Rosina Alemu, Solomon Westengen, Ola T. Debello, Moti Jaleta agricultural workers altitude breeding drought tolerance education gender households maize maturity genetics smallholders seeds Among smallholder maize farmers in Ethiopia (and similar areas in Africa), yield and stress tolerance traits in maize varieties are important. While high yields remain a major objective, breeding and seed system development programs are increasingly based on the recognition that farmers also have an interest in other agronomic and consumption traits. In this paper we illustrate these issues by measuring the trade-offs farmers may be willing to make for specific traits in the mid-altitude maize markets in Ethiopia. Based on Choice Experiments among 1499 respondents, we estimate the preference for a set of agronomic and consumption traits relative to yield. by capturing farmers’ “willingness to sacrifice yield”. The results suggest a significant willingness to sacrifice yield for drought tolerance among both male and female household members, but not for early maturity per se. There was also a high willingness to sacrifice yields for plant architecture traits like closed tip and lodging resistance among male participants, but not among females. Heterogeneity in responses according to gender, education and land area under maize cultivation suggests that market segmentation is necessary for seed system development to become more demand-led and inclusive. Final and realistic segmentation will depend on the commercial viability or social impact potential of each segment. 2022 2023-03-30T22:48:44Z 2023-03-30T22:48:44Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129812 en Open Access application/pdf Marenya, P., Wanyama, R., Alemu, S., Westengen, O., & Jaleta, M. (2022). Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development. PLOS ONE, 17(9), e0274262. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274262
spellingShingle agricultural workers
altitude
breeding
drought tolerance
education
gender
households
maize
maturity
genetics
smallholders
seeds
Marenya, Paswel Phiri
Wanyama, Rosina
Alemu, Solomon
Westengen, Ola T.
Debello, Moti Jaleta
Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development
title Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development
title_full Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development
title_fullStr Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development
title_full_unstemmed Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development
title_short Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development
title_sort maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in ethiopia implications for demand led breeding and seed sector development
topic agricultural workers
altitude
breeding
drought tolerance
education
gender
households
maize
maturity
genetics
smallholders
seeds
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129812
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AT alemusolomon maizevarietypreferencesamongsmallholderfarmersinethiopiaimplicationsfordemandledbreedingandseedsectordevelopment
AT westengenolat maizevarietypreferencesamongsmallholderfarmersinethiopiaimplicationsfordemandledbreedingandseedsectordevelopment
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