MccPowell Fombang, Guada Maseko

Abstract

Banana tissue culture is a technology that produces disease-free and high-yielding banana plants, offering potential benefits for smallholder farmers. Despite these advantages, adoption rates remain low in many areas. Therefore, this study explores the socio-economic factors influencing the adoption of banana tissue culture in Kiminini, a constituency in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. Using a descriptive methodology, a survey of 250 growers of banana tissue cultures was considered for the research. Chi-square, logistic regression, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The means between adoption categories for numerical characteristics were significant at the five percent significance level. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the responses from the qualitative data, and the results are shown in tables. The outcome from logistic regression analysis showed that access to farm inputs, education level, cost of seedlings, ability to buy land, extension services, and financing were all statistically significant at the 1 percent level. Consequently, it was determined that the adoption of tissue culture bananas was significantly influenced by social and economic factors. The findings provide insights for policymakers and agricultural extension services aiming to enhance the adoption of innovative agricultural technologies in rural Kenya.