Economics of integrating push-pull technology in maize-dairy farming systems in eastern Uganda

Cereals particularly maize, are the most essential food and cash crops for majority of smallholder households in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In maize production, small-sized producers are confronted with different constraints including stemborers, Striga and degraded soil leading to poor crop yields. In response to these challenges, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and collaborators came up with a habitat management approach; the Push-pull Technology (PPT) for simultaneous restrain of the three key constraints. Despite high adoption of PPT in East Africa, its impact has not been fully understood in the region. This study characterizes farming systems and assesses factors that instigate their preference; it evaluates the economic performance of PPT when integrated in maize-dairy farming systems and determines the impact of PPT on household welfare. The study uses both primary and secondary data and simple random sampling to collect data from 560 households. Multivariate analysis, Binomial logit, Dynamic Research for Evaluation Management (DREAM) model, and Generalized Propensity Score (GPS) were utilized in the analysis. Outcomes confirm that household size, age, farm size, membership to community groups, and participation in PPT significantly influence the choice of farming system. Net Present Value, the Internal Rate of Return, the Benefit to Cost Ratio and gains to households supported the economic viability PPT. GPS dose-response function estimates revealed a positive and significant average effect of the intensity of PPT adoption on maize yield,incomes and poverty reduction. This study concludes that proper implementation of PPT offers the prospect of monetary benefits to households; also PPT has a positive impact on rural poverty in Uganda. Agricultural policies that target farm household food security and poverty reduction in maize-dairy based systems in Uganda and elsewhere should explicitly encourage further up-scaling and dissemination of PPT.