Gendered Influences Affecting Adoption Of Improved Common Bean Production Technologies Disseminated By Various Awareness Creation Methods In Karatu District, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

The importance of common bean in improving socioeconomic in the community is well known. There are different improved common bean production technologies introduced by both government and NGOs in Tanzania such fertilizer application especially DAP during planting. However, none or low adoption of recommended common bean production practices like recommended land preparation, seed selection, weed control, fertilizer application and harvesting method is reported everywhere. Cross sectional research design was employed in this study whereby 400 respondents (154 males, 125 females and 121 youth men and female) involved in Scaling up of Improved Legume Technologies (SILT) project and those who were not involved in SILT project were interviewed using questionnaires and checklist questions as the main tools. Data were analyzed by using statistical package for social science (SPSS 16.0), where frequency and percentage were used to determine distribution of the study variables inferential analysis was used to test how independent variables affect the adoption of improved common bean varieties. Result from the study shows that accessibility of information through radio, demonstration and extension agents was relatively high to men than women and youth. This was due to interventions of SILT project. The study further revealed that farmers in SILT project were aware on improved common bean technologies like improved seed varieties, storage and harvesting than those who were not in SILT project. The study concludes that Men have higher access to information on improved common beans production technologies as compared to women, boys and girls. Therefore, the study recommends to the extension workers and NGOs such as SILT that there is a need to address gender inequalities with regard to ownership and control over resources and information sources at household level which impacts on adoption of common bean. This can be achieved through using the strategy of gender mainstreaming in all projects targeting farmers.