Cassava trait preferences of men and women farmers in Nigeria: implications for breeding

Nigeria is the world’s largest cassava producer, hosting a diverse array of cassava farmers and processors. Cassava breeding programs prioritize “common denominator” traits in setting breeding agendas, to impact the largest possible number of people through improved varieties. This approach has been successful, but cassava adoption rates are less than expected, with room for improvement by integrating traits in demand by farmers and processors. This paper aims to inform breeding priority setting, by examining trait and varietal preferences of men and women cassava farmer/processors. Men and women in eight communities in Southwest and Southeast Nigeria were consulted using mixed methods. Women and men had significantly different patterns of cassava use in the Southwest. Fifty-five variety names were recorded from the communities demonstrating high genetic diversity maintained by growers, especially in the Southeast. High yield, early maturity, and root size were most important traits across both regions, while traits women and men preferred followed gender roles: women prioritized product quality/cooking traits, while men placed higher priority on agronomic traits. Trait preference patterns differed significantly between the Southeast and Southwest, and showed differentiation based on gender. Patterns of access to stem sources were determined more by region and religion than gender

Gender analysis in agricultural production

"Gender" is a concept used in social sciences to look at roles and activities of men and women. These roles are often socially defined, and shaped by the traditions and beliefs of a particular culture. While women contribute between 60-80 % of agricultural production in developing countries, women farmers are least likely to benefit from agricultural extension services and technologies that could improve their production. Therefore, theoretical and methodological work in gender analysis in agriculture has been expanding. Gender analysis tries to take account of roles on other fronts in the lives of farmers since an understanding of the overall commitment of time and energy is pre-requisite to a better identification of farmers' needs

Analyse sexospecifique dans la production agricole: Guide de recherche de lIita, No. 58

La ‘sexospecificite' est un concept utilize en sciences socials pour etudier les roles et les activites des homes et des femmes. Ces roles sont souvent socialement defines, et faconnes par les traditions et les croyances d'une culture donnee. Bien que les femmes contribuent entre 60 et 80% de la productionagricole dans les pays en developpement, les agricultrices ont moins de chance de beneficier des services d'encadrement et des technologies qui pourraient ameliorer leur production. Par consequent, le travail theorique et methodoloque dans le domaine de l'analyse sexospecifique prend une impotance de plu en plus grande. L'analyse sexospecifique essaie de prendre en compte les roles sur d' autres fronts de la vie agricole puisque le fait de comprendre la contribution globale en termes de temps et d'energie est un prealable a une meilleure identification des besoins des agriculteurs

Embodied Livelihoods and Tomato Farmers’ Gendered Experience of Pesticides in Tuobodom, Ghana

In the pursuit of technical goals such as improved yields or reduced pest damage, agricultural development programs—and the technologies they introduce—can alter or reinforce gender roles and relations with clear implications for gender equality. This case study explores the experiences of tomato production and pest management of men and women farmers in Tuobodom, Ghana. A primary goal of the research is to better understand the farmers’ current dependence on pesticides and identify gender-based constraints to, and opportunities for, the introduction of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. The findings reveal how contact with pesticides becomes part of tomato farmers’ embodied experiences and how different roles played by men and women in agriculture, coupled with the differences in their knowledge, perceptions, and access to resources, result in differential exposure to and experiences of pesticides. Analysis using an embodied livelihoods framework reveals that men and women face a paradox in which their dependence on pesticides for tomato production reduces their body capitals, which they need to sustain their corporeal existence through their livelihoods as tomato farmers. The IPM programs could introduce alternative technologies of pest management that reduce dependence on toxic chemical pesticides, but these alternatives will be successful only if they are developed in collaboration with farmers

The economic evaluation of cocoyam (Xanthosoma sp) and Maize (Zea mays) in a mixed cropping system

Cocoyam (Xanthosoma sp.) and maize (Zea mays) are major food crops often grown in association. On-farm testing at Sunyani, Sankore and Begoro in the forest ecology of Ghana evaluated the agronomic performance and economic productivity of both crops grown as mixed crops and sole crop. The cropping system had a significant effect on the yields of the component crops. Maize yields were reduced by 10 per cent for double-row maize between single rows of cocoyam, and by 26 per cent for double-row cocoyam between single rows of maize in the intercrop systems. Cocoyam yields were reduced by 70 to 75 per cent. The cost-benefit analysis had gross farm gate benefits of 7.6 million cedis per hectare ($894 ha-1) for sole maize production, and 20.9 million cedis per hectare ($2459 ha-1) for sole cocoyam production. All farm enterprises tested on farmers' fields were viable and profitable, giving cost-benefit ratios of more than one. The results further showed that marginal rate of returns (MRR) for changing from sole maize to sole cocoyam, double rows of cocoyam between single rows of maize, and double rows of maize between single rows of cocoyam are 1279 , 348 and 146 per cent, respectively. These are all greater than the acceptable minimum rate of returns (AMRR), which range from 40 to 130 per cent at the various locations. Residuals and cost-benefit ratios also follow similar trend. From the analysis, the best farm enterprise would have been sole cocoyam, but for some socio-economic reasons and efficient land use, double rows of cocoyam between single rows of maize is the recommended intercrop system within the limits of the experiment. . Le taro (Xanthosomasp.) et le maïs (Zea mays) ) sont les cultures vivrières principales souvent cultivées en association. Les essais sur le champ étaient entrepris à Sunyani, Sankore et Begoro dans l' écologie de forêt du Ghana, pour évaluer le rendement agronomique et la productivité économique de deux cultures cultivées comme cultures associées en mélange et la culture seule. Le système de culture avait un effet considérable sur les rendements de cultures constituantes. Les rendements de maïs étaient réduits par 10% pour double lignes de maïs entre les seules lignes de taro et par 26% pour double lignes de taro entre les seules lignes de maïs dans le système de culture associée. Les rendements de taro étaient réduits par 70 à 75%. L' analyse coûts-bénéfices dégageait à la production des bénéfices bruts de 7.6 million cedis par hectare ( $894 ha-1 ) pour la production de maïs seul et 20 .9 million cedis par hectare ($2459 ha-1) pour la production de taro seul . Tous les entreprises agricoles mises à l' essais sur les champs d'agriculteurs étaient viables et rentables dégageant les proportions coûts-bénéfices de plus d'une. Les résultats montraient davantage que les taux de rendement faible (TRF) pour le changement de maïs seul au taro seul, double lignes de taro entre les seules lignes de maïs et double lignes de maïs entre les seules lignes de taro sont respectivement 1279, 348 et 146% . Ce sont plus élevés que les taux de rendement minimum acceptables, qui varient de 40 à 130% aux différents emplacements. Les reliquats et les proportions coûts-bénéfices aussi suivaient la tendance semblable. D' après l'analyse la meilleure entreprise agricole devrait être le taro seul mais pour quelques raisons socio-économiques comprenants utilisation ou la vente de la culture associée pour améliorer leur revenus. L' efficacité d'utilisation de terre, double lignes de taro entre les seules lignes de maïs sont les systèmes de culture associée recommandés dans les limites de l' expérience

Evaluation of performance of rice (Oryza sativa) and taro (Colocasia esculenta) in a mixed cropping system

Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L) Schott var. esculenta) is widely distributed and cultivated in the wet tropics of the world. In Ghana, its cultivation is limited to river basins or banks in large cities. However, a few farmers grow it on a large scale and rank it as their main source of income. A major problem identified in its production is the flooded culture that makes its cultivation intensive and expensive, and the seasonality in marketing the crop. This necessitated the introduction of rice into the cropping system to increase productivity per unit area and increase income of farmers. To facilitate technology transfer and adoption of this technique, an integrated approach was used. The participatory research–farmer–extension approach is described. Rice growth measure, as height, tiller and effective tiller counts were not significantly influenced in the system. Rice growth was better on the rotation and intercrop plots. Although rice height, tillers and effective tillers were higher for the intercrop system, yields under this system were lower because of the negative correlations that exist between rice height, tillers, and grain yield. Taro growth measured as petiole length and leaf number increased with time on all systems; the rate of increase was higher for sole crop than the intercrop system. Rice reduced taro petiole length and increased leaf number in the intercrop. Tuber sizes were the same for all treatments, but final taro yields were reduced. The average performance of the rice crop in the intercrop was the same (0.85), whilst that of taro varied within the study period, giving values of 1.35 – 1.5. The taro crop (1.65) was found to be more competitive or aggressive than rice (0.6) in the intercrop system. The intercrop had LER values of 1.1 and 1.2, signifying a better option in terms of land resource use. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 37 2004: 49-5

Evaluation of performance of rice (Oryza sativa) and taro (Colocasia esculenta) in a mixed cropping system

Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L) Schott var. esculenta) is widely distributed and cultivated in the wet tropics of the world. In Ghana, its cultivation is limited to river basins or banks in large cities. However, a few farmers grow it on a large scale and rank it as their main source of income. A major problem identified in its production is the flooded culture that makes its cultivation intensive and expensive, and the seasonality in marketing the crop. This necessitated the introduction of rice into the cropping system to increase productivity per unit area and increase income of farmers. To facilitate technology transfer and adoption of this technique, an integrated approach was used. The participatory research–farmer–extension approach is described. Rice growth measure, as height, tiller and effective tiller counts were not significantly influenced in the system. Rice growth was better on the rotation and intercrop plots. Although rice height, tillers and effective tillers were higher for the intercrop system, yields under this system were lower because of the negative correlations that exist between rice height, tillers, and grain yield. Taro growth measured as petiole length and leaf number increased with time on all systems; the rate of increase was higher for sole crop than the intercrop system. Rice reduced taro petiole length and increased leaf number in the intercrop. Tuber sizes were the same for all treatments, but final taro yields were reduced. The average performance of the rice crop in the intercrop was the same (0.85), whilst that of taro varied within the study period, giving values of 1.35 – 1.5. The taro crop (1.65) was found to be more competitive or aggressive than rice (0.6) in the intercrop system. The intercrop had LER values of 1.1 and 1.2, signifying a better option in terms of land resource use