Yield Perceptions, Determinants and Adoption Impact of on Farm Varietal Mixtures for Common Bean and Banana in Uganda

Rose Nankya,Francesco Caracciolo,John Mulumba,Elisabetta Gotor,Maria Raimondo,Devra Jarvis,Enoch Kikulwe,Francesca Schiavello

doi:10.3390/su9081321

Abstract

Crop variety mixtures (different varieties of a crop grown together in a single plot) have been successfully deployed in pathogen and pest management for several crops including wheat, common bean and rice. Despite the available evidence, promotion of this approach has remained limited in many countries, including Uganda. The factors that influence farmers’ adoption of varietal mixtures for common bean and banana were assessed, as well as the perceptions of farmers on the effects of mixtures on yields, through household surveys and statistical modelling. A three-year yield increase in both common bean and banana varietal mixtures in farmer fields, of 5.2% and 28.6%, respectively, is realized using robust OLS estimates. The study reveals that accessing knowledge on the importance of crop varietal mixtures and the skills relating to the approach are crucial for their adoption. Location of the farm significantly determined the perceived yield change, which calls for more research into mixtures’ suitability under particular contexts in respect to compatibility of genotypes, management practices and appropriate acreage for maximum impact. The positive effects of mixtures on yields make it an effective bioeconomy strategy. Policies that minimize the adoption barriers could improve the adoption of crop varietal mixtures on a wider scale.

Highlights

Many smallholder farmers in developing countries have limited access to adequate and diverse planting materials that are needed to improve the production of their staple crops [1]
The diverse crop base of these smallholder farmers is further at risk due to new and exotic pests and pathogens spread through increased trans-boundary movements of living organisms brought about by globalization of trade and exacerbated by climate change [4]
The varietal diversity is one of the few assets available for smallholder farmers in developing countries to reduce pests and diseases damage in their crops, together with the knowledge to manage and deploy this diversity appropriately [5]

Summary

Introduction

Many smallholder farmers in developing countries have limited access to adequate and diverse planting materials that are needed to improve the production of their staple crops [1]. In recent decades the focus of formal breeding coupled with the homogenization and reduction in number of seed companies, and the functioning of global markets, has led to the promotion of uniform planting of single varieties at the expense of access to crop variety diversity [2]. This trend has ignored fundamental issues of the availability and use of crop diversity by smallholder farmers, who often have distinct needs for a wider range of diversity adapted to their vulnerable ecosystems [3]. For the resource limited subsistence farmers, the use of varietal mixtures is one of the few options available to adapt to increasing climate instability, plant pests and diseases and decreasing water availability [5]

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Conclusion