Towards higher wheat productivity in Gezira: The role of efficient input delivery systems and appropriate technology designs
1991
Hassan, R.M. (Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo, Nairobi (Kenya)) | Ageeb, O.A. (Agricultural Research Corporation, Wad Medani (Sudan))
Wheat occupies 25 of the 0.9 million ha comprising the Gezira irrigation scheme. Gezira contributes more than 60 of the total wheat production of Sudan, amounting to about 25 of the wheat consumed. Recent research findings indicate that if more efficient wheat production practices were applied in Gezira, the schemes' contribution to self-sufficiency in wheat could be doubled without changing the existing rotation and cropping system. In spite of the demonstration of recommended practices to farmers across the scheme, rates of adoption and productivity growth have been slow. Moreover, different adoption rates were observed for various components of the new technology. This study attributes the cause of differential rates of adoption among Gezira tenants to farmers' access to and characteristics of the technology. Variations in economic and technical efficiency, and in availability of the major components of the recommended package explained variations in adoption patterns. Information collected from a comparison of farmers participating in package demonstrations with neighboring non-package farmers were used to measure technical and economic efficiency and estimate adoption rates for wheat technologies in Gezira. Data collected from ex-package farmers on the reasons for non-adoption were also used to examine the validity of the efficiency analysis. The study confirmed the effect of input market organization and technology characteristics on adoption patterns in the scheme
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