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Maize is an important cereal crop for food security in Ethiopia. However, its productivity is low with average grain yields of less than 1 ton/ha which is below its potential of over 4 ton/ha. This is attributed to a variety of biophysical as well as socio-economic and institutional factors including weak linkages between research and practice. Despite high investments and the existence of technologies to improve smallholder maize productivity, there are low rates of adoption and even rejection. This is partly attributed to the non-participatory nature and linear structure of agricultural extension delivery systems which is not tailored to the potentials of different agro-ecological zones and the needs of the farmers. An analysis based on an innovation systems approach was considered in this study as a possible strategy to explore how researchers and other stakeholders can work together during technology planning and implementation. The Push-pull technology (PPT) was used as a boundary object to provide an opportunity for collaboration, interaction and learning among the stakeholders. The PPT is a biological based strategy for stemborer pest control in maize. In this strategy, maize crop is intercropped with a fodder legume, Desmodium (the push), together with an attractant trap plant, Napier/Brachiaria grass (the pull), planted around maize-legume intercrop. Using a transdisciplinary action research process, the study was implemented in Bako, Jimma Arjo and Yayu Woredas in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Qualitative research methods were used in data collection: 37 key informant interviews, 20 Focus Group discussions, 2 stakeholder workshops, on-farm practical demonstrations and participant observations. The study lasted 8 months from August 2014 to April 2015. The qualitative data were manually transcribed into themes and analyzed using content analysis and interpreted in relation with research objectives, concepts and theories used in this study. The findings show that the PPT implementation involving ...
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