Integrated Technology Adoption and Agricultural Productivity: Evidence from M&E- Supported Interventions

Agricultural technology adoption is widely promoted to enhance smallholder productivity, yet evidence on how the intensity of adoption influences outcomes remains limited. This study investigates the cumulative effects of multiple technologies disseminated through Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) supported interventions on crop yields. A cross-sectional survey of 120 household heads, selected using multistage random sampling was complemented by key informant interviews. One-way ANOVA compared crop yields across adoption levels, while multiple linear regression examined the effects of adoption intensity and selected farmer and project-related factors on productivity. Results show that farmers implementing multiple technologies per crop achieved significantly higher yields than those adopting fewer innovations. Yield gains were particularly notable for maize and sunflower when two or more technologies were adopted, and for sorghum when three technologies were adopted. Regression analysis confirmed that adoption intensity positively influenced productivity (β = 0.168, p = 0.036), whereas greater farming experience was negatively associated with yield (β = –0.269, p = 0.008), suggesting that entrenched routines may limit responsiveness to new innovations. Participation in training had a positive but non-significant effect, underscoring the importance of training quality and relevance. The study highlights that synergistic adoption of complementary technologies drives productivity while accumulated experience may constrain adaptive change. These findings underscore the need for interventions that promote integrated technology packages, context-sensitive training and targeted engagement with experienced farmers to support sustainable productivity growth and effective innovation uptake among smallholders.