International Journal of Academic Multidisciplinary Research (IJAMR)
  Year: 2022 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 11 | Page No.: 1-15
Agricultural Innovation Characteristics and their Utilization in Uganda: A Case of National Agricultural Research Organization Download PDF
Twesigye Nduhura, Toriola Funke Christiana, Shadrack Natamba, Alex Kayabula, James Mugambe,

Abstract:
The research assessed the utilization of agricultural innovations in Uganda, using a case of the National Agricultural Research Organization, with the following objectives: to establish the factors that influence development of agricultural innovations; to determine the relationship between agricultural innovation characteristics and utilization of innovations at farm level; and to examine the effect of market attributes on utilization of innovations in agriculture. Using a cross sectional survey research design, a survey mainly using structured questionnaires was carried out among the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) staff to establish factors that influence development of agricultural innovations. A total of 91 households involved in cassava, maize and rice production were interviewed in Kihiihi Sub-county, one of the sub-counties in Kanungu District where the NARO innovations on cassava, maize and rice have been promoted. The data was collected, coded, cleaned and analysed using SPSS to generate frequency tables and STATA to generate an ordered logistic regression . The respondents agreed that it is important to consider the cost, relevance, and end-user opinion of agricultural innovations as important determinants of developing agricultural innovations. Respondents also agreed that in order to sustain innovations, agricultural research innovators need a clear plan on how innovations should be done. The results also indicated that that there was a positive significant relationship between the attribute/characteristics of the varieties and the extent of utilization of varieties. In addition, regression results indicated that innovation characteristics such as relative advantage, compatibility, triability and, other variables such as gender, age, education had a significant effect (p<0.05) on innovation utilization by farming communities. However, complexity had a negative significant effect. The age of respondents had a negative significant effect on the utilization of the innovations, while education had a positive significant effect on utilization of innovation.