Challenges of Organic Farming Faced By Nepalese Farmers (Published)

Organic farming can directly contribute in the better health and environment. It may the better alternative for the problem of climate change and environmental degradation. Promotion of organic farming is necessary so the study is going to explore the challenges of organic farming faced by the Nepalese farmers. . The study was conducted in four districts: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktpur and Dhading. Altogether, 578 organic farmers were selected purposively. Mixed method was used to collect the data. Statistical analysis was done for quantitative data and logical interpretation was done for qualitative data. The study explored the various challenges of organic farming: high investment and price of goods, low production, less selling because of the lack of knowledge among the consumers, limited market, no provision of compensation if production damaged, and lack of certification. Farmers requested to address all these problem of organic farmers to encourage the involvement for coming generation. Nepal government can study on the possible way of solution with the close interaction of organic farmers. 

Keywords: Certification, Challenges, Farmers, Nepal, Organic farming

The Contribution of Farmers Self Help Groups in Enhancing the Smallholder Maize Farmers Income in Southern Rwanda (Published)

Farmers’ Self Help Groups are inclusive of the poor and are charged with the purpose of becoming a market outlet for smallholder farmers in Rwanda. Improving farmers’ income earning capability and agricultural productivity has been an important strategy of Rwanda’s agriculture development policy. However, despite their growing importance, empirical studies on how farmers’ organizations have impacted their members’ income are limited in Rwanda. This study investigates the economic role played by farmers SHGs to their members, the maize production before and after joining the SHG, the income of these smallholder farmers, the saving effects on farm income, and the living standards situation before and after SHGs participation using the sample of 75 smallholder maize producers in Southern Rwanda. The t paired test was used to analyze the situation before and after joining the SHG in terms of Savings, Production and monthly expenses and the Chi Square test was used to test the significance of time of joining the SHG and the opening the bank accounts for savings and accessing to loans. The results revealed that the savings, the production and the monthly expenses increased after joining the farmers SHGs and the time opening of bank accounts for saving, access to loans and other banking activities are significant to time of joining the SHG. Since farmers are resource poor and that farmer Self Help Groups are constrained by various institutional, technical and investment constraints despite their potential, it is recommended that favorable policies should be geared toward smallholder agriculture in Rwanda in order to ensure the success of farmer Self Help Groups. The results show that farmer groups can be an important institution for the transformation of smallholder farming, increase productivity and incomes thereby reducing poverty. Agricultural policies in Rwanda should therefore focus more on the intensification of agriculture and farmers’ Self Help Groups and increase the market orientation of the smallholder farm sector.

Keywords: Farmers, Self Help Group, Smallholder Farmer’s Income

Comparative Assessment of Cocoa Farmers’ Knowledge and Attitude to Trainings on Good Cultural Management Practices (CMP) in Ogun and Ondo States, Nigeria (Published)

Nigeria is one of the leading cocoa producing countries in West Africa. However, since the discovery of crude oil there has been a decline in cocoa production which resulted in Nigeria losing its leading position as the foremost cocoa exporter to Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. To revitalize the cocoa production in Nigeria series of efforts are put in place including training of farmers on improved Cultural Management Practices (CMP). This study therefore compared cocoa farmers’ knowledge and attitude to trainings on good cultural management practices in Ogun and Ondo States, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling techniques were used to select 320 cocoa farmers in the study areas. Data obtained were analysed with both descriptive and inferential statistics. Result of the study showed that the mean age of the respondents was 52.8 years with 83.4% of the respondents married and 75.9% of the respondents had primary education. Most (82.8%) of the respondents were male while few (17.2%) were female in cocoa production. Most (83.40%) of the respondents harvested about 10kg/ha from their cocoa farms. The average income generated from cocoa was ₦44,237/kg. Cocoa farmers always got information from Cocoa Certification Agencies (59.4%), cocoa farmers association (54.4%) and radio/television (50.9%). Most (92.5%) of the respondents had wealth of knowledge in selecting suitable site for cocoa production and minimum tillage practices (98.4%). The result further revealed that majority (65.3%) of the respondents strongly agreed that they would spend more money to participate in future CMP trainings and that the training is beneficial (84.1%) hence, satisfied with it (86.2%). All the respondents affirmed that CMP training is an eye opener to a better cocoa farming practices (100%). Also, almost all the respondents (99.4%) reported that they select suitable land for cocoa production, construct nursery bed, select improved seeds variety, and slash weeds underneath cocoa trees. Above ninety percent of cocoa farmers apply fertilizer at rate of 375kg/ha, spray prescribed insecticides and fungicides, and harvest ripe cocoa pods with sharp cutlasses. Major constraints to cocoa production and CMP in the study areas are poor feeder roads (100%), irregular supply of agro-inputs (90.0%), and instability in government policy (88.4%). Result of linear regression showed a significant relationship between socio-economic and cultural management practices at p < 0.05 level of significance. However, result of the t-test analysis indicated that significant difference did not exist in the cocoa cultural management practices in Ogun and Ondo States (t = 2.42, p = 0.06). The study concludes that majority of the cocoa farmers carried out Cultural Management Practices to obtain good yield, and has positive attitude towards CMP trainings as it is highly beneficial to their cocoa farming.

Keywords: Cocoa, Cultural Management Practices, Farmers, Knowledge, Trainings, attitude

Level of Use of Organic Manure by Farmers in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria (Published)

The study assessed the level of use of organic manure in Isoko North Local Government area of Delta State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to compose a sample size of 427 respondents for the study. Data generated were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the study showed that majority of the farmers were not using organic manure. The reasons adduced for this amongst others were unavailability of organic manure, preference for fertilizer and bulkiness of organic manure. From the logit regression result, three variables, namely, educational level (t=3.645), farm size (t=3.978) and farming experience (t=2.998) were significantly in their relationship with organic manure use. From the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that farmers in the study area should be enlightened on the benefits of using organic manure in their farms.

Keywords: Adoption, Delta State, Farmers, Logit Regression, Organic Manure

THE ROLE OF FARMERS SOCIAL NETWORKS AND RURAL RADIO IN CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN OWERRI WEST AREA OF IMO STATE, NIGERIA. (Published)

The study was aimed at analyzing and ascertaining the role of farmers social networks and rural radio in climate change adaptation in Owerri West Area of Imo-State. The specific objectives were to (a) describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondent farmers in the study area, (b) ascertain farmers awareness of climate change, (c) describe the effects of climate change on agricultural activities of the respondents, (d) identify the various social networks in the study area and (e) identify roles of various social networks and radio in farmers adaptation to climate change. A simple random sampling method was used to select one hundred and twenty (120) farmers for the study. Frequency distribution percentages and mean were used in the analysis of data collected. Results of the study showed that majority of the respondents (76.7%) were males with a mean age of 53years. Results indicate that all the respondents were very much aware of climate change. Farmers also ascertain high rainfall, flooding, decrease in crop yield, erosion, storage losses and hot temperature (hot heat) as their observation due to effects of climate change. Social networks include cooperatives, age grades, town unions and religious groups etc. Some recommendations include: (a) Education of farmers about climate change and their modern adaptation measures which could be achieved by organizing seminars, conferences and programmes on climate change regular for them. (b) Government should link and collaborate with the farmers organization (social networks), research institutions and meteorological centres that will help in order to access information, design appropriate and affordable adaptation measures to climate change.

Keywords: Adaptation, Climate Change, Farmers, Radio, Rural, Social Networks