Abstract

OSORIO-GARCIA, Nemesio et al. Technology use, offer and demand for maize production in valle de Puebla, México. agric. soc. desarro [online]. 2012, vol.9, n.1, pp.55-69. ISSN 1870-5472.

The objective of this study was to determine what the current situation is in terms of technology use, offer and demand, generated to increase maize production in Valle de Puebla. Surveys were applied to a random sample of 111 farmers in three municipalities of Valle de Puebla. Results show that farmers are small-scale producers, and 68.6% of them demonstrated a high degree of technology adoption, with the crop population density standing out at 82.8%, nitrogen at 77.6% and phosphorous at 63.6%. The least used technological components were sowing period and fertilization opportunity. Grasshopper was the most important plague and only 63.4% of the farmers controlled it. Another aspect with negative influence on maize yield was that only 25.2% of the farmers used herbicide during crop development. With the exception of fertilizers and insecticides, the technological offer has decreased drastically, since only 47.7% of the farmers received technical recommendations, possibly due to the considerable decrease in activities from institutions that support the agricultural sector; thus, 72% of the farmers manifested a demand for technology for maize cultivation.

Keywords : technology adoption; peasant agriculture; technological innovation; agricultural policy.

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