Effect of Farmers' Multidimensional Beliefs on Adoption of Biofortified Crops: Evidence from Sweetpotato Farmers in Tanzania

We examined the effect of multidimensional farmers' beliefs on the likelihood of cultivating planting materials of biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties. Using a panel dataset and combining difference-in-differences regression with propensity score matching, results showed po...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Journal of development studies Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 227 - 242
Main Authors Shikuku, Kelvin Mashisia, Okello, Julius Juma, Sindi, Kirimi, Low, Jan W., Mcewan, Margaret
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 01.02.2019
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Children
Crops
Cultivation
Development Economics
Development Economics Group
Farmers
Health behavior
Health beliefs
Health problems
Leerstoelgroep Ontwikkelingseconomie
Ontwikkelingseconomie
Panel data
Propensity
Resistance
Sweetness
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:We examined the effect of multidimensional farmers' beliefs on the likelihood of cultivating planting materials of biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties. Using a panel dataset and combining difference-in-differences regression with propensity score matching, results showed positive effects of beliefs related to health benefits, yielding ability, sweetness, disease-resistance, storability, early maturity, colour, and that children enjoy eating OFSP roots, on cultivation of OFSP varieties. The proportion of OFSP roots out of total sweetpotato production for a household increased among farmers' who held these beliefs. Efforts to promote biofortified crops can, therefore, benefit from taking farmers' multidimensional beliefs into consideration.
ISSN:0022-0388
1743-9140
DOI:10.1080/00220388.2017.1414188