Workshop tools | Programme | Participants | Case studies | Report | Papers | Resource documents | Links | |||
Case studies > Agricultural Technologies |
Working Group: Agricultural Technologies |
Options | Affect on labour / energy | Targets? | Impact on livelihoods | Barriers | Miscellaneous |
Conservation Agriculture - hand hoe farmers (very poor) | |||||
Basin Planting (case: Siavonga, Zambia | The basins have the purpose of being a water harvesting device; they are made by hand hoe during the dry season before the rains start; this way the labour is spread and shifted to a time where labour is available. The labour amount for making the potholes is similar to digging the field for conv. Land preparationCompost, trash or fertilizer is incorporated; | The poorest of the poor are the ones who don't have access to draught animal power (DAP) for land preparation, hence they are the target group for the basin system | More drought resistance due to the water harvesting effect of the basins; hence - higher and more stable yields | Small farmers and vulnerable household members need strong incentive to make the basins if they have not been exposed to the basin system before; | Should not be 'labelled' as system for the poorest of the poor as then not even the poor farmers want to adopt itThe basins can be made in portions each year; existing basins can be 'maintained' with little labour requirement |
Soil cover - Using crop residues (Karatu, Tanzania) | Soil cover and crop residues which are left on the field suppress weeds - reduce labour demand for weeding | The poorest of the poor sometimes use this approach as a 'coping mechanism'; suppress weeds | Increases water retention capacity of soils and maintains soil moisture, hence helps to improve yields in dry years. | Conflicts with free ranging livestock is a probability; Conflicts with standard extension messages of maintaining a clean seedbed (land preparation) and a clean field during cropping cycle (weeding throughout) | Community leaders should be involved in acknowledging and accepting this way of farming (with soil cover) In garden farming soil cover reduces requirement for watering (irrigation) |
Soil cover - Using dolicos lab lab and mucuna as cover crops (Karatu / Tanzania) | It requires an additional activity to intercrop the cover crop but results in big labour savings by almost eliminating weeding; the cover crops are leguminous crops that fix N, hence natural fertilization of soil and improving soil fertility happens without additional labour input | Cover crops have been very attractive to vulnerable households;Need technical assistance and training plus assistance in getting access to crops in the beginning | The leguminous do fix N from air in the soils, hence natural fertilizationDolicos lab lab is a cash crop as middle men from Kenya are buing the lab lab bean harvest | Conflicts with fee grazing livestock but cover crops do produce fodderAvailability of cover crops seeds Change of perception of 'dirty fields' |
South to South cooperation is encouraged as this system of incorporating various cover crops has been developed by farmers in Brazil |
Light weight hand hoes for planting | lighter hoes are less energy demanding; | hand hoes are available but specific lighter hand hoes are sometimes rare | light hoes should be part of emergency interventions together with the standard hevy hoe | ||
Hand Jab Planter (hand tool to plant into soil cover) - is widely in use in Brazil and Paraquay | Reduces labour / energy demand after a period of learning hoe to best use it Requires only one person for planting instead of three (digging hole, planting, closing hoe) |
A hand labour tool like the hand hoe is suitable for small farmers. Can be used by women and older children. | Can be produced locally; Is an investment opportunity for local making plus for specializing in being hand jab planter service provider | Cost is approx $ 10 is currently made in CARMATEC / Arusha or imported from BrazilRepair and maintenancecultural acceptance? | South to South cooperation and technology transfer is encouraged |
Conservation Agriculture - Introduce draught animals and DAP technologies to reduce hand labour | |||||
Ripper (another type of tool, is a substitute for the plough) Babati / Tanzania |
Done before onset of rains (spreading labour similar to basin system) with 2 animals,cuts furrow rather than soil inversion, faster than ploughing | poorest households don't have access to draught animals but it might b e easier for them to find one or two rather than four oxen; it helps people to stabilize | Is available locally as it is adjusted from the mouldboard plough | Difficult to use when too much soil cover and crop residues are on the fieldTraining of oxen required | also available with planter attachment to combine ripping and planting |
Knife rollerto chop the cover crop for land preparation - eliminates slashing by pangaKaratu Tanzania example | only one or two animals required | see aboveonly available in selected pilot sites e.g. Karatu | Time savings allows people to work for others | Accessibility of fodder availability vet care | can be made locally currently onlyavailable in pilot sites |
No-tillage direct planter Karatu / Tanzania |
Planting through soil cover, eliminates land preparation; two animals instead of four | see above | time saving allows farmer to diversify or work for others | Not available locally, expensive | South to south transfer and communication required (Brazil, Paraguay - Africa) |
Livestock | |||||
Restocking of small animals such as rabbits and Guinea Fowl | diversifying livelihoods they can cultivate less | most vulnerable need quick return,specifically for orphans, elderly headed households | income generating activities, food source, can act like a savings account to mitigate risks | care of animals, this increases with the size of the animal | options for types of animals e.g. rabbits, Guinea Fowl; chicken, goats |
Donkeys | use for transport water harvesting, firewood, marketing | specifically targeted to women farmers as donkeys have relatively low status | are not slaughtered for funerals; are normally not eaten Cows / oxen | ||
Using Less Labour intentsive crops | |||||
Cassava Cuttings distribution e.g. Oxfam / Malawi | Casava is a root crop, can be harvested as required for food, | normally considered a women's cropfood crop | |||
Millet | weeding of millet is labour intensive | protein rich plant, very nutritious | sold to make beer as income generating activity | ||
Traditionally under utilized crops that are labour saving e.g. Uganda Theta NGO |
those crops should be made available if they have labour saving features; should be included in seed banks and see fairs | local indigenous farmers may use locally known seed sources ; | must be adapted to local conditions and climates | ||
Fishing | |||||
Project to provide start up cost for HH to purchase fish that they then dry and sell (and buy more fish to sell...) | Attractive to households with minimal labour eg. Old women plus orphan headed households | grand parent and orphan households | Source of income | Competition to buy fresh fish (context specific) | Any intervention with fishing communities should have a specific programme on HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation as fishing communities have high HIV prevalence rates |
For all: extension support must be consistent
General Principles
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