The role of rural land registration and certification program for land tenure security in Hulet Eju Enese District, Amhara National Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia
September 2017
Land tenure security is an important concept that helps to improve the productivity of a specified land. Whether the land is privately or publically owned, countries design various strategies to assure land tenure security. As a country, Ethiopia implement rural land registration and certification program in different regions. Therefore, the general objective of this article was to investigate the role of rural land...
An investigation of gender division of labour: The case of Delanta district, South Wollo zone, Ethiopia
September 2017
In the household and agricultural production, men and women are involved in different activities to ensure the availability of goods and services for family consumption and well-being. The main objective of this study is to address gender division of labour in Delanta district, South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia. It addressed the different assortment of activities that are carried out by women, and identified some drawbacks...
Factors contributing to continued dependence on family food and income among graduate farmers of School of Agriculture for Family Independence (SAFI)
September 2017
The main focus of this study was to investigate factors that contribute to continued dependence on family food and income among graduate farmers of School of Agriculture for Family Independence (SAFI) in Malawi. The study used two step sampling approach where purposive sampling was used in the first place to select SAFI graduates and secondly, systematic sampling was used to select 35 SAFI graduate farmer families for...
Analysis of factors influencing information access among rural communities in Tanzania
September 2017
Information access in rural communities of Tanzania is very important as it keeps its members aware of what happened and what happening in the world. This importance can not be undermined since it helps farmers and other members of the rural community to make the right decision about their activities. Rural community areas are surrounded by many factors which in one way or another influence or hinder accessibility...
Malawi’s experiences with the implementation of pluralistic, demand-driven and decentralised agricultural extension policy
September 2017
Clear agricultural policies and strategies are very crucial for influencing the performance of agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS). Malawi has implemented its agricultural extension policy titled “agricultural extension in the new millennium: towards pluralistic and demand driven services in Malawi” for a period of seventeen years. The policy specified seven guiding principles which include...
Patterns and problems of domestic water supply to rural communities in Enugu State, Nigeria
August 2017
This study investigated the patterns, problems and options for improved domestic water supplies to the rural communities of Enugu State, Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to determine the gap between supply and demand, physical and socio-economic variables that influence the supply situation and suggest options for improved water supply in the area. Data on water use habits were collected from 340 households, in 17...
The tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) attack in Nigeria: effect of climate change on over-sighted pest or agro-bioterrorism?
August 2017
The tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) destroyed tomato plants in seven of the Northern states in Nigeria, and has been found in two other states in the South in 2016. The study assessed the incident of the tomato leafminer attack using a questionnaire survey in one of the affected states, for a case study of the problem. A short literature review on bio-ecology of T. absoluta was also conducted, and responses to...
Value of modern extension methods in improving image and quality of extension: Perception of extension agents in Trinidad and Tobago
August 2017
Agricultural extension services have undergone a significant transformation in order to effectively address issues of poverty and hunger. It is expected that modern methods of extension will improve image and quality of extension services offered in low-income regions. In Trinidad and Tobago, vibrant and transformative initiatives include institutional pluralism, farmer-led methods, farmer field schools, plant clinics,...
Local knowledge of maturity indicators for priority fruits and vegetables in Uganda
July 2017
Local knowledge on maturity indicators is important in determining optimal time of harvesting fruits and vegetables. These farm products are increasingly becoming a valuable source of livelihood for many rural families through household consumption and trade. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of literature on the integration of local knowledge and practices in improving maturity assessment techniques with the view of...
Contributions of farmers’ organizations to rural development: Case of North West farmers’ organization in Mezam Division, Cameroon
July 2017
This works aim to discuss the contribution of farmers’ organizations to rural development, particularly the case of North West Farmers’ Organization (NOWEFOR). This study was carried out from January to November, 2014 in Mezam Division of the North west Region of Cameroon. 100 farmer’s members of NOWEFOR were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire and 20 leaders were interviewed using an...
Pre-scaling up of urea treated rice straw and supplements on fattening performance of oxen along the Rib-river, South Gondar Ethiopia
June 2017
The main objective of the study was to create a wider demand and assess the farmer’s perception on ox fattening technique by using locally available rice straw and concentrate supplementation. A total of 55 oxen with similar age and body condition were selected for the study from 44 volunteer participant farmers. Urea treated rice straw used as a basal diet and 3 kg concentrate as a supplement per ox per day were...
Analysis of farmers’ perception on the impact of land degradation hazard on agricultural land productivity in Jeldu district in West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia
June 2017
Land degradation is increasing in severity and extent in many parts of the world. Success in arresting land degradation entails an improved understanding of its causes, process, indicators and impacts. Various scientific methodologies have been employed to assess land degradation globally. However, the use of local community knowledge in elucidating the causes, process, indicators and effects of land degradation has...
Indigenous land suitability evaluation system of the Acholi tribe of Northern Uganda
May 2017
Indigenous knowledge has traditionally been the most important source of information about agricultural practices and production in many rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Modern, scientific knowledge has increasingly contested and replaced this knowledge, but has itself not always been adapted to local conditions, in contrast to indigenous knowledge that has evolved over time and is very place-specific. Since...
Factors influencing agritourism adoption by small farmers in North Carolina
May 2017
The study estimates a logit model to identify factors influencing adoption of agritourism by small farmers in North Carolina using a survey. All variables included in the model were dummies and of these having at least a college education has the greatest impact on participating in agritourism, followed by race, public access to the farm for recreation, farms with more than 50 acres of land deemed unsuitable for crop...
Assessing the farmer field school’s diffusion of knowledge and adaptation to climate change by smallholder farmers in Kiboga District, Uganda
May 2017
Farmer Field Schools (FFS) can empower farmers through meetings at demonstration sites to promote agricultural production because of discovery learning. This study empirically investigated the FFS’s diffusion of knowledge and its impact on the smallholder farmer’s adaptation to climate change in Kiboga district characterised by low rainfall pattern. A cross-sectional research design was adopted where a total...
Beekeeping practices, trends and constraints in Bale, South-eastern Ethiopia
April 2017
The study was planned to assess beekeeping practices, trends and constraints of beekeeping production in Bale, south-eastern Ethiopia in 2014/2015. Three districts were considered based on variations in agro-ecology (high, mid and lowlands). From each districts, two Rural Kebele (RKs), from each RK, 30 beekeepers and a total of 180 beekeepers were selected using purposive sampling method. The selected beekeepers were...
Assessment of honeybee enemies (pests and predators) in Bale zone, southeastern Ethiopia
April 2017
Among all constraints of beekeeping, natural bee enemies are known to cause great damage to the life and product of honeybees by causing disappearance and migration. A study was conducted in Bale from July, 2010 to June, 2012 in six districts with the objective of assessing the effect of natural bee enemies on the life of honeybees and their products. From each districts, 3 rural kebeles (RKs) and 10 beekeepers from...
Sources of information and information seeking behavior of smallholder farmers of Tanqa Abergelle Wereda, central zone of Tigray, Ethiopia
April 2017
Smallholder farmers have different information seeking behaviors which are changing through time. However, as far as the authors’ knowledge is concerned, there is no research carried out to identify it in the study area. Therefore, this research is to reveal the information seeking behavior of the Abergelle woreda smallholder farmers. For the research design, from the 19 rural kebeles of the woreda, 5 kebele were...
Perceived shortcomings of Mirte stove in Ethiopia: The case of Agarfa District, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
March 2017
The national energy balance indicates that traditional fuels (wood, charcoal, agricultural residues and animal waste) meet 94% of the total energy supplied and that the household sector accounts for 90% of the total energy consumed in the country. The vast majority of Ethiopian households depend on the open fire stoves with very poor fuel efficiency. Due to the shortage of firewood growing in Ethiopian communities,...
Farmers’ perspectives on resistance in western corn rootworm to CRW-Bt corn in Midwest USA
March 2017
Resistance in western corn rootworm to transgenic corn hybrids was first confirmed in 2011 in Midwestern USA, and threatens their continued use. Farmers are often the first line of resistance detection, so their understanding and attitudes toward this issue are critical for improving resistance management. We conducted telephone focus groups during 2013 with farmers who had experienced rootworm resistance. There were...
Rice farmers perception of effects of climate change on rice development stages in Niger State
February 2017
Rice production is limited by many biotic and abiotic factors which are aggravated when climate change induces variation in climate patterns. Predicting effects of these variations in climate parameters on rice is not straight forward because crops in growth stage are affected in a specific manner which involves tactical adjustments of cropping calendar in order to ensure optimum production. Primary data were collected...
Study of the status of collection, utilization and marketing of hides and skins in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia
February 2017
The study was conducted at Wolaita Zone Southern Ethiopia with the objective of assessing the status collection, utilization and marketing of hides and skins in the study area. Multi-stage sampling was employed for all sampling procedures. Three districts were purposively selected based on livestock population, intensity of fattening, degree of slaughtering frequency and number of hide and skin warehouse. From each...
Employment Prospects for Agricultural Graduates in Guinea Conakry
January 2017
Unemployment of graduates is a challenging problem in Africa, and it is aggravated by many factors such as population growth, mismatch between curriculum and employer needs, and lack of evidence-based policy making. In this context, the objectives of the present study are twofold. First, the aim is to identify key characteristics influencing labor market participation of graduates from agricultural higher education in...
Preliminary screening of the effect of biochar properties and soil incorporation rate on lettuce growth to guide research and educate the public through extension
January 2017
Extension service of the land grant university system is often the first source of public information for emerging soil amendments such as biochar. Biochar is a charcoal product made by heating plant biomass via pyrolysis and is increasingly marketed as an organic soil amendment. As energy-producing pyrolysis industries expand, there is increasing opportunity to utilize locally produced biochar for its potential value...
Farmers’ perception towards climate change and their adaptation measures in Dire Dawa Administration, Eastern Ethiopia
December 2016
This study assessed farmers’ perception and adaptation options to climate change in six kebeles selected from different agro-ecological zones of Dire Dawa Administration, eastern Ethiopia. Data for the study were collected from 171 respondents selected through multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics were employed to assess climate change perception differentials among gender, social groups and...
Logit analysis of factors affecting adoption of improved bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety: The case of Yilmana Densa District, West Gojam, Ethiopia
December 2016
Yilmana Densa is one of the potential wheat growing District in West Gojam Zone, but the level of adoption is not studied for the last 15 years and a number of farmers are still using local varieties which are known for their low yield and disease susceptibility. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify potential factors affecting adoption of improved bread wheat variety, using the logistic regression...
Informal transfer of information among vegetable growers in Khartoum State, Sudan
December 2016
Informal transfer of information among vegetable growers in Khartoum State, Sudan was investigated through a cross-sectional survey with 120 growers from six typical vegetable production villages (20 growers from each each) in peri-urban Omdurman (2 villages) and Eastern Nile locality (4 villages). The focus was on inventor growers (72, 60%) employing their information, skills and experience exchange to improve and...
Making the demand driven extensions services systems work through decentralised structures: Prospects for the future extension service delivery in Malawi
December 2016
Malawi adopted a pluralistic, demand-driven and decentralised agricultural extension system in 2000, following a political change from one party to a multiparty democratic system of government. This was followed by the introduction of a district agricultural extension services system (DAESS) as a way of facilitating the implementation of the pluralistic, demand-driven and decentralised agricultural extension policy....
Diagnostic support to plantwise plant doctors in Kenya
November 2016
Effective extension services are essential to provide farmers with skills and knowledge to manage pests and diseases. These services are provided by government agencies, non-governmental organisations, community based organisations as well as various actors in the private sector. Plantwise aims to help farmers lose less of their crops to pests and diseases, through among other strategies, the establishment of networks...
Trust, perception and effectiveness of extension services in Uganda: A case of National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)
November 2016
In order to increase the effectiveness of extension services, the government of Uganda adopted a farmer driven extension approach in 2001. In this approach, the government contracts out the extension services to the agribusiness enterprises that provide the services to the farmers at a fee. This study aimed at finding out whether farmers’ trust and perception on this arrangement influences the effectiveness of...
Impact of agricultural technology adoption of small holder farmers on wheat yield: Empirical evidence from Southern Tigrai State of Ethiopia
October 2016
Ethiopian agriculture the back bone of the economy yet is characterized by small scale farming and experienced erratic rainfall as well as drought. The low produce can possibly grow through developing technology adoption and improved practices on the marginal farm lands. This study, therefore, examines the impact of wheat row planting technology adoption on small farms yield in Ofla Woreda, Southern zone of Tigrai, and...
Smallholder farmers perception on climate change in Rumphi District, Malawi
October 2016
The effects and causes of climate change and variability have been a cause of controversy and debate for many years in many parts of the developing world. Perceptions vary about the effects and causes of climate change and variability. This study assessed smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate variability and climate change adaptation in Bolero Community, Rumphi district in northern Malawi. Data were...
On-farm participatory Evaluation of Splitting Queen Rearing Technique (SQRT) at Ginnir District, Bale Zone, South-eastern Ethiopia
October 2016
Participatory evaluation of Queen Rearing using splitting technique (SQRT) at Ginnir District of Bale Zone, South-eastern Ethiopia was conducted from 2013 to 2014. Two Beekeepers Research Group (BRG) each having 10 beekeepers were established at two sites, Ebisa and Kebena. Beekeepers were purposively selected based on their willingness, having bee colonies, indigenous knowledge of handling honeybee and trained on...
Adoption levels of agroforestry tree types and practices by smallholders in the semi-arid areas of Kenya: A case of Makueni County
September 2016
A survey targeting smallholder households was carried out in Mumbuni and Ndovoini sub-locations in the semi arid Makueni County, Kenya, to identify agroforestry types and practices and their level of adoption and socio-economic factors influencing adoption of agroforestry. The study involved a survey of 234 households using a structured questionnaire. The collected data was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis...
Determinants of market participation and the institutional constraints: Case study of Kweneng West, Botswana
September 2016
For smallholder livestock farmers to benefit from their livestock, they need to fully participate in the market. This study identifies the determinants of market participation by smallholder livestock farmers in Botswana. The study used data collected from 132 smallholder livestock farmers in Kweneng West in 2007. A logit model was used to identify factors that determine whether smallholder farmers will participate in...
Workers’ perception of intranet efficiency in the Nigerian Customs Service: example for effective organizational management of extension services in Nigeria
September 2016
This study examined staff perception of intranet in enhancing organizational communication in Nigeria Custom Service (NCS). Data were collected from 134 randomly selected respondents using a questionnaire. They were management staff (7.5%), senior staff (41.8%) and junior staff (50.7%). Their age was distributed as 44.8% (18 to 35 years) and 55.2% (36 to 58 years). With regards to computer literacy, 91.8% were computer...
Preference of information sources by the fish farming communities of Muktagacha Upazila in Bangladesh
September 2016
The main purpose of the study was to investigate the preference of information sources by the fish farmers with the reasons for such preference. Data were collected from seventy (70) randomly selected fish farmers (out of 350) from two villages of Kumargata union of Muktagacha upazila under Mymensingh district. A pre-tested and structured interview schedule was used to collect data during the period of 5 to 21 March,...
The influence of organizational arrangements on effectiveness of collective action: Findings from a study of farmer groups in the East African Highlands
August 2016
Farmer groups are important socioeconomic safety nets for rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. They provide mutual support to farmers through collective action to enhance improvement of livelihoods. These groups have been increasing in number in the post liberalization period in East Africa. However, it is not clear how these groups’ organizational arrangements have been changing over time, and the...
Assessment of traditional African vegetable production in Burkina Faso
August 2016
Lack of dietary diversity is a key causal factor of malnutrition in Burkina Faso because the population consumes mostly cereals crops. Nutrientâ€dense traditional African vegetables provide an excellent means to complement cereal staples for better nutrition, in particular for women and children, as well as for income generation. This study characterized the production of traditional African vegetables in Burkina Faso...
Mushroom value chain analysis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
August 2016
Mushroom value chain analysis was conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In rural areas of Ethiopia eating mushroom is a common practice in traditional way.The objective of the study was to measure the amount of value added along the chain. Primary and secondary data were collected from 120 producers, 5 traders, 8 spawn suppliers, 6 supermarkets, 7 hotels and restaurants and 40 end users. For analysis descriptive and...
Correlates and determinants of climate change adaptation strategies of food crop farmers in Oke-Ogun area of South-western Nigeria
July 2016
Information on determinants of climate change adaptation strategies in Oke-ogun area, the food basket of South western Nigeria is scarce. Determinants of adaptation strategies to climate change among food crop farmers in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State were therefore assessed. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 160 food crop farmers, and data were collected through a well-structured interview schedule....
Factors affecting weather index-based crop insurance in Laikipia County, Kenya
July 2016
Weather Index-based Crop Insurance (WII) scheme have been introduced as an innovative way of mitigating downside risk effects, especially for smallholder farmers in developing countries. The uptake and effectiveness of such a scheme, especially in Kenya is not well documented. A stratified random sampling procedure was employed to get a representative sample of 330 smallholder farm households. This paper uses a...
Effect of extension and training on farmers’ husbandry and management practices and field performance when using draught horses in ploughing
June 2016
For draught animal technology to contribute to its full potential to farming, it needs to be backed up with suitable and relevant extension and training packages. This study investigated the effect of extension on farmers’ husbandry and management practices and field performance of draught horses in EN-Nhoud locality, West Kordofan State, Sudan. The study followed the cross-sectional survey design on a sample of...
Efficiency of chili pepper production in the volta region of Ghana
June 2016
This study investigates the overall economic efficiency of chili pepper producers in the Volta region of Ghana. The study used farm level data to examine the productivity of selected agricultural inputs, technical, allocative and economic efficiency levels and the determinants of efficiency of chili pepper production. The modified translog stochastic frontier production and cost function models were adopted for the...
Participatory evaluation of hybrid sorghum technologies: In mid and low land areas of Wag Himra zone, Eastern Amhara, Ethiopia
May 2016
Participatory evaluation of two improved hybrid sorghum varieties and one respective local sorghum variety with improved and farmers’ management was carried out on six farmers plot in sorghum growing areas of Sekota and Abergele districts of Wag Himra zone in Eastern Amhara. This evaluation was undertaken through farmers’ participation approach by organizing two farmers’ research and Extension Groups...
Participatory varietal selection of upland rice (Oryza sativa) varieties in the groundnut basin, Senegal
May 2016
In Senegal, rice plays a critical role for smallholder farmers by providing food security. However, rice production is very low compared to the high needs of the population. This might be explained to some extent by the use of not adapted and low yielding varieties. This study aimed at identifying the best upland rice varieties that meet farmers’ criteria using participatory varietal selection method in order to...
Price competitiveness of smallholder rice farmers under cooperative irrigation schemes in Coast and Morogoro regions, Tanzania
April 2016
Tanzanian produced rice is not competitive because of high production costs. To increase competitiveness will require improvements in production efficiency. This study was conducted to analyse production cost efficiency using cross sectional data (2013/2014 agricultural season) from 200 farmers that belong to four cooperative irrigation schemes in Coast and Morogoro regions. Two stage sampling and translog...
Adaptive capacity of evicted agro-pastoralists from Ihefu Basin in Tanzania
April 2016
This paper looks at the adaptive capacity of evicted agro-pastoralists who were evicted from Ihefu Basin in Mbarali District and forced to settle in new resettlement areas. Household questionnaires, life stories, and focused group discussions with a sample of 110 resettled agro-pastoralists was used to capture the data. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed. The adaptive capacity index was used to determine...
Prioritizing needs assessment techniques for agricultural programs implementation: The case of Northern Region, Ghana
April 2016
The Northern region is among the poorest in Ghana. The Southern regions possess a lot of natural resources, and at the same time viable for the production of cash crops. The Northern regions however, have agriculture as their most dependable source of livelihood. The proportion of people working as farmers in the region is 73%, making it the highest in the country. In the light of this, most developmental programs in...
Analysis of honey production systems in three agro-ecologies of Benishangul-Gumuz, Western Ethiopia
March 2016
The study was conducted in three districts of Benishangulgumuz Regional State, Western Ethiopia, to characterize honey production systems, identify major constraints limiting honey production and suggest the required development intervention options for future development. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the districts that represent the three agro-ecologies of the region. A total of 120 beekeeping...
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