Impact of bundled improved agricultural technologies on food security among maize farmers in Uganda

Abstract

Food security is put at risk by the fragmented and poor adoption of improved agricultural technology among Uganda's smallholder maize farmers, despite their potential for rising agricultural output. To examine the effect of the extent of adopting complementary technology packages on household food security, this study extends beyond a binary adoption analysis. The study uses a Markov process to characterize adoption trends, a fractional probit model to identify drivers of adoption intensity, and panel fixed models to quantify causal impacts on food security using a three-wave panel dataset (2015/16, 2018/19, 2019/20) from the Uganda National Panel Survey. Key findings show major rates of dis-adoption, path dependency, and a persistent condition of non-adoption (almost 90% of families). Access to extension services, irrigation access and male-headed households all have a positive effect on adoption intensity while exposure to shocks showed a negative effect on adoption intensity. Research results show that increasing the use of technology bundles improves food security in a significant way. Adoption of complementary bundles increased the Food Consumption Score and lowered the Food Expenditure Share. The study concludes that to achieve significant improvements in food security for Ugandan smallholders, it is crucial to promote the increased and continuous adoption of complementary technology bundles rather than isolated inputs