HYBRID OR OPEN POLLINATED MAIZE VARIETIES? A SOCIOECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF NEPALESE FARMERS’ EXPERIENCES

Analysis of factors affecting adoption of hybrid and open pollinated maize varieties had not been taken yet in Nepal. Viewing this fact, this study was undertaken consisting of four purposively selected VDCs from two central Terai districts, Bara and Sarlahi, of Nepal. A total of 110 maize growers including 86 adopters and 24 non adopters of hybrid maize varieties (adopters of open pollinated maize varieties) were interviewed with the help of structured questionnaire. Results of t-test showed that adopters of hybrid maize varieties had significantly larger farm size and, size of maize farm, were more experienced on maize farming, and used significantly higher amount of chemical fertilizers but lower amount of organic manures than the non-adopters. Further, more adopters used irrigation water, pesticides and hired labor than the non-adopters. The result showed that a substantial proportion of land area grown to maize was cultivated to hybrid maize varieties with an adoption rate of 81.9 % while the adoption rate for open pollinated varieties was estimated as 18.1%. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis showed that adoption of hybrid maize was positively influenced by farm size, irrigation availability, farmer’s attitude towards insect and disease tolerance characteristics of hybrid maize, male headed family and credit availability in the surveyed area. However, farming experience on maize was negatively associated with the adoption of hybrid maize varieties.