37 AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION SYSTEM INTERVENTIONS AND TECHNOLOGY USE IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF INORGANIC FERTILIZERS IN RURAL MALAWI Mariam ATJ Mapila, Johann F Kirsten and Ferdinand H Meyer ABSTRACT This paper highlights the factors determining the decision to use inorganic fertilizer over a five year period in a rural community in Malawi, given changing macro-level fertilizer subsidy programs and the micro-level work of agricultural research interventions that were driven by innovation system concepts. The results indicate that different factors that influence households’ ability and willingness to purchase inorganic fertilizers were found to positively and significantly influence the decision to use inorganic fertilizer in varying degrees in different cropping seasons. Participation in innovative agricultural research interventions was however, found to negatively affect fertilizer use as the system of beneficiary identification was subjective and dependent upon criteria set by local traditional leaders and extension agents. The paper concludes that the current system of fertilizer coupon distribution in Malawi leads to discrimination against households that are viewed as better off. The results imply that there is the need to mainstream agricultural innovation systems concepts in all public agricultural research and extension programs, so that beneficiaries are not considered better off and hence excluded from social welfare programs to which they are entitled. Keywords: Logistic regression modeling, Enabling Rural Innovation, Input fertilizer subsidy INTRODUCTION The use of Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) has been promoted in many African countries to implement agricultural research interventions in rural communities. It is generally acknowledged that investments in agricultural research can improve the delivery of research outputs; have the potential to enhance rural livelihoods and the adoption of improved technologies. Furthermore, evidence exists that any small improvement in the income of rural individuals, which can be brought about by the adoption and utilization of improved agricultural technologies, has the potential to bring significant improvements in rural livelihoods (Delgado, Hopkins, & Kelly, 1998; Mwabu & Thorbecke, 2004; Spielman, 2005). Despite this, the literature on adoption lacks studies that assess the role that agricultural interventions using innovation system concepts play in influencing the adoption of improved technologies, such as inorganic fertilizer and/or improved hybrid seed for agricultural production. In view of this, the objective of this article is to assess the role that agricultural research interventions that are promoted through the innovation systems concepts play in influencing the decision to use improved agricultural technologies in rural Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa (Volume 12, No.5, 2010) ISSN: 1520-5509 Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, Pennsylvania