In farming professions, the question of training for care of the environment has to address the complex nature of the relationship between farming and the environment together with the objectives of professional training. Using the example of a farming task, maize weeding, the author points out the particularities of decision-making on a farm. The consequences for professional training are teaching in complexity and training for professional action. In this context, training for care of the environment can only be effectively incorporated into farming practices if training methods propose a pragmatic approach.
Wangalachi, A. (author), Poland, D. (author), Mugo, S. (author), Gichuki, S.T. (author), Ouya, D. (author), Kimani, G. (author), Rabar, J. (author), and International Maize & Wheat Improvement Ctr CIMMYT, Nairobi 00621, Kenya
PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
Kenya Agr Res Inst KARI, Nairobi 00200, Kenya
Int AIDS Vaccine Initiat IAVI, Nairobi 00202, Kenya
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2011-06-01
Published:
Nigeria: Academic Journals
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 164 Document Number: D08223
8 pages., This study ascertained factors influencing adoption of improved maize seed varieties in three local government areas of Kaduna State, North-central Nigeria. It collected cross-sectional data for a sample of 180 randomly selected farming households across three local government areas of the State in 2015/16. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were performed on the data. The descriptive statistics differentiated adopters from non-adopters, while the inferential analysis involved estimation of a logit model to determine factors driving adoption of improved maize seed varieties in the study areas. The results of the descriptive analysis show significant mean differences between adopters and non-adopters regarding several farm households’ characteristics. The model results reveal that adoption of improved maize seed varieties among the households was positively influenced by age, household size, level of education, farming experience, labour availability, contacts with extension agents, farm size, off-farm income and membership of associations. Thus, the study concluded that improving farmers’ education, expanding coverage and depth of extension services and strengthening farmer associations are useful policy actions for promoting adoption of improved maize varieties. It is also important to address availability, accessibility and affordability issues constraining adoption, enhance credit access and mitigate risk perceptions. The link between researchers and innovators and the farmers who are the off-takers of their outputs should be reinforced to increase maize productivity in order to satisfy national demand and promote food security.
February 5 issue via online. 3 pages., Describes the addition as a way for editors and advertisers to connect with corn and soybean growers, in particular, during the growing season.
