Determinants of Paddy Farmers’ Participation in Innovation Process in Mvomero District, Morogoro, Tanzania

Abstract

Farmers’ participation in rice innovations is an important platform for economic growth. However, information on the farmers’ participation level in the rice innovation process in Tanzania is inadequate. Using a cross-sectional research design, the study
was conducted in Mvomero District, Morogoro, Tanzania, to establish levels of farmers’ participation in the rice innovation process. The study involved 299 randomly selected farmers from different plots of each scheme who participated in the innovation process. Data related to farmers’ participation and their socio-economic characteristics were collected from paddy farmers using a structured
questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the IBM-SPSS program and STATA/SE software. The participation index was developed to
measure participation levels, and an ordinal probit regression model was used to determine factors influencing farmers’ participation in the innovation process. Findings show that the overall level of farmers’ participation by using a five-form participation typology was
61.9% which denoted a medium level. Ordinal probit regression results revealed that there were significant differences between the
household size, farming experience, farm size, marital status, land ownership, extension advisory and farmer participation in the
innovation process. It is concluded that the participation of farmers in the innovation process was medium, meaning that farmers'
Decision-making in the inception and adoption of innovations was low. Also, it is concluded that farmer participation in Mvomero
District is determined by farm size, household size, farmer experience, marital status, land ownership and extension advisory. Extension workers should educate farmers on the benefits of adopting introduced innovations to advance farmers’ participation in the innovation process. District land-use planners, in collaboration with Dakawa and Mkindo village leadership, are advised to monitor
Irrigation infrastructures to allow the usability of marginal land proximity to irrigation schemes for farmers to expand their farm sizes, since land is a key factor of paddy production.