Department of Rural Socioeconomics and Agricultural Extension, Dschang School of Agronomy and Environmental Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 222, Cameroon
The aim of the evaluation was to assess the success of adoption and impact of ICPT at the farm level, and by implication the success of ACEFA’s program in facilitating the transfer of those technologies. The evaluation design combines elements of theory-based and case-based approaches. These stem from a realist perspective that recognises the complexity of interventions in the social world and the difficulty of isolating the impact of a single intervention, seeking instead to explore what works, for whom, in what circumstances and why. Toward this end, the evaluation methodology tested an ex-post theory of change developed with ACEFA via a survey of cassava growers conducted between January and July 2018. A four-stage, clustered, randomized procedure was used to select a representative sample of 180 cassava farmers. These farmers were administered semi-structured questionnaires about their cassava production, consumption, marketing practices, preferences for different cassava cultivar characteristics, and their knowledge of, and access to improved seed and fertilizer. Data were analysed using SPSS and the quasi-experimental method. The survey revealed that (63.90 %) of the farmers planted improved cassava variety with most cultivated variety being 96/1414 (66.1%). 62.2% practices the planting configuration techniques. Socio-economic analysis results showed that majority of the farmers were females (65.56%) and over 46 years of age with over 4 members per household. Majority of the respondents were married (75 %) having primary level of education (66.1%). Most of the respondents were not novice in cassava production. Majority of respondents (67.8%) own the land they use for production. However, the rate of fertilizer usage on cassava was relatively low as (30.60%) reported. Adoption rates were higher among females than male farmers. 77.39% of the respondents revealed that they adopted because the variety is high yielding and profitable. 55.38% of those who did not adopt revealed that dis-adoption is influenced by the availability and accessibility of local cuttings compared to improved cuttings.