Farmers’ own evaluation criteria in the continued use of adopted improved maize seed varieties

Use of improved maize seed varieties has been continuously recommended to farmers by the government of Tanzania to increase crop productivity. Maize varieties are developed at research centres and seed companies like SEEDCO and PANNAR. In Tanzania, farmers grow both open pollinated and hybrid varieties, in addition to local unimproved varieties. The objective of this study was to assess the evaluation criteria used by farmer to make decisions whether to continue growing an improved maize variety. A total of 286 farmers from eight wards and 11 villages selected through a multistage sampling technique were interviewed in this study. Data were analyzed using SPPS. Results show that high yield, early maturity, drought resistance, resistance to pests and disease, and large grain size were the main considerations by farmers for selecting a variety to grow the next season.