In order to ensure sustainability of maize production in short-season environments of Nigeria, the Sudan savanna taskforce of Kano–Katsina–Maradi (KKM) Pilot Learning Site promoted short-season maize varieties in 2008 via Innovation Platforms (IPs). In the light of the promoted varieties, we evaluated the adoption and net benefits (productivity and income) of the maize varieties. We used cross-sectional household data elicited from 600 sampled households, double-hurdle model and propensity score matching. There was a remarkable increase in the adoption of short-season maize varieties in 2014 compared to what was obtained in a baseline conducted in 2008. Our empirical findings revealed that the adoption of the short-season maize varieties promoted through the IPs had significant productivity and income increasing effects. This implies that policy interventions to ensure sustainable maize intensification in the face of environmental limitations, such as early and late season drought, should intensify the promotion of short-season varieties in Sudan savannas. This will require well-concerted agricultural extension that can leverage IPs in view of its potentials.

A survey was carried out in 10 communities in Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State to identify the pattern and constraints to adoption of improved cowpea varieties introduced by the Sudan Savanna Taskforce project. The survey was undertaken after three years of project intervention. Results revealed that 35.7% of farmers adopted the improved cowpea varieties, significantly higher than the number of farmers adopting prior to project interventions. Majority of the farmers who adopted improved cowpea varieties were male farmers (86.0%), participants in cowpea related activities (78.5%), farmers who had extension contacts (89.7%) and were young within the age bracket of 25-54 years (85.0%). Non-availability of seeds and fertilizer when needed, high cost of fertilizer, pests and diseases were revealed as the major constraints facing farmers in the study area. It was therefore recommended that Government together with other development agencies should encourage women participation in crop production and subsidize farming inputs so as to remove any barrier that will hinder their participation in farming. The Government should subsidize farm inputs like improved seeds and fertilizers so as to enable farmers afford and finally farmers should be sensitized on where to access the improved seeds and fertilizers.

The study was undertaken to determine the level and factors influencing adoption of improved cowpea varieties introduced by the Sudan Savanna Taskforce project in Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State. Data were collected from a random sample of 300 households from ten communities in the study area. The analytical tools used for data analysis include descriptive statistics to examine the level of adoption of improved cowpea varieties and Probit and Tobit regression models to identify factors that influence the adoption and intensity of use of the varieties respectively. Results from the analyzed data indicate that more farmers were aware of improved cowpea varieties by a magnitude of 40% and adoption improved by a magnitude of 35.7% adoption. In addition, households with formal education, extension contact, those who participated in the project activities, members of associations and cowpea growing experience are more likely to adopt improved cowpea varieties. Similarly, factors influencing the intensity of adoption were gender of farmers, extension contact, membership of association, participation in project activities and rearing of livestock. Finally, the study recommends that farm expansion and intensification of extension services would be an incentive to adoption decisions by small-scale farmers in the study area and extended to the less educated farmers. Furthermore, there is a need for special training, seminars, field demonstrations and technical support for the cowpea farmers.

No abstract

No abstract