Unwrapping a technology package: Burley, fertiliser, and hybrid maize in Malawi

Abstract

Burley, fertiliser, and hybrid maize form a technology package designed to combine growth and the alleviation of poverty in Malawi. Adoption of the technology package was explored using hierarchical decision trees. The results showed that the three components formed a distinct package, although they were adopted neither simultaneously nor continuously. However, poorer smallholders, particularly women, generally lacked sufficient land and labour to adopt burley, and adoption of fertiliser and hybrid maize was constrained by lack of cash or credit. The scale of the technology package therefore meant that it was not adopted by smallholders cultivating 0,5 hectares or less, who constituted 48 per cent of smallholder households.

Notes

Research for this article was conducted during the author's tenure as an adviser to the Social Dimensions of Adjustment Project, Planning Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Lilongwe. The author is grateful to H Chimangeni and G Kandonyo for help with fieldwork and to M Blackie, S Orr and P Peters for comments. The usual disclaimers apply.

Farming Systems Economist, Farming Systems Integrated Pest Management Project, Bvumbe Research Station, Limbe, Malawi.