Factors limiting the adoption of animal draught technology package in Nkasi district, Rukwa region, Tanzania
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Date
2010
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
History shows that Nkasi District farmers had been using oxen to plough for over
50 years but they have never replaced human power in other farm operations of
planting, weeding, ridging and transportation. In the study area 70% of ploughed
land is done by ox-drawn ploughs enabling farmers to expand area under
cultivation. The adoption of the oxen for ploughing only considerably underutilizes
the animals' potential and resources leading to merely shifting the labour bottleneck
from tillage to weeding. The main objective of the study was to identify factors
leading to low adoption of animal draught technology in planting and weeding
activities, when ploughing has been highly adopted by the same farmers. The study
involved two wards in Nkasi District and two villages from each ward were
randomly selected. Data collected were verified, coded and analysed using the
SPSS computer programme. It has been identified that extension sendees given on
ADT were inadequate to influence adoption. Extension agents made few ineffective
follow ups to farmers who had undergone ADT training. However it was found that
groups used as contact farmers had old and related members that resulted in
difficulties in groups management. It was further found that women whose principal
duties in crop production are planting and weeding are denied the use of oxen by
their husbands. The training approach applied in all ADT development projects was
passive in which farmers provided land and accepted to use the given implements.
Low availability of ox-drawn implements for planting, weeding and ridging as well
as their high prices was a major problem that requires a national attention if the
nation needs to alleviate rural poverty.
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Animal draught technology, Nkasi district, Rukwa region, Tanzania