Assessing the adoption of conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe's smallholder sector. Shephard Siziba

Transcription

1 Assessing the adoption of conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe's smallholder sector Shephard Siziba VERLAG GRAUER Beuren Stuttgart 2008

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SUMMARY ZUSAMMENFASSUNG ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES i ii v xii xiu xv 1 INTRODUCTION 1 J.I Introduction Focus ofthe study Researchable problem Objectives of the study Significance of the study Summary of research methods Organization of the thesis 5 2 BACKGROUND Zimbabwe, economy and agricultural sector Agroecological zones Declining food production Land degradation in Zimbabwe The mouldboard plough Control of soil erosion Conservation Agriculture Definition of CA Principles of CA: Conventional tillage Minimum tillage No-till/Zero tillage Mulching Practices not compatible with CA (adoptedfrom FAO, 2002) State of CA adoption CIMMYT's CA promotion in Zimbabwe 21

3 2.8.1 Trialed CA technologies Summary 25 3 LITERATURE REVIEW Innovations/New technologies Definition of adoption Adoption process Theories on unevenness of technology adoption Rogers's Diffusion theory Resource Scarcity hypothesis Capital Constraint hypothesis Learning Cost hypothesis Risk Aversion hypothesis Farmer's Perceptions hypothesis A framework for studying adoption of conservation agriculture Factors affecting adoption Characteristics and circumstances of the farmer Information Social cultural factors Characteristics of the technology Economic factors Externalities and CA Empirical studies on economics ofca Labour savings Fuel cost savings Machinery cost savings Private profitability of conservation agriculture systems Down stream benefits of CA Conclusion, lessons learnt METHODOLOGY The study sites Assessing adoption potential Approach used to assess potential adoption ofca Data collection tool Sampling Statistical analysis of survey data Assessing relative profitability of CA 52

4 4.3.1 Agronomic trials Experimental design Data collected Collecting labour data from trials (Adoptedfrom Franzel (1997) Labour data collection methods used by the study Statistical analysis of agronomic data Profitability analysis Enterprise budgeting Stochastic returns Farmers' preliminary assessment of CA 59 5 SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIAGNOSIS Demographic characteristics Livelihood sources Household expenditure patterns Income poverty Farm resources Access to arable land Access to labour Farm equipment and other household assets owned Livestock raised Crop production Cultivated crops Cropping pattern Yields of important crops Agronomic practices Tillage practices Soil erosion and soil compaction Input use on major crops Fertilizer application rates Weeding Fate of maize residues Institutional settings Land rights and land markets Fencing-offfields Access to credit Extension 89

5 5.6.4 Farmer groups Input and output markets Discussion: implications for CA adoption Summary 96 6 TECHNOLOGY PERFORMANCE AND PROFITABILITY Physical yield performance Mean yield comparisons Labour use profiles Production costs /// 6.4 Financial returns Sensitivity assessment Break-even grain yield and labour use Profitability under different CA cost scenarios Simulations analysis: stochastic returns Simulating long term scenario Discussion Conclusion FARMER VIEWS Introduction Causes of low maize yields Causes of poor maize yields in Zimuto Causes of low maize yields in Shamva Assessment of trialed technologies Farmer views on technology performance, Zimuto Farmer views on technology performance, Shamva Summary of relative labour demand Drudgery considerations Possible adaptations Diversity of circumstances, attitudes and preferences Discussion Conclusion SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 158 REFERENCES 163 XI