Introduction of the cassava processing technology adoption scale (CPTA) as a measurement tool for adoption of improved cassava processing technology
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
TIA Repository
Abstract
With existence of everyday innovated agricultural technologies, researchers’ curiosity on the
adoption of farming technologies in general and on improved cassava processing technology in
particular by farmers is increasingly. However, lack of effective instrument of measuring
farmers’ adoption of the improved cassava processing technology in particular has been
restricting researchers from successfully predicting and describing the potential of farmers’
adoption of technology. With such a restriction in mind, this paper intends to introduce Cassava
Processing Technology Adoption scale (CPTA), as a valid and reliable instrument for measuring
the adoption of improved cassava-processing technology. The tool was pilot - tested using across
– section survey design conducted in Serengeti District in Mara region of Tanzania. The survey
aimed at testing validity and reliability of the instrument among 200 participants purposively
selected among cassava farmers, of these, 101 were males and 99 were females. The instrument
measured three components of the adoption of improved cassava processing technology namely,
involvement in the pre - processing tasks, involvement in the processing tasks, and utilization of
the processed cassava products. The results indicate that the scale managed to categorize three
implementation stages (sub - scale s) of adoption and reached reliability of α = .86. α = .71, and α
= .79 for involvement in the pre - processing tasks, involvement in the processing tasks, and
utilization of the processed cassava products respectively. The reliability for the total adoption
scale was α = .93. There were low to moderate correlations among the three sub- scales
indicating that they measured the same trait while at the same time they singly measured one
implementation stage of the adoption of improved cassava processing technology. The
instrument was further able to categorize participants in their performance by sex, age, and levels
of education. The CPTA is, therefore, valid and reliable tool with multidimensional nature, which is relevant in measuring the adoption as a construct. It is, however, recommended that the
tool requires further validation studies for more refinement as it is potential for application in
other samples within and outside Tanzania. The paper discusses the potential applicability of the
tool in the field of agriculture and its theoretical implications.
Description
AJASSS Vol. 2. Issue No. 1 | AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING AND SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDIES (AJASSS) pp. 23-37
Keywords
Socio - economic factors, Smallholder farmer, Value chain