512
A. Vushe
quality and quantity to avoid pollution and overexploitation (World Bank 2005) is
essential.
10 Cost-Effective Mechanization of Small-Scale Farms
with Low-Cost Technology
For a sustainable and profitable farming in semi-arid climates; new mechanization
efforts must improve on old approaches to prepare land, irrigation systems (as insurance against drought); new techniques to harvest crops; crop management in the
post-harvest phases as well as livestock production in order to convert the prevailing
high risk (of failure); and labor-intensive and subsistence farming systems into
modern, productive, and efficient comercialized agricultural units. The conversion
may be possible if smallholder farmers acquire know-how as well as the following:
robust, cost-effective, energy-efficient, ergonomic, water-efficient irrigation systems,
machinery for land preparation and crop protection and post-harvest technologies,
and best practises in livestock production. The low-cost technologies should be suitable for 1–3 ha dryland plots and should enable small-scale farmers to operate independently. Hence, researches for production of appropriate technologies and teaching
best practices have to incorporate field-based prototype testing and farmer participation. Monitoring and evaluation, redesigns and modifications should have farmer
inputs as part of the project cycle, for easy uptake of the technologies and best practices by the small-scale farmers. Research institutions, government departments that
provide extension services and donors should support such protracted testing and
enter into agreements with the private sector for mass production and distribution of
successful prototypes (Rukuni 1997).
Utilization of robust, ergonomic, and low-cost technologies may enhance innovation and productivity of African agriculture as well as retain labor in rural areas.
Land and water productivity can be improved by building capacity in government
and private agencies to provide technical support and advisory services to farmers.
Remaining challenges include building the African small-scale mechanized farming
environment; capacity to establish national standards and control parameters for
mechanization processes; growing capacity in the private sector to manufacture,
import, and market machinery and equipment to provide reliable services for users
and to develop business environments that support African small-scale farmer investment in new technologies through the careful use of subsidies and soft loans (World
Bank 2005). Hence, political will at national and local community levels has to be
cultivated so that African governments successfully provide incentives, guarantees
for loans, and enabling environments.
The new technologies should be cost-effective for dryland smallholder farming
even in semi-arid climates. The ecology of the rainfed dry areas is fragile and the
farming business in these climates is highly susceptible to drought-induced failures.
A. Vushe
quality and quantity to avoid pollution and overexploitation (World Bank 2005) is
essential.
10 Cost-Effective Mechanization of Small-Scale Farms
with Low-Cost Technology
For a sustainable and profitable farming in semi-arid climates; new mechanization
efforts must improve on old approaches to prepare land, irrigation systems (as insurance against drought); new techniques to harvest crops; crop management in the
post-harvest phases as well as livestock production in order to convert the prevailing
high risk (of failure); and labor-intensive and subsistence farming systems into
modern, productive, and efficient comercialized agricultural units. The conversion
may be possible if smallholder farmers acquire know-how as well as the following:
robust, cost-effective, energy-efficient, ergonomic, water-efficient irrigation systems,
machinery for land preparation and crop protection and post-harvest technologies,
and best practises in livestock production. The low-cost technologies should be suitable for 1–3 ha dryland plots and should enable small-scale farmers to operate independently. Hence, researches for production of appropriate technologies and teaching
best practices have to incorporate field-based prototype testing and farmer participation. Monitoring and evaluation, redesigns and modifications should have farmer
inputs as part of the project cycle, for easy uptake of the technologies and best practices by the small-scale farmers. Research institutions, government departments that
provide extension services and donors should support such protracted testing and
enter into agreements with the private sector for mass production and distribution of
successful prototypes (Rukuni 1997).
Utilization of robust, ergonomic, and low-cost technologies may enhance innovation and productivity of African agriculture as well as retain labor in rural areas.
Land and water productivity can be improved by building capacity in government
and private agencies to provide technical support and advisory services to farmers.
Remaining challenges include building the African small-scale mechanized farming
environment; capacity to establish national standards and control parameters for
mechanization processes; growing capacity in the private sector to manufacture,
import, and market machinery and equipment to provide reliable services for users
and to develop business environments that support African small-scale farmer investment in new technologies through the careful use of subsidies and soft loans (World
Bank 2005). Hence, political will at national and local community levels has to be
cultivated so that African governments successfully provide incentives, guarantees
for loans, and enabling environments.
The new technologies should be cost-effective for dryland smallholder farming
even in semi-arid climates. The ecology of the rainfed dry areas is fragile and the
farming business in these climates is highly susceptible to drought-induced failures.