Smallholder farmers operate in vertical supply chains. Therefore, an understanding of key opportunities and constraints up through the value chain becomes necessary for sustaining smallholder growth. Yet market analysis is of little value unless key private and public sector stakeholders agree...

This paper assesses the impact of chicken vaccination on farmers’ income. A dynamic simulation model, VIPOSIM, combined with benefit-cost techniques, was used ensuring that both, the dynamic aspects of village poultry production system and selection bias are addressed. The findings of this...

Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique Directorate of Training, Documentation, and Technology Transfer

Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique; Directorate of Training, Documentation, and Technology Transfer

Although several studies have been conducted to determine the viability of conservation agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa, almost all such studies are fragmented – often country specific – and with undue emphasis on output effects. However, assessment of the attractiveness of these...

This paper presents a critique of commercialising smallholder farming for agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. First it questions the validity of an overarching ‘metanarrative’ approach to development. Then it discusses the different types of knowledge, values and method and draws attention to...

The main question which this research originally sought to answer was whether or not inorganic fertilizers are generally profitable used alone on maize, or with pesticides on cotton, for small farmers in Zambia. Rather than give a definitive answer for each Zambian farmer, the authors developed...

The overall objective of the assessment is to review the current agricultural marketing information system and to establish felt marketing needs for agricultural marketing participants and other interested parties. Specifically, the study aimed at achieving the following- to assess the marketing...

This research focuses on the performance in the Magoye ripper in maize and cotton production in Eastern and Southern Provinces during the 2004/2005 productions year. Findings include the following: In maize production, the ripper enabled higher yields compared to traditional animal ploughing, by...

Inorganic fertilizers will play a role in government programs, but whether or not a single policy is valuable for all farmers depends upon the net gain for the farmers. The research here seeks to demonstrate how to answer the question “Is fertilizer profitable in Zambia for maize and cotton in...