Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)

Sustainable intensification of African farming systems has been high on the agenda of research and development programs for decades. System innovations such as integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) and conservation agriculture have been proposed to tackle the complex challenges farmers face. I...

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Autores principales: Adolwa, Ivan S., Schwarze, Stefan, Waswa, Boaz Shaban, Buerkert, Andreas
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Cambridge University Press 2019
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/89071
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author Adolwa, Ivan S.
Schwarze, Stefan
Waswa, Boaz Shaban
Buerkert, Andreas
author_browse Adolwa, Ivan S.
Buerkert, Andreas
Schwarze, Stefan
Waswa, Boaz Shaban
author_facet Adolwa, Ivan S.
Schwarze, Stefan
Waswa, Boaz Shaban
Buerkert, Andreas
author_sort Adolwa, Ivan S.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Sustainable intensification of African farming systems has been high on the agenda of research and development programs for decades. System innovations such as integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) and conservation agriculture have been proposed to tackle the complex challenges farmers face. In this study, we assess how different factors at the plot, farm and institutional level can influence the adoption of ISFM. We employed a stratified sampling approach to randomly select 285 and 300 farmers in Tamale, northern Ghana and Kakamega County, western Kenya, respectively. These two locations were selected to understand the underlying reasons for their divergent adoption levels. Ordinal regression models were used to identify determinants of adoption. In Tamale, adoption rates of ISFM are much lower than in Kakamega. Only 3% of the farmers fully adopted the recommended practices compared with 36% in Kakamega. The low availability of improved seeds is a major reason for the lower uptake of the complete ISFM paradigm in Tamale. The econometric analysis revealed that plot level variables such as soil carbon, soil texture, slope and plot area had a significant effect on the number of adopted ISFM components at both locations. Moreover, family labor availability is also an important factor. Other farm and household characteristics, such as off-farm occupation, livestock ownership, and membership in associations, matter for Kakamega only. Key policy recommendations include promotion of locally available organic resources and improved access to improved seeds in Tamale.
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spelling CGSpace890712025-03-13T09:44:44Z Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya) Adolwa, Ivan S. Schwarze, Stefan Waswa, Boaz Shaban Buerkert, Andreas innovation adoption soil fertility soils management conservation agriculture adopción de innovaciones fertilidad del suelo manejo del suelo áfrica al sur del sahara agricultura de conservación Sustainable intensification of African farming systems has been high on the agenda of research and development programs for decades. System innovations such as integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) and conservation agriculture have been proposed to tackle the complex challenges farmers face. In this study, we assess how different factors at the plot, farm and institutional level can influence the adoption of ISFM. We employed a stratified sampling approach to randomly select 285 and 300 farmers in Tamale, northern Ghana and Kakamega County, western Kenya, respectively. These two locations were selected to understand the underlying reasons for their divergent adoption levels. Ordinal regression models were used to identify determinants of adoption. In Tamale, adoption rates of ISFM are much lower than in Kakamega. Only 3% of the farmers fully adopted the recommended practices compared with 36% in Kakamega. The low availability of improved seeds is a major reason for the lower uptake of the complete ISFM paradigm in Tamale. The econometric analysis revealed that plot level variables such as soil carbon, soil texture, slope and plot area had a significant effect on the number of adopted ISFM components at both locations. Moreover, family labor availability is also an important factor. Other farm and household characteristics, such as off-farm occupation, livestock ownership, and membership in associations, matter for Kakamega only. Key policy recommendations include promotion of locally available organic resources and improved access to improved seeds in Tamale. 2019-08 2017-10-19T15:36:27Z 2017-10-19T15:36:27Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/89071 en Open Access Cambridge University Press Adolwa, Ivan Solomon; Schwarze, Stefan; Waswa, Boaz; Buerkert, Andreas. 2017. Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya) . Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. 1-13 p.
spellingShingle innovation adoption
soil fertility
soils management
conservation agriculture
adopción de innovaciones
fertilidad del suelo
manejo del suelo
áfrica al sur del sahara
agricultura de conservación
Adolwa, Ivan S.
Schwarze, Stefan
Waswa, Boaz Shaban
Buerkert, Andreas
Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)
title Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)
title_full Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)
title_fullStr Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)
title_full_unstemmed Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)
title_short Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)
title_sort understanding system innovation adoption a comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in tamale ghana and kakamega kenya
topic innovation adoption
soil fertility
soils management
conservation agriculture
adopción de innovaciones
fertilidad del suelo
manejo del suelo
áfrica al sur del sahara
agricultura de conservación
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/89071
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