Abstract

Odendo, Martins, Obare Gideon and Salasya Beatrice

Most adoption studies have employed cross-sectional data in a static discrete choice modelling framework to
analyze why some farmers adopt technology at a certain point in time. The static approach does not consider
the dynamic environment in which the adoption decision is made and thus does not incorporate the speed of
adoption and the effect of time-dependent elements in explaining adoption. The adoption speed of an
innovation is important in various aspects. Based on data from a survey of a random sample of 331
smallholder households in western Kenya, this study investigated determinants of time to adoption of mineral
fertilizer, animal manure and compost using duration analysis. Results revealed that factors that influenced
timing of the adoption varied by the practices. Whilst education level of the household head, cattle ownership,
location of the farm, access to extension services, and participation in land management programmes
accelerated the adoption of different practices, age of household head, relative farming experience and market
liberalization retarded the adoption. Gender of household head gave mixed results. To speed up adoption of
the practices requires policies that promote farmers’ participation in land management programs, access to
extension services and markets in addition to stratified targeting of different practices to specific locations
and farmers.