Characterization of maize production sub-systems in mossourize and sussungenga Districts, Manica, Mozambique
A household survey was carried out in July and August 2007 in Sussundenga and Mossurize districts of Manica Province in Mozambique under the auspices of the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). The insights presented in this report are based on 350 households randomly selected among the communities in both districts and information cordially provided by the extension officials and representatives of the Administration Office, Services for Economic Activities, Health and Education Directorates at district level. This diagnostic study focused on collecting baseline data on farm households to construct indicators that could be used to measure the impact of the adoption of improved maize varieties in Mozambique. The study was conducted on respondents composed of 60% males and 40% females. Most (67.5%) of the respondents are household heads and 40% of the respondents are female. Nonetheless, 85.1% of the sample households are male headed. Average family size of the sample households was found to be slightly more than 7 persons with the average number of female family members a bit higher than that of males. The land size owned by sample households ranges from zero to 84 hectares, with mean of 7.9 and standard deviation of 7.35 hectares. Irrigation is not that common and on average only 0.93% of the farm land holding of the sample households is irrigated. Most of the farmland is allocated to annual crops – specifically maize. Of the different maize varieties, most of the land is allotted to local maize varieties. The study communities have limited access to extension services. For instance, in the 2006/7 season, of those surveyed only 12%, 10.9%, 8.9%, and 15.1% have attended field days, demonstration plot visits, maize related discussions, and made interactions with extension service providers, respectively. This level of access is much lower than comparable communities at least in DTMA project countries. The average number of public-extension-organized field days attended was 0.30 per household. The number of field demonstrations hosted by agricultural extension averaged 0.29 and ranged from no demonstrations to a maximum of 24 demonstrations. Different maize varieties are being produced by the sample households. The varieties with high frequencies are either local or old improved varieties. Matuba, NdauouChindau, SC 513, and Pannar varieties are grown by many households in the study area. One third of the maize planted in the two districts was an open pollinated variety, Matuba. The second most popular maize variety was SC513. The sample households generate about 70% of their income from paid employment, crop sales, livestock and livestock product sales, and petty trading. On average, 60% of the members of the sample households are engaged in off-farm activities. The main expenditure item for the sample populations in the study areas is food. Food items claim 48% of the annual expenditure of the sample households. The data generated also show that clothing is the second important expenditure item. The most important challenge in the study communities is low productivity of the agricultural sector. One crucial component of improving livelihoods is therefore improving the productivity of agriculture. Discussions with sample households have revealed that increasing area under cultivation is considered to be the most feasible way to increase agricultural production. This must have emanated from the fact that the average land holding is high and the extent of fallowing shows that there is still a lot of land that can be cultivated if the need arises. Increasing cultivated area was followed by application of manure and the use of improved seeds. The low productivity and production of agriculture has a direct bearing on the food economy of the households. The sample households have indicated different coping mechanisms to mitigate the food shortages they face now and then. The coping strategies include increased engagement in offfarm activities, selling small animals, reducing other expenditures, reduced frequency of food intake, selling other assets, selling cattle, withdrawing children from school, working for food, and receiving food aid. Particularly, drought, frost or hail, land slide, livestock death, and flood or excess rain were mentioned to be the five most important livelihood shocks the community is facing. Drought is particularly an important agricultural risk in Sussundenga and Mossourize districts. About 60% of the respondents indicated drought as the most serious shock in the past 10 years. The 2001/2 and 2005/6 cropping seasons were indicated to be the driest over the last 10 years. Maize was heavily affected by drought. More than 90% of respondents indicated that maize was negatively affected by drought. All kinds of maize varieties - local, improved open-pollinated, and hybrid - , were reported to be very risky in terms of yield variability compared to all other crops. The wide ranging coping strategies include all activities farmers consider relevant given their resources, expectations, and understanding of the risk they are facing. In the study districts, sample households emphasized the importance of, among others, agricultural diversification, agricultural intensification, asset accumulation, and program participation. The riskiness of maize was also emphasized in terms of the price variability in the market. Once again, all kinds of maize were reported to embody higher market risk than other crops produced by the farming community. Asset accumulation, program participation, contract farming, informal insurance, and other activities comprise the price risk management activities of the farming communities in the study areas. Location, age of household head, maize related extension services, and proportion of land allocated to maize were found to be important factors influencing adoption of improved maize varieties. The extent or intensity of adoption of improved maize varieties in these two rural districts of Mozambique was found to be influenced by location, average literacy level of the household, proportion of land allocated to maize, and fertilizer use.
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Report biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IIAM
2011
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| Subjects: | AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, MAIZE, DROUGHT TOLERANCE, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10883/3781 |
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