Browsing by Author "Puppala, Naveen"
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Publication Effects of social network factors on information acquisition and adoption of improved groundnut varieties: the case of Uganda and Kenya(Springer Science and Business, 2014) Thuo, Mary; Bell, Alexandra A.; Bravo-Ureta, Boris E.; Lachaud, Miche´e A.; Okello, David K.; Okoko, Evelyn Nasambu; Kidula, Nelson L.; Deom, Carl M.; Puppala, NaveenSocial networks play a significant role in learning and thus in farmers’ adoption of new agricultural technologies. This study examined the effects of social network factors on information acquisition and adoption of new seed varieties among groundnut farmers in Uganda and Kenya. The data were generated through face-to-face interviews from a random sample of 461 farmers, 232 in Uganda and 229 in Kenya. To assess these effects two alternative econometric models were used: a seemingly unrelated bivariate probit (SUBP) model and a recursive bivariate probit (RBP) model. The statistical evaluation of the SUBP shows that information acquisition and adoption decisions are interrelated while tests for the RBP do not support this latter model. Therefore, the analysis is based on the results obtained from the SUBP. These results reveal that social network factors, particularly weak ties with external support (e.g., researchers, extension agents, etc.), partially influence information acquisition, but do not influence adoption. In Uganda, external support, gender, farm size, and geographic location have an impact on information acquisition. In Kenya, external support and geographic location also have an impact on information acquisition. With regard to adoption, gender, household size, and geographic location play the most important roles for Ugandan farmers, while in Kenya information from external sources, education, and farm size affect adoption choice. The study provides insight on the importance of external weak ties in groundnut farming, and a need to understand regional differences along gender lines while developing agricultural strategies. This study further illustrates the importance of farmer participation in applied technology research and the impact of social interactions among farmers and external agents.Publication Productivity Gaps among Groundnut Farmers in Kenya and Uganda: A Stochastic Production Frontier Analysis(African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2016) Asekenye Cresenia; Bravo-Ureta Boris E; Deom Mike; Kidula Nelson; Okello David Kalule; Okoko, Nasambu; Puppala, NaveenProductivity gaps for 321 groundnut farmers from Uganda and Kenya were analysed using data from the 2009 growing seasons. Farmers who planted improved varieties enjoyed output advantages of 143% in Uganda and 58.6% in Kenya over those who planted only local varieties. Farmers had a mean technical efficiency of 54.6% in Uganda and 54.4% in Kenya. No significant differences were found in the mean technical efficiencies of research and non-research farmers, and between maleand female-managed plots. Productivity therefore could be enhanced if highefficiency households invest more in improved varieties and if low-efficiency households make better use of their existing technology. Continued development of improved varieties will further shift the production frontier outward. The apparent spill-over effect of the technical support received by research and nonresearch farmers suggests that farmer education has a multiplier effect. An improvement in extension service delivery could help to enhance the managerial skills of both farmer categories.