A Dissertation
This study was done in Iringa, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Mbeya, Morogoro and
Njombe regions, which represented major common beans producing regions in
Western/Great Lakes, Northern, Southern and Eastern Zones. The study assessed the
factors that influence smallholder farmers’ decision to use quality seed of improved
common bean varieties in Tanzania. Specifically, the study sought to: (1) Determine
smallholder farmers’ beliefs about quality seed of improved common bean varieties. (2)
Determine attributes preferred by smallholder farmers in improved common bean
varieties. (3) Examine smallholder farmers’ knowledge about quality seed of improved
common bean varieties. (4) Evaluate smallholder farmers' attitude towards quality seed of
improved common bean varieties, and (5) Assess smallholder farmers’ intention of using
quality seed of improved common bean varieties. A serial cross-sectional research design
with three-phases of data collection was employed. In the first phase, an elicitation study
was conducted to determine smallholder farmers’ beliefs about quality seed of improved
common bean varieties. In this stage, data were collected in October 2016. The second
phase was carried out in 2017, data were collected in three stages namely market, field,
and cooking preference tests to determine attributes, which were preferred by smallholder
farmers at flowering, maturity, harvesting, marketing, and consumption stages. The third
phase was done in 2018, and involved a survey of the respondents to assess their
knowledge, attitude toward and the intention of using quality seed of improved common
bean varieties.
Questionnaire, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observation were
used to collect data from a representative sample of farmers, extension workers, and
stockists. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), while content and thematic analyses were used for analysis of
qualitative data. These analyses aimed at examining if beliefs, attitude, subjective norm,
and perceived behavioural control influenced the respondents’ decision to use quality seed
of improved common bean varieties. Moreover, the analyses sought to examine the
influence of intention and perceived behavioural control on actual use of the seeds.
The analyses also determined if the respondents preferred quality seeds, and whether they
had adequate knowledge to use quality seeds of improved common bean varieties.
The results showed that farmers’ decision of using quality seed of improved common
bean varieties was influenced by various behavioural, normative and control beliefs.
Generally, smallholder farmers had weak to moderate positive attitudes toward quality
seeds of improved common bean varieties. Additionaly, smallholder farmers experienced
weak to moderate social pressure on using quality seed of improved common bean
varieties. Furthermore, smallholder farmers had a feeling of lacking or having very weak
control over the use of quality seed of improved common bean varieties. These beliefs
emanated from the fact that quality seeds of improved common bean varieties are not
available, smallholder farmers had low income, produces from improved varieties had
low market potential, there was inadequate extension services, and associated inputs had
high costs among others.
These behavioural, normative, and control beliefs significantly influenced smallholder
farmers’ attitude (β = 0.583; p ≤ 0.001), subjective norm (β = 0.121; p ≤ 0.05), and
perceived behavioural control (β = -0.141; p ≤ 0.05) respectively. The results further
indicated that smallholder farmers’ attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural
control significantly influenced their intention to use quality seed at (β = 0.448, p ≤ 0.001;
β = 0.110, p ≤ 0.05; and β = 0.164,
p ≤ 0.001) respectively. Moreover, the study found that smallholder farmers’ preferences, knowledge and perceived behavioural control
statistically significantly influenced their actual quality seed use practices at (β = 0.593, p
≤ 0.001; β = 0.530, p ≤ 0.001; and
β = 0.157; p ≤ 0.01) respectively. Furthermore,
smallholder farmers’ sex, marital status, household size, and the number of acres grown to
common beans significantly influenced actual use of quality seed at (β = 0.199, p ≤
0.001; β = 0.128, p ≤ 0.01; β = -0.125, p ≤ 0.05; and β = 0.219, p ≤ 0.001) respectively.
It is then concluded that beliefs, preferred attributes, knowledge, attitude and intention
vary considerably among smallholder farmers. Hence, the study, recommends that the
efforts aimed at increasing the use of quality seed should address beliefs, attributes
preferred, awareness creation and knowledge provision on quality seed. Smallholder
farmers should be empowered to build their ability to acquire and confidence to use
quality seed of improved common bean varieties.
Key words: Common beans, Improved common bean varieties, Quality seed of improved
common bean varieties, beliefs, preferences, knowledge, attitude, perceived
behavioural control, intention