Sustaining Livelihoods to Alleviate Poverty Through Adoption of Technical Packages of Improved Potato Crop in Jebel Marra Area

Abstract

This study was conducted as a contribution towards searching the performance of different agricultural technologies, agricultural extension methods, social and economic factors that increase small farms productivities using potato crops as a sample in order to sustain the livelihoods and alleviate or reduce the poverty of the poor farmers affected by Darfur conflicts. This study is an attempt to show the elements affecting the adoption of improved potato crops and proposing recommendations that can be used for developing strategies for effective agricultural extension work and alleviation or reduction of poverty among the potato’s small farmers around Jebel Marra area. Non-probability sampling was chosen and 180 representatives’ farmers were selected in the study area for the purpose of collecting primary data. A Questionnaire was designed to collect information from the small farmers from Nertiti, Zalingei, Thur, Gurney Dankogand Delaig. The analytical statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics and Chi- square were applied to analyse the data obtained from filed survey. The study revealed that there was a positive relationship between personal characteristic (age, sex, education level, income and family size) and adoption of improved potato by small farmers in order to sustain their livelihoods and alleviate the poverty. The study also reflected that there was no significant relationship between social factors (social status, living standard, and marital status) and adoption of improved potato to sustain the livelihoods of the small farmers. The study showed that there was a positive significant relationship between gender and adoption of recommended soil to grow improved potato. The study also detected that there was strong significant relation between agricultural extension methods used by agricultural extension agents to provide information on improved potato to the small famers and increasing productivity of improved potato during the farming season. The result indicated that there was a significant association between obtaining training on improved potato and practicing and adoption of the recommended sowing date, type of soil, methods of improved potato and time of adding fertilizers,. However, there was no relationship between obtaining training and adoption of recommended number of tuber per hole. The study reflected that there was a significant association between obtaining training on improved potato and high productivity of the improved potato. The results of the study showed that a high percentage numbers of farmers are practicing some economic activities to get income after the end of agricultural season in order to sustain their livelihoods and alleviate the poverty. These activities include petty trade, sale of fire wood, making and sailing charcoal, masonry labour, sale of grass or fodder, making bricks, sewing work, wood work, sale of handicraft and remittances from their relatives inside and outside Sudan. Based on the results, the study recommended the following: The agricultural extension agents should raise the awareness of poor farmers on technical packages of improved potato through agricultural extension methods. More information about agricultural technologies should be conveyed to the small farmers, improve the rate of adoption and to boost the dissemination of improved potato. The Ministry of Agriculture in central Darfur should exert efforts to improve the agricultural extension program in Jebel Marra areas and the program should be directed to bring about change in attitudes and practices among poor farmers to alleviate or reduce their poverty.