Abstract/Summary

This thesis analyses the adoption patterns of improved cassava varieties and estimates the economic impact of research and development on the producers in Uganda. Adoption patterns were evaluated by examining the extent of adoption using Tobit regression analysis. Economic impacts of introduced cassava varieties that are tolerant to cassava mosaic disease, green mites, and white flies, were estimated using economic surplus analysis. The results suggest that improved varieties have diffused widely including the extent of adoption measured by proportion of land planted. The study showed that women were more involved than men in the production activities, however they received less attention from extension services. The results from the adoption analysis suggest that the larger the years of experience in growing cassava, size of farmland, number of land parcels owned, number of food crops grown, information from traders, level of satisfaction with extension services, significantly decrease the extent of adoption of improved cassava varieties. The performance of improved varieties, information obtained from fellow farmers, from extension, from research, and the value of cassava output, significantly increase the intensity of adoption of improved cassava varieties. The economic surplus generated by cassava research and dissemination of the improved cassava varieties was US$210 million over the period 2000-2014. Cassava research had very high returns indicating under-investment. The benefit cost ratio was positive and greater than unity, suggesting that the monies invested are yielding benefits. However, the results also indicate that annual benefits to society are reducing and therefore need to disseminate and multiply newer varieties that are able to tolerate emerging pests and diseases, and meet farmer expectations.