and good for prevention of cancer. The second most preferred traits were high yield and disease resistance. Other traits preferred by farmers included resistance to termite and bird damage, and drought tolerance (Figure 2.7).
Figure 2.7: Farmers’ preferred traits for wheat
increased wheat production. Hojo (2002), reported that literacy in farming households was essential as it reduced risk aversion. In addition, it increases comprehension and chances of adoption of new agricultural technologies. Furthermore, education influences an individual’s willingness to learn and acquire new technologies and adopt them (Feder et al., 1985;
Adeogun et al., 2010).
The study revealed that most households did not utilize all their available land. This could be attributed to a number of things such as the types of implements they owned and the methods of land preparation used on their farms. It was evident from the ownership of implements that the principal source of farm power for most household was human power.
The contribution of human power to land preparation was more than draught animals. The reliance on human labour for land preparation activities contributed to limited use of farm land. Traditionally, farmers in these areas did not keep cattle hence the reliance on human labour. However, in recent years cattle have been introduced to these areas which could lead to increased use of draught animals. The findings revealed that farmers needed draught animals to improve their agricultural productivity including wheat.
It was found that the majority of households produced enough food to see them through to the next cropping season as they had access to production information from extension workers. This implied that farmers’ agricultural information needs were met as the extension workers provided them with relevant information that helped them in their farming operations and hence produced enough food. This is in line with what Fashola et al. (2007) who reported that the force to increase crop productivity depended upon the linkages between the research workers, extension workers and the farmers. In addition, Roling (1990) revealed that extension workers were vital in the flow of information to farmers to increase crop productivity.
2.4.2 Wheat production and constraints as perceived by farmers
The number of farmers involved in wheat production and the amount of land that was allocated to wheat crop revealed that wheat production in Mufubushi and Mpika-Main is on a small scale. The area under production has the potential to increase if research institutions (wheat team) can train extension workers on wheat production who in turn will assist the farmers to improve production of the rain-fed wheat in their areas. In addition, on-farm and on station wheat field days could significantly help in promoting rain-fed wheat production as wheat farmers could be given an opportunity to assess the crop in the field. Akinsorotan (2009) revealed that field days were important in helping to learn by seeing what other farmers were doing and also convince them to go into production. Nonetheless, the study areas have high wheat production potential. This was evident from the number of farmers who were requesting for wheat seed after the focus group discussion. Besides, both men
and women participated in the production of wheat. These farmers should be encouraged to remain in wheat production because they have the experience in wheat farming. Moreover, the effective participation of both men and women would influence wheat production positively at household and community level. These observations are in close agreement withKifle (2013)and Raney et al. (2011) who reported that both men and women in farming households play an important role in agricultural production. Farmers planted wheat in rows and hand drilling was the common sowing method practiced by the farmers. Row planting is a good method as it helps in identifying the weeds during early growth stages of wheat.
Moreover, hand hoe weeding becomes much easier and faster than when not planted in rows.
Coucal was the only variety known to the farmers for the past fifteen years. This implies that there has been no progress in breeding for new rain-fed wheat varieties. The lack of good varieties has caused many small scale-farmers to abandon summer wheat production, which clearly shows the need for wheat breeders to develop new improved rain-fed varieties so that farmers could have a wider choice to improve the production of rain-fed wheat. Disease and weed pressures were also highlighted by farmers as important constraints for summer wheat production which emphasizes the need for breeding and introducing appropriate cultivars tolerant to different disease complexes and weed pressures. According to Naitao and Yousan (1997) a more feasible, sustainable and effective way to control diseases on small-scale farmers’ fields is breeding for resistance.
Lack of a good seed source was also cited as a limiting factor to rain-fed wheat production and forced farmers to save seed or source it from neighbours. A reliable supply of rain-fed wheat seed from both private and public sectors is required for sustainable summer wheat production amongst small-scale farmers. Drought, bird and termite damage were other factors limiting rain-fed wheat production amongst small-scale farmers. Farmers failed to combat these limiting factors causing low yield. The provision of drought tolerant varieties, varieties resistant to bird and termite damaged would help provide a solution to these problems.
Lack of readily available local markets was also an important constraint for farmers involved in wheat production. Increased markets could greatly transform wheat production as farmers would be able to purchase wheat seed and sell their harvest without problems. Furthermore, it is suggested that small-scale wheat farmers form an association as marketing of their produce becomes easier through associations. Additionally, the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) should put deliberate policies aimed at improving summer wheat production such as buying the crop from the farmers as they do with crops such as maize and rice through the Food Reserve
Agency (FRA). Readily available local markets could be an incentive for farmers to increase the area under wheat production as more land would be used for production (Shepard and Prowse, 2009). Furthermore, Huang (2014) indicated that availability of markets is one of the major drivers for agricultural growth as it helps farmers to get cheaper inputs and higher output prices.
2.4.3 Farmers’ perception of spot blotch disease and management strategies Leaf spots (spot blotch) disease was cited by farmers as one of the important diseases during the rainy season. This is in agreement with the findings of Raemakers (1988), Mukwavi et al. (1990) and Mooleki (1997) that spot blotch was very common during the rainy season. However, it was found that farmers were not aware of the causes of spot blotch disease. This implies that there is a need to educate farmers on the causes of spot blotch disease as this would help to reduce the disease in the area as the use of recycled infected seed, containing black points, would diminish. Infected seeds are a source of contamination as they provide pathogen inoculum to the growing plant (Duveiller and Dubin, 2002; Malaker et al., 2008).
Some farmers were aware of the effect of the disease on wheat grain yield but lacked information on effective management strategies. The farmers opted to adopt control measures that they thought would help them manage the disease, such as removing infected leaves, use of agricultural lime and also uprooting diseased plants. None of the methods they adopted helped in controlling the disease. Other farmers were not aware of the effects of the disease hence never adopted any control measures to combat the disease.
Consequently, there is need to strengthen agricultural extension so that information on effective and sustainable management practices can reach the farmers.
From the survey, it was observed that farmers were informed on the wheat farming practices, such as land preparation, sowing and also harvesting but lacked information on crop protection. According to Glendenning et al. (2010), farmers require a wide range of information to sustain their farm activities. Nonetheless, the study established that a more sustainable spot blotch disease management strategy, including the use of resistant varieties, is required to help combat the disease.
2.4.4 Wheat cultivar preferences
Generally, farmers preferred a wheat variety that would be high yielding, disease resistant, resistant to termite and bird damage, drought tolerant and with white coloured grain. They believed that having a variety with resistant to the aforementioned constraints would help them obtain good yields which would in turn bring them more income to their families.
Farmers also preferred to have a wide range of wheat varieties to choose from other than
Coucal. This therefore, confirms the importance of developing new wheat varieties that incorporate farmers’ preferred traits for the study areas.