An economic analysis of the factors affecting wheat and broad beans productivity in the River Nile State [Sudan]

This study was conducted in the River Nile State in 1995/96 season. The main objective was to delineate the main economic factors constraining production of the main winter crops wheat and broad beans, through investigating the socio-economiccharacteristic of the farmers, and estimating the production cost and net margins for the two crops. The study depends on primary data which were collected through field survey from a stratified random sample of 150 respondents in the state via a structural questionnaire. The survey data was supplemented by secondary data from other relevant sources. To achieve the objectives, an econometric model was specified for each individual crop with output being dependent variables and different agricultural inputs as independent variables. Cobb-Douglas production function was fitted to the data. Software computer packages were used in the data analysis. The study revealed that the farme's were almost homogenous with respect to sducation level, with average family size of eight persons. Agriculture is the main job of the farmer, animal production the second source of the household income in most provinces of the state. Wheat is the main food securing crop and broad beans is the major winter cash crop areas comprising 47.4 and 26.4 of the total cropped area for wheat and broad beans respectively. The average crop yields were lower than the standard average yields according to Hudeiba Research Station. A mixture of socio-economic and agronomic factors were found responsibles for such low yields. Broad beans was found to be more profitable than the wheat crop. Irrigation was found to have the highest share in the total cost of production of the two crops. The fertilizer, number of irrigation, labour man-day, seed rate, sowing date, size of holding and crop area were the most important factors determining the yield of the wheat and broad beans crops. The study recommended that, special attention to be given to the irrigation problem, the major limiting factor. Provision of modern inputs sufficient credit and strengthening the extension services and infrastructure improvements.