Factors Influencing Preferences and Adoption of Improved Groundnut Varieties among Farmers in Tanzania

Summary

Access and use of seed of improved varieties of groundnut can improve farmers’ livelihoods and contribute to the potential of crop production in Tanzania. This paper analyzes factors underpinning the adoption of improved groundnut varieties among farmers to pave the way for upscaling quality seed used for increased production and commodity business in farming communities. A four-stage stratified sampling was used to collect data from 300 groundnut farmers in seven agro-ecological zones through individual interviews. Secondary data were collected from the literature and the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute at the Naliendele Centre. The results show that a farmer’s decision to adopt new varieties is affected by age and gender, farmer group membership, availability of improved seed, and seed cost.