Participatory Rural Appraisal to Solve Irrigation Issues

  • Modi A
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Abstract

This report unexpectedly shows that farmers performed better than extension of fi cers for crop management. Local knowledge of small-holder farmers should be considered to enhance technical skills in crop production under irrigation. Small-scale farmers of the Tugela Ferry Irrigation scheme in South Africa own 0.1 ha plots. The plots can be increased by leasing from other plot-holders who fail in crop management. This study was initiated in response to the fact that farmers were constrained by the lack of technical approaches for crop management. The farmers relied on technical advisors, known as extension of fi cers, to improve technical knowledge and skills required for successful production of marketable products. The study used participatory rural appraisal as a tool to identify key technical and institutional constraints to crop production. Matrix and pair-wise ranking were used for data classi fi cation and analysis. The key outcomes of the study were (i) identi fi cation of 12 and 18 desirable attributes of a good extension of fi cer and a good farmer, respectively and (ii) identi fi cation of 18 problems constraining crop management practices on the irrigation scheme, and solutions to these problems. A comparison of farmers and extension of fi cers on key performance areas related to crop management, inter alia , skilfulness in use of technology to access water, ability to demonstrate skills to others, achievement of good yields, ability to meet market requirements and gain income, showed that overall, farmers performed better (score = 5.03) compared with extension of fi cers (score = 4.84). The fi ndings therefore demonstrate the usefulness of participatory rural appraisal tools for rural economic development.

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APA

Modi, A. T. (2012). Participatory Rural Appraisal to Solve Irrigation Issues (pp. 157–176). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4500-1_7

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