Impact of gala-en-nahal programme on adoption of innovations among Sudanese farmers and Eritrean refugees [Sudan]

This study is designed for the determination of factors influencing adoption of innovations by Sudanese farmers and Eritrean refugees in the Gala-en-Nahal programe area. Age, residence in the programme area, education, family labour, social participation and cosmopoliteness are used as independent variables, while (1) adoption of innovations concerning field crops, (2) adoption of innovations concerning animal production practices, (3) adoption of innovations concerning home -based income generating activities, and (4) adoption of innovations concerning environment and soil conservation are treated separately as dependent variables. Net farm income and non farm income are also employed as dependent variables to extend the analysis. Frequency distribution, chi square, t-test and regression analyses were conducted to examine the rate of adoption, the difference between the two ethnic groups with regard to adoption behaviour, and the effect of selected variables on adoption of the different innovations. The results suggest that there is a significant difference in adoption behaviour between the two groups. Age, residence in the programme area, education and family labour are the principal factors influencing adoption behaviour of Sudanese farmers. Age, residence in the programme area and social participation are the most significant factors influrncing adoption behaviour of Eritrean refugees. Adoption of innovations for production of field crops influences the net farm income among the Sudanese farmers. The income gained from field crops production by Sudanese farmers is significantly greater than that which is obtained by Eritrean refugees. On the other hand, adoption of animal production innovations influences non farm income positively among the Eritrean refugees and negatively among the Sudanese farmers whose animal production unitsare mostly in their early stages of establishment. Sudanese farmers are primarily cultivators, while the Eritrean refugees give greater attention to animal production activities. They achieve significantly higher incomes from animal production, relative to Sudanese farmers. The study revealed that the Sudanese farmers and the Eritrean refugees have generally positive attitudes towards each other, and that their assessment of the benefits of their coexistence and of the impact of the Gala-En-Nahal on their liveli-hood is positive in many respects.