Gender Role in Adoption of Agricultural Innovation of Sorghum in ElSemeih Agricultural Scheme in North Kordofan State

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to assess the gender role in the adoption of the innovations of sorghum in ElSemeih Agricultural Scheme in North Kordofan State, which is one of its compounds to inter the innovations of sorghum. The study selected this area to determine the role of gender of both women and men farmers on adoption of the innovations and to see if there is any significant difference in the adoption process of sorghum innovations and accessibility of the assets (the availability of production inputs , sources of information and constraints facing them) between male and female farmers. Social survey was used applying a stratified random sampling method to select proportional 100 farmers (50 male and 50 female).The questionnaire was used as primary tool for the data collection. Secondary data were obtained from different sources. The questionnaire consisting of five sets of questions was developed: demographic characteristics of farmers’ application of recommended sorghum technologies packages, source of information’s about the technologies packages and methods to practices, problems face the farmers to practice packages and the contribution of adoption of the innovation in the field and community. The survey was conducted during the period between one 1-30 April 2008.The primary data collecting. Data were coded and fed to computer. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)was used to analysis the data. The statistical techniques used were descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, and percentages, Chi-square test at level of significance of 0.05 or less and correlation test for some variables to confirm these relations . The main findings of the study indicated that The majority of male and female farmers (58%-60%) depends on the Project administration as information's sources. vi The majority of female farmers (56%) said that credit is the problems which face them, compared to (28%) of male farmers, while the highly percentage of female. The majority of the male and female farmers (74%-100%) do not participate in most of the social Organizations like the farmers unit or village club, and they participate rarely in some social organizations like the people committee and production committee. Chi-square test revealed that there were significant differences between male farmers and female farmers in the effect of availability of extension services on the application of the technical package Based on the findings, the study proposed the some recommendations including:  Ministry of Agricultural of North Kordofan State Improve and strengthen the mass media to assist women farmer for to adopt new technologies in Sorghum  Banks and NGOs Establishing special credit programs for poor rural women (especially women farmers) that should be supported by simple and flexible procedures and easy term of repayment.  Administration of ElSemeih Agricultural Scheme  Strengthening of the extension service and recruit female extension workers to channel information on new technologies to rural women farmers, and train them in their use.  Encouraging women to participate in the social organizations, and launching their own groups which help in promoting their skills in practice of the agriculture innovations, also encouraging women to take positions that influence decision making.