Socio-economic Determinants of Adoption of Good Cashew Production Practices in Benin Republic

Abstract

This study analysed factors that drive producers’ decision to adopt good production practices in cashew production. Data were collected from 395 randomly selected producers from 23 top favourable municipalities (based on criteria such as climate, soil, and disease management) for cashew production in Benin. A multivariate probit regression model was used to estimate the determinants of the adoption of good practices. Findings showed that 70.38% of the cashew producers use firebreaks, 58.23% carried out thinning and 18.48% employed good pest and disease management practices. Overall, the adoption of good agricultural practices in cashew production was negatively influenced by the farm-to-market distance, the sex of the cashew producer and positively correlated with the cashew land size owned; the income from cashew production, membership of a cooperative group,contact with a research agency, participation in agricultural training and perception of good cashew production practices. The pace of adoption of pest and disease management practices is still low yet pests and diseases are one of the major constraints to cashew production. Policies and programs that support cashew production to focus on strengthening the capacities of producers through adequate extension services delivery, and by considering their access to productive resources.