Patterns of access to rural service infrastructure: the case of farming households in Limpopo Province

Inadequate infrastructure is a major development challenges in developing countries. This paper applies factor analysis to determine the pattern of access to rural service infrastructure on 158 farming households in the Limpopo Province. The nine components of access to service infrastructure (distance to Polokwane, nearest town, local government, hospital, magistrate office, post office, traditional authority, district agricultural offices and extension service) were subjected to factor analysis. The results support the concept of centre-periphery pattern of service infrastructure development. Polokwane is a major centre in the Province, and provide a composite of services. Its peripheries are regions, which have towns as centres. Health, local government and postal services are mainly found in such regional centres. The district centres provide mainly agricultural and justice services. Finally, local centres provide services of traditional authorities, agriculture and postal services. These patterns have major implication for infrastructure development policy and programs. They also need to be considered in current crafting of institutions for rural economic development.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Patterns of access to rural service infrastructure: the case of farming households in Limpopo Province

Inadequate infrastructure is a major development challenges in developing countries. This paper applies factor analysis to determine the pattern of access to rural service infrastructure on 158 farming households in the Limpopo Province. The nine components of access to service infrastructure (distance to Polokwane, nearest town, local government, hospital, magistrate office, post office, traditional authority, district agricultural offices and extension service) were subjected to factor analysis. The results support the concept of centre-periphery pattern of service infrastructure development. Polokwane is a major centre in the Province, and provide a composite of services. Its peripheries are regions, which have towns as centres. Health, local government and postal services are mainly found in such regional centres. The district centres provide mainly agricultural and justice services. Finally, local centres provide services of traditional authorities, agriculture and postal services. These patterns have major implication for infrastructure development policy and programs. They also need to be considered in current crafting of institutions for rural economic development

Modeling Selection of Agro-Technologies: The Case of Legume-Cereal Crop Sequencing in Njoro Division of Nakuru District, Kenya

Crop rotation technology involving cereals and legumes is beneficial to the overall crop soil environment. However, the profitability of the technology varies spatially by type of farming system. The objective of this study was to assess the economic viability of legume-cereal crop rotation technologies and their adoption potential amongst smallholder farmers in Njoro Division of Kenya's Nakuru District. Input and yield data for screening of legume-cereal technologies were obtained from the Egerton University Wheat/Chickpea Project. A structured questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of 45 households to collect primary farm-level data. Linear programming (LP) models were used to optimize existing activities and those from legume-cereal agronomic trials. Based on income differential between optimal and existing farm plans, legume-cereal crop sequencing would significantly contribute to smallholder farm income. Profitability of the legume crop was found important in determining the economically optimum rotation. The study recommends that the legume-maize/wheat rotation technology is economically viable with chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and dolichos (Lablab purpurius L. (Sweet)) as the legumes. The coupling of agricultural technology with credit is recommended as the best strategy for smallholder agricultural development. Keywords: Legume-cereal rotation, linear programming, technology adoption [IJARD Vol.3 2002: 1-7