Determinants of adoption of Bt cotton among smallholder cotton producers in Kitui and Kisumu counties, Kenya.

The Government of Kenya acknowledges the importance of the cotton industry in the country's development agenda, particularly under the manufacturing pillar. To revitalize the industry, the government approved Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton for commercial production in 2019. Bt cotton is promoted on the grounds that it is resistant to pests such as bollworms which can lead to a reduction in the use of pesticides, improve productivity, and in the long run deliver increased profits to farmers. While Bt Cotton has been promoted since 2019, evidence of its adoption among smallholder farmers is limited. This study assessed the determinants of Bt-cotton adoption among smallholder cotton producers in Kitui and Kisumu counties, Kenya. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 389 households that were selected randomly in Kisumu (192 households) and Kitui Counties (197 households). Among the total sampled households (389), 242 were cotton farming households and 147 were households that were not growing cotton. However, in this study context, the analysis proceeded with the 242 cotton-growing households. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Heckman’s two-stage regression model. The descriptive results showed that nearly half (47.5%) of the cotton-producing households were involved in producing the Bt cotton variety. Heckman’s two-stage model showed that increased access to land for farming (p=0.002), access to extension service (p=0.025), and expected benefits of Bt cotton (early maturity (p=0.000), and better quality of fibre had a positive influence (p=0.010) on adoption, while the distance to the output market (p=0.004) and soil fertility (p=0.076) had a negative influence on adoption. The results further showed that the intensity of adoption increased with household expenditure (p=0.012), access to credit (p=0.096), and having a positive perception of Bt cotton being drought tolerant (p=0.024). Larger household sizes (p=0.096), Bt cotton early maturity attribute (p=0.002), crop diversification (p=0.044), and increased access to land (p=0.002) had a negative influence on the intensity of adoption. The results revealed that farm and farmer characteristics, economic, and institutional factors, and attributes of Bt cotton are found to be determinants of the adoption of Bt cotton. The study recommends that the public and private sectors promote access to extension services, markets, and credit to improve the uptake of Bt cotton in Kenya.