Abstract:
Post-harvest handling technologies like Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags are so
effective in reducing post-harvest losses and improve food security. Despite the potential of PICS
bags in reducing post-harvest losses, the adoption of PICS bags is still low and a good fraction
of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) farmers continue to practice their traditional methods. The current
study aimed at exploring socio-economic determinants of maize smallholder farmers’ adoption
of PICS bags in Mbozi District. The data on which the paper is based were collected from four
villages of Mbozi District using a mixed research approach. A cross-sectional research design
was adopted whereby data were collected at once. Quantitative data were collected using a
structured questionnaire with 120 respondents who were selected using simple random
sampling. Qualitative data were collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) and Key
Informants Interviews (KIIs) and analysed using content analysis. Quantitative data were
analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS), whereby descriptive statistics
such as frequency, mean, standard deviation, and percentages were determined. In addition, a
binary logistic regression model was used to determine association of some key socio-economic
factors and adoption of Purdue Crop Storage (PICS) bags., The results from the logistic
regression show that, gender of the household head, education of the household head, maize
farming experience of the household head, access of the household to credit, and access of the
household head to training on PICS were found to be important predictors of household
adoption of PICS (p < 0.05). Therefore, the paper recommends that, the Local Government and
other stakeholders should train smallholder farmers on PICS and creates awareness in order to
help to increase understanding of PICS bags among more maize farmers. There is a need for
more advocacy initiatives by stakeholders on subsidizing the costs of PICS bags in order to
improve the adoption of PICS bags by farmers.
