Assessment of ergonomics of farming activities for backyard vegetable production in the north western Ethiopia: Case of dangishta community

Abstract

A problem of improving crop productivity is usually related to poor agronomic practices and scarce water resources but the poor gap in use of appropriate technologies within the farming system has also a role. In order to modify and design ergonomically safe, affordable, efficient and friendly tools that improving the farming system, task analysis is needed which is not done usually in within the agricultural system of Ethiopia. This paper presented analysis of farming tasks for vegetable production using local tools in Ethiopian during dry period garlic production in Dangishita Kebele. The study was performed by interviewing 32 women farmers. In addition, three women farmers were used to do task breakdown, postural ergonomic risk assessment. Farming tasks such as soil preparation, seedling, irrigation and harvesting were complained by farmers for causing pains on different body parts. The most affected body parts during dry period irrigation farming practices were lower back, elbow, shoulder, wrist, neck and knee. Farm task analysis showed that the risk severity from soil preparation and irrigation tasks were serious and needed alternative intervention to reduce the risk. Possible solutions include conservation agriculture, adopting ergonomic tools for soil preparation, and adopting of drip irrigation system. As a result, these will affect the productivity and quality of farm production besides affecting safety and health condition of farmers.