HAS NO TITLE.
Two geographical areas Caisan and Santiago were selected by IDIAP to carry out an applied research program destined to solve farmer relevant problems. As a prior step to improving the farmers systems, it is necessary to understand them. Twenty-nine farms were surveyed in February and March, 1979. They were selected for the following characteristics: family's main dependence on farm generated income, diversification of activities, farm size less than 100 ha and cattle herd size less than 60 heads. The following results were obtained the average available land was 28 ha and 34 ha in Caisan and Santiago, and 81 and 83% were farmed in these areas, respectively. In Caisan the average available family labor 35 man-months per year with 67% utilized on farm activities whereas the same figures for Santiago were 32 and 75%, respectively. The average investment level in machinery and equipment was higher in Caisan (B/.1,729) than in Santiago (B/.159.00). Average number of heads for cattle, swine and poultry were 28,4 and 30 in Caisan and 24,1 and 51 respectively in Santiago. Eighty-nine per cent of the farmers in Caisan reported a debt of B/.3,578.00, while in Santiago only 27% of farmers utilized credit. Most farmers (97%) used only common salt as a supplement for cattle. Every farmer in Caisan, but only 14% in Santiago, reported the use of machinery, fertilizers and pesticides for their crops. Most farmers in both areas derive to make changes and to receive technical assistance, particulary for the improvement of their livestock enterprises. The common production systems identified on these farm include: dual purpose cattle system on 61 per cent and the corn-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) relay cropping system on 78% of the farms in Caisan; the beef cattle system on 82% and rice-conr intercropping system on 64% of the farms in Santiago. the following conclusions were derived; cattle production in both areas is rather extensive. Technological levels in terms of capital availability, inputs and intensive use of land is greater in Caisan. This situation could be explained by the more fertile soils and a more uniform rain distribution in Caisan. In both areas a high proportion of land is farmed, and there is a surplus of available family labor which is not utilized on farm activities. This labor surplus the possibility of increasing farm production through more intensive utilization of labor could be used to increase farm production if used on more labor intensive productives activities.
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Instituto de Innovación Agropecuaria de Panamá
1980
|
| Online Access: | http://www.revistacienciaagropecuaria.ac.pa/index.php/ciencia-agropecuaria/article/view/557 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|