The Influence of Institutional Factors on the Adoption of Improved Sorghum Varieties and Technologies by Smallholder Farmers in Western Kenya
Isaiah K. Okuthe, Fred U. Ngesa, Washington W. Ochola

Abstract
In many parts of Kenya, sorghum remains an important crop for rural food security. Since many sorghum producing areas still experience periodic food deficits, production must be increased in order to ensure food security. The growing of improved sorghum varieties in Kenya has been promoted by agricultural extension service as one of the ways to achieve this. However, the adoption of technologies associated with these varieties by small scale farmers is still low resulting, probably, in the low production of the crop. Using data collected in Western Kenya in 2007, this study found that resource constraints limit many farmers adoption of improved sorghum varieties and technologies. The access to market, membership in groups, access to credit and inputs all had a significant positive effect on the likely hood of adoption. These findings raise important questions as to whether improved sorghum varieties and related technologies are really affordable to poorer small scale farmers.

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