Beyond diffusion to sustained adoption of innovation: A case of smallholder poultry development in sub-Saharan Africa

Enhancing smallholder chicken production and productivity is an integral component of agricultural development strategies in sub-Saharan Africa. The African Chicken Genetic Gain (ACGG) project has been testing, identifying, and disseminating tropically adapted improved breeds (TAIBs) in Africa to improve the production and productivity of the sector. We applied a multimethod approach and integrated analysis to explore the overall feasibility of TAIBs under smallholder management conditions and documented evidence for sustained adoption. We used data from a baseline survey, on-farm experiment, cluster-randomized study, and market assessment survey to analyse the technical, economic, social, and environmental feasibility of TAIBs adoption under smallholder management conditions. The multimethod approach attests TAIBs as a sustainable technological alternative to smallholder chicken producers in the region. Most smallholder farmers prefer TAIBs to indigenous breeds, and TAIBs-based production enhance producers’ consumption and income generation goals. Moreover, adopting these breeds generates higher economic gains, is socially viable, is technically feasible, and has mitigable environmental risks. However, sustained adoption requires delivery models, capacity building, marketing and financial models, and integrated risks reduction strategies. We argue that demonstrating innovations’ economic, social, technical, and ecological viability and enhancing access to efficient input and output markets are vital for sustained agricultural technology adoption.