Smallholder seed choices under risk and uncertainty: Reflective and automatic processes shaping adoption of improved maize varieties in Uganda

Many farmers in Uganda do not buy improved maize varieties, even when they can give better harvests and match their needs. This thesis examines how careful reasoning and automatic influences, such as trust, habits and past experiences, shape smallholder seed choices. It shows that low adoption is not simply because farmers do not want improved varieties. Instead, farmers make these choices in situations where trust in certification is fragile, money is tight, agricultural risks are high, and family roles matter. Women and men face many similar risks, but household roles, decision-making, and social norms shape which concerns matter most and which seed choices seem appropriate. In such settings, providing information alone is rarely enough. Trust, habits, past experiences, and gendered responsibilities all shape whether adopting improved maize varieties is seen as a realistic option. This matters because policies and programs are more likely to work when they fit how farmers make decisions in everyday life.