Modeling Preference and Willingness to Pay for Drought Tolerance (DT) in Maize in Rural Zimbabwe.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Economics
• Crop Science
• Food Security

Background:

• Maize is crucial for food security in southern Africa but vulnerable to drought.
• Developing drought-tolerant maize is a regional priority, but adoption hinges on perceived value and willingness to pay.
• Understanding farmer preferences is key to successful adoption of improved maize varieties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for drought tolerance in maize in Zimbabwe.
• To compare the implicit value of drought tolerance against other desirable maize traits.
• To inform strategies for promoting drought-tolerant maize adoption.

Main Methods:

• A choice experiment framework was employed with 1,400 households across 14 districts in Zimbabwe.
• 12,600 observations were collected to estimate trait preferences and willingness to pay.
• The generalized multinomial logit (G-MNL) model was used for parameter estimation.

Main Results:

• Drought tolerance, grain yield, covered cob tip, cob size, and semi-flint texture were the most preferred traits.
• Farmers' willingness to pay a premium for drought tolerance was 2.56x higher than for increased yield, 7x higher than for bigger cob size, 3.2x higher than for larger grain size, and 5x higher than for covered cob tip.
• These findings highlight the significant economic value farmers place on drought resilience.

Conclusions:

• Trait-based promotion and marketing of drought-tolerant maize varieties are recommended.
• Innovative strategies and awareness campaigns are needed to enhance understanding of drought risk and promote adoption.
• Addressing farmer preferences is crucial for enhancing maize resilience and food security in drought-prone regions.