Abstract:

Low uptake of improved agricultural technologies is a major challenge to enhancing
agricultural productivity and ensuring food security in developing countries. While a
number of studies have analyzed technology use. less attention has been paid to the
social context in which the Technology Development ('I'D) process is anchored. In this
study. I analyzed how actor interactions in 'I'D processes influence uptake of
agricultural technology, with specific focus on cooking banana in Central Uganda. The
study specifically (i) analyzed the process that led to development of new Hybrid
Banana Varieties (HBVs); (ii) examined the diversity and inclusivity of actors and their
interactions in the process and how these elements influence the uptake of new HBVs;
(iii) established the determinants of uptake of new HBVs among smallholder farmers in
Central Uganda. 'Hie study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods research
design to explore the context that informed the development and uptake of new HBVs.
Results indicate that the banana I'D process involves many actors with diverse roles
and interests. The process however is largely dominated by agricultural research
institutions with limited integration of other actors, such as farmers, private sector
actors and extension staff. Network analysis indicated a density of only 29.4%.
implying a low existence of direct linkages between actors. Limited interaction between
research oriented actors and end-users of the product consequently led to low use of the
new HBVs among the study respondents. It is evident from the findings that less than
50% of the households in the survey used the new HBVs. Land allocated to banana
production, access to relevant information and neighborhood effects were positively
associated with the likelihood of technology use while household size and interactions
with other actors significantly influenced the intensity of technology uptake. Further,
both adoption and intensity of adoption are significantly spurred by production and
consumption attributes associated with HBVs. Within the context therefore, the study
provides insights in the diversity and position of actors in the BTD process. The study
further calls for a need to empower end-users of agricultural technologies through
better organization so that they can influence technology development processes. In this
regard, researchers, supported with appropriate policies, should engage more with
actors in the intermediary, enterprise and support service domains for a more vibrant
agricultural research system. Further, given that socio-cultural and gender-specific
attributes remain critical in the uptake of banana varieties, breeding efforts should focus
on generating varieties with multiple traits that meet end-user preferences and diverse
needs.