Gendered drivers of post-adoption abandonment of rain-fed upland “New Rice for Africa” (NERICA) rice varieties in central Benin

This study investigated the post-adoption outcomes of upland “New Rice for Africa” (NERICA) rice dissemination in central Benin. Using a 2016 follow-up survey of 296 smallholders, it traces cultivation patterns after national promotion programs (2006–2010). Although 82 per cent of surveyed farmers cultivated rice in 2011, by 2015, only 28 per cent continued and fewer than 5 per cent retained NERICA. Farmers cited low rainfall, poor soil fertility, and unattractive market prices as major reasons for abandonment, and most shifted to soybean and maize, which are considered more drought-tolerant and profitable. Gender-disaggregated analysis revealed distinct patterns: men farmers who abandoned rice were more likely to have used credit and invested larger sums in agriculture, whereas women farmers who discontinued rice were often farmer group members and had received extension training, factors that had initially facilitated adoption. The findings highlight the importance of climate-sensitive and gender-responsive feasibility assessments, along with continuous post-dissemination evaluations, when promoting improved rice varieties in SSA.