Farmer Training Programs Research Articles

An evaluation of cattle farmers’ knowledge of bovine brucellosis in northeast Portugal

Little information is available regarding the connection between the risk of brucellosis infection in cattle and the lack of training and education of cattle producers. A total of 154 cattle farmers from the Vila Real (northern Portugal) municipality were interviewed in person to evaluate their knowledge of bovine brucellosis. Basic knowledge of the zoonotic characteristics and clinical signs of brucellosis infection and cattle management was obtained from 78.6%, 68.8% and 79.9% of the respondents, respectively. The respondents with infected animals in their herds (odds ratio (OR) 5.5; 95% confidence interval 1.6, 19.5) were more likely to have greater knowledge about bovine brucellosis. The study also revealed a relationship (p<0.01) between the use of breeding males and farms that were already infected with brucellosis. Moreover, the knowledge that brucellosis is a zoonotic disease was also influenced by the number of farms already infected with brucellosis (p<0.01). Conversely, the number of respondents who were unaware that bovine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease (25.3%) and a foodborne pathogen (21.4%), and the fact that over half (54.5%) of the respondents believed that bovine brucellosis was a treatable infectious disease was associated with the absence of veterinary assistance on the farm (60.4%). Because the eradication of bovine brucellosis has multiple factors, the success of the national eradication program cannot be based only on the sanitary management of infected herds. Successful eradication will only occur with adequate training programs for farmers, including farm biosecurity, legal fulfillment and veterinary public health programs (in which the role of the veterinarian is fundamental).

An Analysis of Income Components of Rural Households in Xinjiang, China

Using data from 1982 to 2009, this paper examines how components of rural household income contribute to the major income gap between 30 poverty-stricken counties in Xinjiang province and the national average in China. Income from family businesses accounts for 80% in Xinjiang, while income proportions from wages and salaries, property and transfers are very low. The analysis shows that farmers' income depends on the family business for regular income and that the regional economy in rural areas is still dependent on direct consumption by producers. Living standards are declining because of extra expenditure on education for children, modern medical services and inflation. Income growth from wages and salaries is the major driving force for poverty reduction in Xinjiang. Fundamental ways to address poverty are to establish training programmes for farmers, improve employment opportunities, hasten construction of towns and small cities, promote the transfer of rural surplus labour, and escalate the proportion of income from wages and salaries, property and transfer.

Determinants of Technical Efficiency of Rice Farms in North-Central and North-Western Regions in Bangladesh

This paper estimates a quadratic stochastic frontier production function to examine the determinants of technical efficiency in rice farming in Bangladesh using the computer program FRONTIER 4.1. Primary data has been collected using multi-stage random sampling technique from twelve villages in north-central and north-western regions in Bangladesh. Rice cultivation displayed much variability in technical efficiency ranging from 0.16 to 0.94 with mean technical efficiency of 0.83 which suggested substantial gains in output with available resources and existing technologies. The analysis of the determinants of technical efficiency revealed that the age and education of the household heads, availability of off-farm incomes, land fragmentation, access to microfinance, extension visits, and regional variation were the major factors that caused efficiency differentials among the farm households studied. Hence, the study proposes strategies such as providing better extension services and farmer training programs, ensuring access to agricultural microfinance, reducing land fragmentation and raising educational level of the farmers to enhance technical efficiency.

Milk producers’ awareness of milk-borne zoonoses in selected smallholder and commercial dairy farms of Zimbabwe

A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted to assess milk producers' awareness of milk-borne zoonoses in selected smallholder and commercial dairy farms of Zimbabwe. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information on dairy breeds, milk production, dairy farmers' knowledge and awareness of zoonoses with particular emphasis on milk-borne zoonoses and farmers' behavioural practices that may lead to increased risk of milk-borne zoonoses transmission. A total of 119 dairy farmers were interviewed, and 41.5% were aware of milk-borne zoonoses with a significantly (P<0.01) higher percentage of commercial dairy farmers (65.0%) being aware compared to smallholder dairy farmers (36.7%). The behavioural practices of dairy farmers observed to increase the risk of milk-borne zoonoses transmission were; consumption of raw milk (68.1%), sale of raw milk to the local public (25.2%), lack of cooling facilities by smallholder farmers (98%), and no routine testing (84.9%) and medical check-ups (89.1%) for milk-borne zoonoses. General hygienic and disease control practices need to be integrated in the milk production process particularly at the smallholder level. Awareness, teaching and training programmes for smallholder dairy farmers can improve disease control in animals and reduce the public health risk of milk-borne zoonoses.

Assessing the Impact of Zero Tilled Wheat Growing in Rice (Oryza Sativa L.)–Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Cropping Systems

Rice–wheat is the most commonly employed cropping system on around 14 million hectares of land extending across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). The IGP region covers the South Asian countries of Pakistan (2.2 million ha), India (10.5 million ha), Nepal (0.5 million ha) and Bangladesh (0.8 million ha). The major challenge facing the IGP's rice–wheat cropping system is to sustain long-term productivity. This system has a pivotal role in the food security and livelihoods of millions of farmers and workers of populous countries such as India, particularly in central Uttar Pradesh. The system's productivity and economic gains have been consistently decreasing, mainly because of the delayed sowing of wheat after the rice harvest and the fatigued soil condition. The region's farmers lose valuable time for pre-sowing irrigation and field preparation due to the gap of two to three weeks between the harvesting of rice and the planting of wheat. If wheat sowing is delayed beyond the optimal time (by late November), yields plummet at the rate of 30 kg per ha per day. The adoption of resource conservation technologies, such as zero tilled wheat sowing, is considered essential to maintain the productivity of the rice–wheat cropping system. Economic analysis of data for two years from six on-farm demonstrations shows that the zero tillage method of wheat cultivation is the most economical and attractive option for the farming community of central Uttar Pradesh. A high grain yield and reduced cost of cultivation per hectare, reduction in the density of weeds, especially Phalaris minor, and greater water saving were noted in zero tilled wheat sowings compared with conventional practices. As a result of field demonstrations and farmer training programmes, the introduction of zero till drill wheat sowing has expanded rapidly and has made significant contributions to the tillage revolution in the study area.

Technical efficiency analysis for oilseed sunflower farms: a case study in Erzurum, Turkey

The main purpose of this study was to examine the technical efficiency of farms producing sunflower in Erzurum, Turkey and to identify factors that might be causing inefficiency. Stochastic frontier analysis was used to measure technical efficiency. One hundred and seventeen randomly selected farms were interviewed for farm-level data in the 2004-2005 production period. Results revealed that the mean technical efficiency for the sunflower farms, estimated by the stochastic production frontier, is 64%. At full technical efficiency, on average, the farmers could reduce their inputs by around 56% without reducing their sunflower production, simply by improving technical efficiency. In the inefficiency model the parameter estimates showed that older farmers, higher level of farmer's education, more experienced farmers, larger farm size and higher information score resulted in lower technical inefficiency, while bigger family size and more credit usage resulted in higher technical inefficiency. This study proposes strategies such as providing better extension services and farmer-training programmes, including more educated people in sunflower farming and also expanding the sunflower-growing area through provision of adequate facilities in order to increase technical efficiency.

Assessing P fertiliser use in vegetable production: agronomic and environmental implications

Vegetable production is often located in the peri-urban areas close to large cities. In Sydney, Australia, excessive levels of phosphorus (P) have been reported in the soils, and vegetable farms have long been regarded as a potential source of the P that enters Sydney’s waterways. We report vegetable production under varying soil P conditions and the consequent changes in soil P, as well as water quality of runoff and leachate after growing 5 crops in a field trial where inputs in the form of garden organic compost were compared to current farmers’ practice. No difference in vegetable yield was observed between 100 and 400 mg/kg of soil Colwell P (0–0.10 m); therefore, our results indicate that the excessive soil P levels in the vegetable farms around Sydney are not important for optimal vegetable production. Results from runoff and leachate studies clearly demonstrate that high concentrations of P in soils used for vegetable production under the current farming practice around Sydney have increased the potential to export P and to negatively affect water quality of receiving environments. The significant increases in soluble P concentrations found in the soil and runoff water from the current farming practice can be attributed to the use of poultry litter. In contrast, using compost in place of poultry litter resulted in significantly reduced soil P accumulation and P concentration in runoff and leachate. Training and education programs for farmers and their advisors are recommended to encourage more sustainable fertiliser management practices and reduce the accumulation of P in the environment.

Measuring the technical efficiency and exploring the inefficiency determinants of vegetable farms in Samsun province, Turkey

The purposes of this research were to measure the technical efficiency of sample vegetable farms and subsequently to explore determinants of technical inefficiency in the Samsun province of Turkey. Stochastic Frontier Analysis was used to measure technical efficiency. Farm managers from 75 randomly selected farms were interviewed for farm level data in the 2002–2003 production periods. Research results revealed that the average output of vegetable farms in Samsun could increase by 18% under prevailing technology. The technical efficiency of the sample vegetable farms ranged from 0.56 to 0.95 (0.82 average). The variables of schooling, experience, credit use, participation by women and information score negatively affected technical inefficiency. However, age, family size, off-farm income and farm size showed a positive relationship with inefficiency. Therefore, this study proposes strategies such as providing better extension services and farmer training programs, integrating women into the training and extension programs, raising the educational level of farmers, and providing farmers with greater access to credit, to enhance technical efficiency.

Farmer perceptions and pesticide use practices in vegetable production in Ghana

As an initial part of a programme aimed at promoting safe and sound agricultural practices in Ghana, a study was made of farmers' perceptions of pesticides for use and application in vegetable production, using a small survey of 137 farmers who applied pesticides. Field surveys, interviews, questionnaires and analytical games were used to obtain information on the type, scope and extent of use of pesticides, farmers' knowledge of pesticides, and their perceptions about the chemicals' potential for harm. Data from this sample of farmers were used to describe the status of use of pesticides in vegetable cultivation in Ghana. Using chi2 tests, associations between farmers' age and possible pesticide poisoning symptoms, their farm size and method of spraying pesticides, and their perception of pesticide hazard and its perceived effectiveness against pests were also examined. The survey showed that knapsack sprayers were the most widely used type of equipment for spraying pesticides. However, on large-scale vegetable farms of 6-10 acres, motorised sprayers were also used. Various inappropriate practices in the handling and use of pesticides caused possible poisoning symptoms among those farmers who generally did not wear protective clothing. Younger farmers (<45 years of age) were the most vulnerable group, probably because they did more spraying than older farmers (>45 years of age). Farmers did not necessarily associate hazardous pesticides with better pest control. The introduction of well-targeted training programmes for farmers on the need for and safe use of pesticides is advocated.

Advances in Participatory Occupational Health Aimed at Good Practices in Small Enterprises and the Informal Sector

Participatory programmes for occupational risk reduction are gaining importance particularly in small workplaces in both industrially developing and developed countries. To discuss the types of effective support, participatory steps commonly seen in our "work improvement-Asia" network are reviewed. The review covered training programmes for small enterprises, farmers, home workers and trade union members. Participatory steps commonly focusing on low-cost good practices locally achieved have led to concrete improvements in multiple technical areas including materials handling, workstation ergonomics, physical environment and work organization. These steps take advantage of positive features of small workplaces in two distinct ways. First, local key persons are ready to accept local good practices conveyed through personal, informal approaches. Second, workers and farmers are capable of understanding technical problems affecting routine work and taking flexible actions leading to solving them. This process is facilitated by the use of locally adjusted training tools such as local good examples, action checklists and group work methods. It is suggested that participatory occupational health programmes can work in small workplaces when they utilize low-cost good practices in a flexible manner. Networking of these positive experiences is essential.

A Review of Past and Present Research on Aflatoxin in Uganda

Uganda is a landlocked country located in Eastern Africa covering an area of about 241,000 km 2 . Its climate is tropical, with most parts of it receiving bimodal rainfall of 500 to 2000 mm per annum, and an average temperature of 25 o C. These temperatures and the humid environment are optimum for growth of Aspergillus flavus/parasiticus and subsequent production of aflatoxins in the produce. The country was among those in the world where aflatoxin studies were first conducted following their discovery, in the 1960s and, during that time, hepatoma frequency was related to aflatoxin content of food. The objective of this paper is to review the past and present status of aflatoxin research in Uganda by considering the epidemiology, measurement, research, promoting factors, control strategies and problems associated with this toxin in the country. It is revealed that aflatoxin contamination has been studied mainly in maize and groundnuts, and aflatoxin B 1 is the most prevalent in the country. More studies have been done on foods sampled at the market level than on-farm level. There is more aflatoxin contamination of foods in markets, than those stored by farmers, with some having levels above the FDA/WHO recommended limits of 20 ppb. However, no strategies for controlling aflatoxin contamination of food and food products in Uganda have been reported. It is concluded that aflatoxin contamination of agricultural produce is a big problem in the country, and this is attributed to inadequate research, lack of proper sampling and analytical procedures; poor legislation and lack of awareness of the problem by farmers, traders, processors and consumers. Therefore in order to reduce the potential hazard of aflatoxins, government of Uganda through the Ministries of Health, and Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries; together with the Uganda National Bureau of Standard s, should put into place information dissemination and training programs for farmers, traders and consumers on proper pre- and post-harvest aflatoxin management strategies. To reduce further this potential hazard, regulations for monitoring susceptible produce from buying points to retail markets should be put in place and strict measures on the quality of food at both household and market levels be enforced by all policy makers.

Informal Technical and Vocational Training Programs and Farming in the Province of Isfahan, Iran

Since 1954, various informal training programs for farmers have been implemented to support them in several aspects of their life and careers in Iran. This study aimed at assessing the results of informal technical and vocational training programs (ITVTP) in the field of agriculture on the employment status of farmers in the province of Isfahan in Iran. A number of 330 farmers (equally divided over an experimental and a control group) were selected from 19 townships of the province mentioned to be interviewed. Structured questionnaires were completed during the interviews. The results show the education level of the majority of farmers in both groups is low; most of them are married, smallholder and more than 40 years of age. Statistical analysis showed there is a positive relationship between ITVTP (as an independent variable) and different aspects of the lives and careers of farmers (as dependent variables), such as job stability, job satisfaction and motivation, income generation, investments in the agriculture sector, information and competence, the employment of families, and production capacity of farmers. The findings underline the importance and supporting role of ITVTP for many factors relating farming.

Transforming top‐down agricultural extension to a participatory system: a study of costs and prospective benefits in Egypt

AbstractThis article challenges some previous assessments of agricultural extension relying on simple measures of costs per farmer trained. Taking the case of Egypt, five pilot projects that aim to transform the existing agricultural extension system to a participatory system are analysed as regards their cost‐effectiveness and prospective cost–benefits. It is shown that the intensity and likely impact of participatory approaches among the different projects vary. Hence, it is insufficient to judge extension programmes by their cost‐effectiveness alone. In the case of cotton, for example, the costs per farmer trained are considerably lower than in horticultural crops but there are large differences in prospective benefits which would make investment in participatory extension in the latter more promising. The article calls for a more careful analysis of the costs of extension programmes in agricultural development and identifies four major cost categories, namely base costs, start‐up costs, recurrent and farmers' costs. The article also submits that in the context of the debate on privatization of agricultural extension there is a role to be played for the public sector in agriculture. The success of participatory approaches to extension will depend on the quality of services provided in connection with farmer training programmes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Evolution and status of Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius) as a pest control agent in citrus in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Citrus farmers in the Mekong Delta have a long tradition of managing the weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius). From 1994 to 1998, insecticide use increased significantly (P< 0.01) from 66% to 84% in orchards where O. smaragdina occurred. In 1998, ca 75% of the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and 25% of the Tieu mandarin (C. reticulata) orchards had large O. smaragdina populations, due to lower pesticide pressure in the first crop. In orchards with O. smaragdina, farmers sprayed less frequently and used fewer highly hazardous insecticides. Major insecticides used in sweet orange were monocrotophos and alpha-cypermethrin, and those used in Tieu mandarin were methidathion, imidacloprid and fenpropathrin. Expenditure on pesticides was reduced by half when O. smaragdina was abundant, without affecting either the yield or the farmers' income. Therefore, O. smaragdina husbandry is a good example of a traditional practice which should be further promoted as an important component of sustainable citrus production. The experience of those farmers who use no or few pesticides should be drawn upon in developing farmer training programmes or mass media tools to promote IPM in citrus. Farmers practicing ant husbandry were significantly older than those not doing so.

Farmers» needs for nature conservation education in Greece

Impact of farming practices on the environment and on wetlands is determined, to a great extent, by the level of farmers» environmental awareness. Effective conservation of wetlands cannot depend merely on prohibitions but instead it is necessary to investigate users» knowledge and attitudes towards these vulnerable resources and then inform and encourage sustainable use. In the present study we examine: (1) farmers» knowledge of the environmental impact of modern agriculture practised adjacent to two Ramsar wetlands, Lakes Kerkini and Prespa, and on the Plain of the Serres Basin, (2) absence of knowledge associated with characteristics of farming operations and their managers; and (3) which groups are in greater need of environmental awareness and knowledge. Data analysis revealed that the majority of farmers ignored the environmental impact of modern agriculture. Wetland farmers were more ignorant and practised a more intensive form of agriculture than those on the Plain. Prespa farmers were the most intensive farmers and were also the most ignorant with regards to water quality, soil and landscape and the use of pesticides and herbicides. This is particularly important since Prespa is a National Park. Kerkini farmers showed less environmental awareness and farmed more intensively, compared to their adjacent counterparts on the Plain. Those more «knowledgeable» concerning environmental impacts of high input agriculture are those younger crop farmers with higher formal education and training. The findings of the study call for immediate action to implement specifically designed training programmes for wetland farmers, primarily of Prespa, so that they become more environmentally aware and eventually change their behaviour in a pro-environmental direction. This study highlights the necessity to build a conservation consensus among farmers in environmentally sensitive areas by educating them to conserve natural resources, training them to practise sustainable agriculture and rewarding the most environmentally friendly agriculture.

A comparison of two IPM training strategies in China: The importance of concepts of the rice ecosystem for sustainable insect pest management

Our study in China of two Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training programs for farmers shows that one is more effective than the other in reducing pesticide applications as well as in imparting to farmers an understanding of the rice ecosystem. The two training programs are based upon two different paradigms of IPM. This article uses a triangulated method of measuring concept attainment among farmer trainees in China as one measure of the effectiveness of training. Concepts of insect ecology brought about by training, as well as persistence of concepts one year after training, are measured. This information is compared to farmer data on pesticide applications and yields in order to determine the comparative effectiveness of two models of IPM farmer training in Sichuan Province. Results indicate that the Farmer Field School (FFS) model of training, based upon a new Ecology-Based IPM paradigm, is more effective than the 3 Pests 3 Diseases (3P3D) model based upon an older Economic Threshold IPM paradigm. Crop yield results and pesticide applications by farmers after training are also used to indicate which of these paradigms of insect pest control is more effective, hence scientifically accurate.

THE VALUE OF A FUNGICIDE ADVISORY PROGRAMME FOR CEREALS

An estimate is made of the benefits resulting from the implementation of a proposed fungicide advisory programme for Kent wheat farmers. The programme has a value by providing information which enables improved spraying decisions to be made by farmers. The expected annual value for Kent is found to be £106,000.A closer examination is made of both the returns and costs of one component of the scheme, viz, the training of farmers to recognise the disease (caused by Septoria spp.) in their fields. An average benefit/cost ratio of 8/1 is calculated to result from the provision of farmer training programmes. However, if the decision by farmers to attend courses is made upon the criteria of expected gain to themselves, then initial courses would have a much higher benefit/cost ratio. There would be diminishing returns to additional courses, but only those Kentish wheat growers with the smallest areas of crop would lack the financial incentive to attend.