Farmers’ Perceptions and Adoption of Improved Open-Pollinated Maize in Limpopo, South Africa

To overcome the perennial shortages of quality planting seed faced by smallholder and subsistence farmers in developing countries, governments (including the South African Department of Agriculture) embarked on various initiatives, among which were community-based seed production and supply schemes (CBSPS). In this article, we investigate the farmers’ perceptions and knowledge of the improved open-pollinated (OPV) maize released by the CBSPS in the Limpopo province, South Africa, and how these influence its adoption. The study population comprised all CBSPS members who planted OPV maize in the Polokwane and Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipalities in the Capricorn district. To ensure comparative analysis, an equal number of non-scheme member maize farmers in each village of the scheme members was also selected. In the study, we used a cross-sectional survey design, and prepared a semi-structured questionnaire in which the Düvel framework was used to analyse farmers’ perceptions of OPV maize. The data were collected from all 100 selected farmers using personal, face-to-face interviews in 2017, and analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics. The hypothesis tests found that scheme members and non-scheme members alike who planted OPV maize believed that OPV maize had advantages and also no disadvantages compared to the recycled maize they planted previously. A significant positive relationship was found between the respondents’ “awareness–knowledge” of OPV maize and their planting it. These results have important implications for promoting OPV maize among farmers. The study results also indicate that the Düvel framework consistently yields expected results, therefore contributing to extension theory.