POTENTIAL OF PASTURE LEGUMES IN LOW-EXTERNAL-INPUT AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (LEISA). 2. FARMER ADAPTATION OF STARTER TECHNOLOGY BY FARMER RESEARCH GROUPS IN LUAPULA PROVINCE, ZAMBIA

2001 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Steinmaier
Keyword(s):  
Cropping Systems ◽  
External Input ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Green Manuring ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Low External Input

The participatory approach of Farmer Research Groups (FRGs) was used in Farmer Adaptation of Starter Technology (FAST) with small-scale farmers in Luapula Province, Zambia. The introduction of a starter technology proved to be a suitable method to induce self-help initiatives with farmers. Their first move in FAST related to the improvement of food security and income generation by the cultivation and marketing of new maize (Zea mays) varieties in wetlands during the dry and early rainy seasons. By informal on-farm seed multiplication the expenditure on external agricultural inputs was reduced. The technical aspects of the starter technology began with the integration of pasture legumes as a pioneer crop for green manuring purposes in maize production. In this respect, FRGs developed individual risk-aversion strategies to ensure early planting of the maize with the onset of the rains. The groups made adaptations such as biomass transfer, intercropping and crop rotations in order to integrate pasture legumes into current cropping systems for green manuring purposes.

POTENTIAL OF PASTURE LEGUMES IN LOW-EXTERNAL-INPUT AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (LEISA). 1. RESULTS FROM GREEN MANURE RESEARCH IN LUAPULA PROVINCE, ZAMBIA

2001 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Steinmaier ◽  
A. Ngoliya
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Mineral Fertilizer ◽  
External Input ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Rhodes Grass ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Low External Input ◽  
Pasture Legume

In view of soil fertility problems and financial constraints identified in small-scale farming, on-station investigations on Low-External-Input and Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) were started by the Farming Systems Research Team Luapula Province (FSRT-LP) in order to assess the potential of three annual and six perennial pasture legume species for green manuring purposes. Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana cv NIRS Boma) was used as a control. Over two seasons, a pasture legume-maize rotation trial was established. Different mineral fertilizer amounts were applied to the maize. Of all the species and cultivars tested, the perennial glycine (Neonotonia wightii cv Cooper) had the strongest green manure effect when no mineral fertilizer was applied. Of the annual pasture legumes, sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea cv. NIRS 3) and velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens cv. NIRS 16) showed the greatest green manure potential at zero mineral fertilizer level. There were strong indications that the carbon:nitrogen ratio influenced the green manure potential of a species more than its ability to produce biomass. The need to assess the economics and sustainability of current mineral fertilizer practices on maize has been identified.

scholarly journals Agronomic and Economic Performance Characteristics of Conventional and Low-External-Input Cropping Systems in the Central Corn Belt

2008 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. AGJ2AGRONJ20070222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Liebman ◽  
Lance R. Gibson ◽  
David N. Sundberg ◽  
Andrew H. Heggenstaller ◽  
Paula R. Westerman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Performance ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
External Input ◽  
Performance Characteristics ◽  
Corn Belt ◽  
Low External Input

scholarly journals Economics and Technical Efficiency of Maize Production Among Small Scale Farmers in Abuja, Nigeria: Stochastic Frontier Model Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Ebukiba ◽  
L. Anthony ◽  
S. M. Adamu
Keyword(s):  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Model ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Model Approach

This study evaluated Economics and Technical Efficiency of Maize Production Among Small Scale Farmers in Abuja, Nigeria; Stochastic Frontier Model Approach; Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted and used. Primary data were collected through the use of well-structured questionnaire from one hundred and fifty (150) sampled respondents in the study area. Data were analyzed to achieve the specified objectives using the following tools of analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Stochastic Frontier, Gross Margin Analysis, Financial Analysis, Five Point Likert Scale, and Principal Components Analysis. The results show that majority 40.47% of the sampled respondents were among the age range of 41-50 years of age and 25.33% were within the age bracket of 31-40 years of age. The mean age of the sampled farmers is 44 years. Which indicated that Young and energetic farmers are able to withstand stress and adopt new innovations. Most 88.67% of the farmers were male. Majority 72.67% were married. The mean household size of the sampled respondents is 6 members per family. Majority (67%) of the small-scale maize farmers had 1-2 ha of land and the average farm size cultivated by the farmers was 2.576 ha. The factors influencing total output of maize were seed input (P<0.01), Farm Size (P<0.05), quantity of fertilizer (P<0.05), and labour input (P<0.01) were statistically significant variables. The results of the inefficiency components show that the factors influencing technical inefficiency includes: age (P<0.01), education (P<0.01), access to credit (P<0.05), farming experience, and household size (P<0.05) and were statistically significant. The total revenue realized by the sampled small-scale maize farmers was N238,317 on average. While the total variable costs on average basis was N109,702.93. The gross margin realized was N128667.07. The gross margin ratio was 0.54 while operating ratio calculated was 0.857 and the rate of return on investment (RORI) was 1.17. The retained component from the constraint’s analysis include Lack of Improve Seed, Lack of Transportation, Poor Storage Facilities, Inadequate Capital, and Cattle Herdsmen. The retained components explained 60% of the variation of the component included in the model. The study therefore, recommends that affordable loans and adequate capital should be made available to the small-scale maize farmers, farmers should be properly trained and educated by the non-governmental organizations and extension agents on chemical application, fertilizer use and pests and diseases control measures especially on integrated pest management (IPM). Inputs like improve seeds, fertilizer, and chemicals should be made available to farmers at subsidized rates and at appropriate time coinciding with production periods for proper usage. Provisions should be made for transportation and storage facilities for farmers, the issue of conflict between farmers and herdsmen should be brought to book and resolved amicably for peaceful coexistence.

scholarly journals Resource Use Efficiency in Maize Production by Small-Scale Farmers in Two Districts of Mwanza Region, Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Gongwe Anne. G. ◽  
Kongolo M.
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Returns To Scale ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Resource Use Efficiency ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Increasing Returns To Scale ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Soil Preparation ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

This study investigates the resource use efficiency in the production of maize by small-scale farmers in Mwanza region. Specifically, the study seeks to determine what the resources that farmers use in maize production and also seeks to determine the challenges that farmers face in maize production in the study area. This study was conducted in two districts of Mwanza region. In each of the district, the study sampled three wards and randomly selected twelve small-scale farmers from each of the three wards selected. In total 72 small-scale farmers were selected from whom the data was collected. A Cobb-Douglas production function was used to fit and analyse the data for its good fit. The R² was 0.77, indicating that 77 percent of the variation in dependent variable was explained by the independent variables of the model. The use of inputs in the production of maize was noted to be increasing returns to scale. The results indicated that variables land (X1), labour (X2), age (X6), and experience (X8) were all positive and significant at the 1% while soil preparation (X4) variable was negative but significant at the 5%. The major constraints to maize production included lack of fertilizer (manure), finance (capital) and access to land. The study concluded that more exposure of small-scale farmers to frequent extension services is important to assist them to produce efficiently.

scholarly journals Potentials of hybrid maize varieties for small-holder farmers in Kenya: A review based on swot analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (57) ◽  
pp. 7562-7586
Author(s):  
C Schroeder ◽  
◽  
T Onyango K’Oloo ◽  
NB Ranabhat ◽  
NA Jick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Marginal Areas ◽  
Maize Varieties ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Hybrid Maize

Maize is the primary staple crop in Kenya and plays an important role in the livelihood of the people of Kenya. Its availability and abundance determines the level of welfare and food security in the country. In Kenya, future increases in maize production to meet domestic demand will have to rely on improvements in yield per hectare rather than on the expansion of maize production area. Enhanced maize productivity can be achieved by increased use of modern production techniques such as the adoption of hybrid maize varieties, the use of chemicals and fertilizer application. Small-scale maize prodcution plays a major role in Kenya’s maize economy and adoption of hybrid technology by small-scale farmers would have the potential to address sustainability and supply issues. However, such modern technologies are still rarely used by Kenya’s small-scale farmers, particularly by those in marginal areas. This study, therefore, tries to review the reasons for the low rate of adoption of hybrid maize varieties among small-scale farmers with focus on those smallholders in Kenya’s marginal areas. Lack of awareness of existing or newly released hybrid varieties, lack of hybrid varieties adapted to marginal areas, lack of confidence in the quality of some hybrid maize seeds, poor access to stockists, low profitability due to high seed cost, inadequate access to credit, the need for fertilizer application and low literacy level have been found to be important factors explaining the low adoption rates by smallholder maize producers in marginal areas. In addition, these constraints might also explain the widespread practice of recycling hybrid grain among small-scale farmers once they have adopted hybrid maize varieties. Therefore, it is hoped that by overcoming these constraints, the adoption of hybrid maize varieties among smallholder farmers could be greatly enhanced, which in turn could lead to a significant positive impact on the country’s food security situation.

scholarly journals Small Scale Maize Farmers Attitude towards Opinion Leaders in the Western Region of Kenya in the Agricultural Reform Era

2021 ◽  
Vol 04 (06) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adijah Mukabana Olubandwa
Keyword(s):  
Random Sampling ◽  
Opinion Leaders ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Western Region ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Systematic Random Sampling ◽  
The Western Region ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Local Leaders ◽  
Extension Staff

Agricultural reforms in Kenya led to the government cutting down incentives to small scale farmers. These also coincided with reduction of agricultural extension staff hence farmers have to rely on advice from opinion leaders. The study looked at farmers’ attitude towards opinion leaders on maize farming in the western region of Kenya because maize is the main staple for most of the Kenyan population and Western Region is the food basket. The study used Ex-post facto research design via cross sectional survey. The counties were purposively selected to represent the Western Region of Kenya. Two sub-counties from each of the four Counties were selected by simple random sampling. Small scale farmers were selected from focal areas through systematic random sampling. Four key informants were sampled purposefully based on their positions of authority. In addition, 52 extension staffs were sampled through systematic random sampling. The small scale farmers were interviewed with the help of interview schedule containing both open and closed ended questions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that a high percentage of respondents from all the study Counties agreed that what other farmers said about maize production helped them to invest in the enterprise. The study concluded that small scale farmers from all the Counties, were influenced by other farmers to invest in maize production. In addition most of the respondents always followed the recommendations given by the chief and other local leaders concerning agricultural production. The study recommended that extension staff use farmer groups and local leaders to ensure that the innovations are diffused to a large number of farmers.

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