Final version of Tropical Legumes II Project Report for Phase 1 - icrisat

Supply of important traits by the improved varieties
When IITA started soybean breeding, yields were less than 500 kg per ha in Nigeria and in most African
countries but through the use of IITA varieties, the national average yield has increased by more than
50% in West African countries. Of equal importance is the fact that through IITA’s breeding work
on soybean, a genetic gain of 2.1%, 3.2% and 3.6% per year for early, medium and late varieties,
respectively, has been realized in two decades.
Across the globe, soybean has a wide diversity of varieties; however, some of the varieties popularly
grown by farmers in Nigeria are: M351, Samsoy 1 and 2, TGx 536-02D, TGx 923-1E, TGx 1440- 1E,
TGx 1448-2E, TGx 306-036C, and TGx 1485-1D, and improved soybean varieties released in Nigeria
include TGx 849-313D, TGx 1019-2EN, TGx 1019-2EB, TGx 1447-2E, TGx 536- 02D, TGx 306-036C,
TGx 1485-1D, and TGx 1440-1E. A good number of the improved varieties are a result of IITA’s breeding
work. Again, IITA has developed a large number of superior promiscuous soybean lines ready to be
utilized by national programs for testing and release as new varieties. In the early, medium and late
maturity groups there are 35, 30 and 21 lines available, respectively.
Baseline status of adoption of improved varieties
Early adoption of improved varieties in northern Nigeria
Farmers have been using improved soybean varieties since the 1970s with a level of awareness varying
from 2% to 15% in 2005 and a peak of 59% between 2006 and 2010. TL II project made some
contribution through on-farm trials, demonstrations, seed multiplication and delivery. The frequency
of farmers using improved varieties for the first time increased gradually from 2% to 13.4% from 1986
to 2000 and peaked at 79% in the period over which the TL II project was implemented. The adoption
rate calculated using the proportion of farmers who have growing at least one improved soybean
variety during the promotional soybean varieties activities initiated under the TL II project is therefore
estimated at 79%. The improved soybean varieties introduced include TGX 1955-5F the most popular,
followed by TGX 1835-20e and TGX 1448-2e (7% of respondents). Other varieties like TGX1940 (.21%
of respondents) TGX1950, TGX1951 and TGX1954 have lower adoption rate.
Assessing determinants of farmers’ participation in TL II soybean promotion activities
The involvement of farmers in seed multiplication programs has been important in raising awareness
about improved varieties. Results from the surveys indicate that adoption of improved varieties of
soybean promoted under TL II project is influenced by gender, access to information (contact with
research and extension) experience in soybean production and availability of markets for input and
products.
The degree of adoption of soybean varieties is measured by the proportion of land cropped with the
various soybean varieties. Among the improved varieties, TGx 1955-5F occupies 36% of farm land,
followed by TGx 1835-10E (15%), TGx 1830-20E (9.4%), TGx 1448-2E (9%) and TGx 1904-6F (8%).
The average area of land cropped for soybean at household level is 0.72 ha.
Farmers’ access to other sources of income outside farming activities is important in the adoption of
improved varieties of soybean. This implies that the intensity of adoption depends on external source of
income. The extra income generated can be used to purchase farming inputs (seeds, chemicals, labour).
It may also be that the farmer is more ready to risk his farm income by using improved varieties because
his income sources are diversified. Nothing stops the farmer from using income from local varieties to
fund other inputs if he believes he’ll make more money using improved varieties. Also, it may be that the
real correlation is between (farmer’s income level * adoption rate) and that farmers with higher non-farm
income tend to be richer.
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Engaging Smallholder Farmers | Tropical Legumes II Project