Factors influencing adoption of recommended phosphate fertilizer package: a case of maize growers in Hai district Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania
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Date
2014
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The continuous fall of maize production and low adoption of recommended maize
production practices like phosphate fertilizer application in Hai District, Kilimanjaro
Region have enhanced to conduct this study. The study investigated factors influencing
the adoption of phosphate fertilizers in Hai District. Specifically it aimed at, assessing the
current level of adoption of recommended phosphate fertilizer, determine the independent
factors that influences the adoption of recommended phosphate fertilizers and finally to
determine the intervening factors that influence the adoption of recommended phosphate
fertilizers in selected villages in Hai District. Primary data were collected by the use of an
interview schedule from 120 respondents selected at random. Data were analysed by
using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) computer program where descriptive
statistics such as frequency and percentage were used to determine distribution of the
study variables. Correlation was used to determine relationship between independent and
dependent variables while Chi — square tested the significance difference between
variables. Findings reveal that the level of adoption of recommended phosphate fertilizer
package in the study area is low. Majority 76% of respondents did not apply phosphate
fertilizer at all. Only 9.2% used the recommended rates while 15% of the respondents
used phosphate fertilizers below the recommended rate of 50kg or 100kg per acre (125kg
or 250kg per Ha) for those who applied DAP and MRP, respectively. Several factors
seemed to have influence on the level of adoption. These are age, level of education and
farm size of respondent. There is strongly influence of the intervening factors, namely the
Efficiency Misperception (EM), Need tension (NT) (regarded as need aspects), awareness
(knowledge), and prominence (perception). In general, the adoption of recommended
phosphate fertilizer package in the study area is strongly influenced by the intervening
variables.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Phosphate fertilizer, Maize Production, Hai district