A Recipe for Disaster? Effect of the Existing Sources of Vines on Awareness, Adoption, and Intensity of Adoption of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato in Malawi

Chrispin Kaphaika, Samson Katengeza and Innocent Pangapanga

No 364804, 2023 Seventh AAAE/60th AEASA Conference, September 18-21, 2023, Durban, South Africa from African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE)

Abstract: Orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP), a Vitamin A dense variety, has been identified and promoted as an effective strategy for promoting agricultural diversification, building resilient livelihoods and combating malnutrition, particularly Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD). However, adoption rates among smallholder farmers are still low, with notable cases of dis-adoption. Previous empirical studies on determinants of OFSP adoption, although none has been done in Malawi, have not quantified the effect of the existing sources of vines on adoption of OFSP among smallholder farmers. Using a multi-stage sampling technique to sample 721 smallholder farmers in central and northern regions of Malawi, the study used a Probit-Probit-Lognormal Triple Hurdle model to analyse the effect of the existing sources of vines on awareness, adoption, and intensity of adoption of OFSP among smallholder farmers. The study found that all sampled households used recycled vines from informal sources. The triple hurdle results showed that sourcing vines from friends and relatives positively influenced both awareness and adoption of OFSP but negatively influenced intensity of adoption of OFSP. On the other hand, sourcing vines from local market negatively influenced awareness of OFSP and intensity of adoption of OFSP among smallholder farmers. Notably, results imply that all existing vines sources used by the smallholder farmers negatively influenced intensity of adoption. Unless interventions extensively integrate the existing informal seed systems, efforts in up-scaling OFSP uptake will be one step forward, two steps back. To ensure farmers’ seed security, therefore, the study recommends the use of capacitated decentralised vine multipliers.

Keywords: Food; Security; and; Poverty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 22
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:aaae23:364804

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.364804

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