This paper examined the performance of male and female farmers in rice farming in the Northern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria, with a view to determining the parameters for promoting gender equity in farmers' access to opportunities for improved livelihoods from rice production. Data were obtained from 624 farmers selected by stratified random technique from twelve villages in Katsina and Kaduna States of Nigeria; using structured interview and focus group discussion. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression model of double log form. Results indicated that land, variable inputs, and experience were significant at 1 percent and 5 percent levels; implying that these variables would greatly influence productivity of rice for both male and female farmers in the area; while age would influence rice production negatively, implying that the older the rice farmers the less the vigour for farming. Also, the coefficient for marital status of women was negative; implying that married women within reproductive age were more likely to be constrained in their production by their multiple roles and cultural practices that prevented women from direct field production activities. It was concluded that policies that would enhance farmers access to land, fertilizers, improved seeds, herbicides and labour; coupled with strategies for substituting women's time on production activities for non-entrepreneurial activities would likely enhance rice production and gender equity among rice farmers in the Northern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria.
Donors, scientists and farmers all benefit when research and development projects have high impact. However, potential benefits are sometimes not realized. Our objective in this study is to determine why resource-poor farmers in Togo (declined to) adopt recommended practices that were promoted through a multi-organizational project on soil fertility management. We examine the processes and outcomes related to the adoption process. The project was undertaken in three villages in the Central Region of Togo in West Africa. The development and research processes that took place during the implementation of the project were critically analyzed using a conceptual framework that may be useful for improving the impact of future participatory projects. At the macro level, opportunities for innovation were not deliberately explored with participating farmers and other village members; consequently ''pre-analytical choices'' made during the planning phase resulted in practices that resource-poor farmers were, for a variety of reasons, unable or unwilling to adopt. From the outset, donors and scientists focused on soil fertility management, but failed to take into account the wider economic context within which soil fertility management took place. This was a major obstacle to the subsequent adoption of recommended management strategies. Scientists and donor partners measured the success of the Project in terms of crop productivity, but farmers' choices were influenced by a complex mix of socio-economic, political and technical factors. We also illustrate the importance of selecting appropriate categories of farmers for a particular experiment. We conclude that for participatory research and development projects to be successful, it is not enough to develop technologies that ''work'' in a technical sense. In order to be scaled up and widely implemented, such technologies must also meet a variety of needs of resource-poor farmers and be acceptable from a socio-cultural point of view.
This paper aimed at determining the gender disparity along the rice value chain in Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. 250 farmers were selected by stratified random technique from five villages in Katsina State of Nigeria. Data obtained by structured interview and focus group discussion methods were analyzed by descriptive statistics and gross margin techniques. Gross margin profit was significant for male farmers (t-statistics =10.628) but not for female farmers (t-statistics = 1.262) at 5 percent level. The rates of return on capital were 0.847, 0.148 and 0.601 for processing, wholesale market and retail market levels respectively. Socio-cultural factors confining women to indoor activities constrained their access to production inputs, processing facilities and market. Improved access of farmers to inputs, and women in particular to processing facilities and skills would promote production of good quality rice in the study area.
This paper discusses the conventional research agendas for on-farm experimentation and the challenges of agricultural production in West Africa. IFDC-Africa supports the development of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) strategies through its research and development programmes, in close collaboration with National Agricultural Research and Extension Services and local NGOs. The strategic site-selection promoting the comparative potential for ISFM, are discussed. An overview of pilot zones and villages in the ISFM project is presented. Finally, the equity and gender aspects of IFDC-Africa's approach to on-farm research and development are also discussed.
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