Maize is a staple food for most households in Kenya and is grown in almost all agroecological
zones. In the moist mid-altitude zone of western Kenya, which is drought prone
and Striga weed infested, on-farm maize yield is too low to keep up with the rate of
population growth, leading to serious food insecurity and poverty. The low yield is associated
with low adoption of productivity improving technologies such as improved seed, which
many farmers believe is inappropriate. The objectives of this study were to determine maize
varieties farmers grow, farmers’ preferences in choice of the varieties and to evaluate farmers’
perceptions of constraints to maize production, on which basis research strategies for
improvement of maize production could be formulated. The study, which was conducted in 5
villages sampled from 3 Districts, involved 8 focus group discussions composed of 83 male
and 60 female farmers and interviews of individual key informants using a checklist. Scoring
and ranking techniques were used to assess farmers’ preferences and constraints. Nearly 80%
of the farmers predominantly grow local maize varieties, whose seed they recycle for many
seasons, whilst about 20% grow improved varieties, often in addition to the local varieties.
The key farmers’ criteria for variety selection, in order of importance, are high yield, early
maturity, tolerance to stresses especially Striga, drought and insect pests, low costs of
acquiring seed, and ability of a variety to give reasonable yield without application of
external inputs, especially fertilizers and pesticides. The main constraints to maize production
are low soil fertility, poor cash flows, market failures and pests. Striga is considered the
most important pest, followed by weevils and stem borer. For increased maize production,
research scientists should take into consideration the farmers’ circumstances and develop
appropriate maize varieties and crop management packages in order to increase likelihood of
the technology adoption. This study shows how an interdisciplinary team of KARI and
CIMMYT scientists involved farmers not only as end-users of maize technologies, but also as
essential contributors to formulation maize breeding research agenda that address the
farmers’ preferences and conditions.