Determinants of adoption and use intensity of organic fertilizer

This study evaluates the determinants of adoption and use intensity of organic fertilizer among smallholder potato farmers using primary data collected from 189 smallholder farmers in three municipal areas in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, using a multi-stage sampling technique. The analytical framework incorporates descriptive statistics and Cragg’s double-hurdle model. Empirical results indicate that household head gender, household size, access to credit, access to extension services, knowledge of organic fertilizer usage, land ownership, livestock size, and access to social grants significantly influence organic fertilizer adoption, while age of farmer, knowledge of organic fertilizer usage, farm size, and size of livestock holding significantly influence the use intensity of organic fertilizer. This study supports the development of appropriate options for farmers with low livestock holdings, and suggests that there is a need to enhance smallholder farmers’ access to extension support and facilitate the dissemination of technical information and knowledge of organic fertilizer usage. There is also a need for improvement and development of policies that encourage the redistribution of land ownership rights among smallholder farmers.