We examined the effect of multidimensional farmers' beliefs on the likelihood of cultivating planting materials of biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties. Using a panel dataset and combining difference-in-differences regression with propensity score matching, results showed positive effects of beliefs related to health benefits, yielding ability, sweetness, disease-resistance, storability, early maturity, colour, and that children enjoy eating OFSP roots, on cultivation of OFSP varieties. The proportion of OFSP roots out of total sweetpotato production for a household increased among farmers' who held these beliefs. Efforts to promote biofortified crops can, therefore, benefit from taking farmers' multidimensional beliefs into consideration.
1.Wageningen Univ, Dev Econ Grp, POB 8130, NL-6700 EW Wageningen, Netherlands 2.Int Potato Ctr, Social & Nutr Sci Div, Kampala, Uganda 3.Int Potato Ctr, Social & Nutr Sci Div, Kigali, Rwanda 4.Int Potato Ctr, Social & Nutr Sci Div, Sub Saharan Africa Reg Off, Nairobi, Kenya 5.Int Ctr Trop Agr, Decis & Policy Anal, Nairobi, Kenya
Recommended Citation:
Shikuku, Kelvin Mashisia,Okello, Julius Juma,Sindi, Kirimi,et al. Effect of Farmers' Multidimensional Beliefs on Adoption of Biofortified Crops: Evidence from Sweetpotato Farmers in Tanzania[J]. JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES,2019-01-01,55(2):227-242