Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Sorghum productivity in the Rain-fed Sector of Gadarif State, Sudan

المجلة: Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology

سنة النشر: 2016

تاريخ النشر: 2016-05-03

The aim of this study was to examine the profitability and competitiveness of the main crops grown under the rain-fed sector of Gadarif state: sorghum, millet, sesame and groundnuts. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data covered the three scale of semi-mechanized farms in the state (small, intermediate and large scale). Primary data on small-scale farmers were collected by means of questionnaire from 175 in Gadarif State, during 2012/2013 season. Primary data on large and intermediate-scale farmers were collected from unpublished records of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Gadarif State. Secondary data were collected from Central Bureau of Statistics and Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Policy analysis matrix was used to reach to the stated objective. Results revealed that, the four grown crops in the study area are proved to be financially and socially profitable despite the discouraging policies. The taxes on domestic input transfer for the four crops and output for groundnuts negatively affects the profitability, competitiveness and comparative advantages of all crops and give fragile results under shocks, except sesame which showed strong results under all conditions. Policy-wise, government should reduce taxes and provide incentives for farmers participating and adopting extension programs. It should also invest on the infrastructure to link farmers to a high value markets. Likewise, they should expand microfinance to cover all farmers.

Profitability and Competitiveness of the Main Crops Grown under Rain-Fed Sector of Gadarif State, Sudan

المجلة: Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics& Sociology

سنة النشر: 2016

تاريخ النشر: 2016-05-03

The aim of this study was to examine the profitability and competitiveness of the main crops grown under the rain-fed sector of Gadarif state: sorghum, millet, sesame and groundnuts. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data covered the three scale of semi-mechanized farms in the state (small, intermediate and large scale). Primary data on small-scale farmers were collected by means of questionnaire from 175 in Gadarif State, during 2012/2013 season. Primary data on large and intermediate-scale farmers were collected from unpublished records of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Gadarif State. Secondary data were collected from Central Bureau of Statistics and Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Policy analysis matrix was used to reach to the stated objective. Results revealed that, the four grown crops in the study area are proved to be financially and socially profitable despite the discouraging policies. The taxes on domestic input transfer for the four crops and output for groundnuts negatively affects the profitability, competitiveness and comparative advantages of all crops and give fragile results under shocks, except sesame which showed strong results under all conditions. Policy-wise, government should reduce taxes and provide incentives for farmers participating and adopting extension programs. It should also invest on the infrastructure to link farmers to a high value markets. Likewise, they should expand microfinance to cover all farmers.

Optimal Cropping Squence of Small-scale Farms In The Rain - fed Sector of Gadarif State, Sudan

المجلة: Excellence Journal for Community & Humanity Sciences

سنة النشر: 2020

تاريخ النشر: 2020-07-08

The study aimed to examine the Optimal Cropping Sequence of the main crops grown under the rain-fed sector of Gadarif state - Sudan: such as sorghum, millet, sesame and groundnuts. The study used both primary and secondary data. Multistage random sampling technique was used to collect primary data on small-scale farms from three villages of the state by means of questionnaire as a sample farmer from 175 of Gadarif State, during 2017 -2018 season. Secondary data were collected from Central Bureau of Statistics and Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Linear programming technique was used to determine the optimal cropping sequence of small-scale farms (less than 210ha) in the rain-fed sector of Gadarif state. Spread sheet of the excel solver was used to run the analysis. The results revealed that the current cultural practices and crop sequence, in which sorghum do not come after sesame, was not the optimal one. Food-crops (sorghum and millet) did not enter the optimal cropping pattern under the current sequences and policy measures, with sesame dominated the total land. The crop sequence of groundnuts, sesame, sorghum and millet proved to be the optimal cropping pattern that improves farmer’s returns. Under such sequence, the four crops entered the optimum plan and farmers’ returns exceed of the current situation by 181.94%, but if this sequence is used with the recommended full package of technological improvement, then farmers’ net returns will increase three times than the current practices. Small-scale farmers should be encouraged to adopt the crop sequence in which sorghum come after sesame.

Economic Analysis of the Competitiveness and Cropping pattern of Small-scale Farms in the Rain-fed Sector of Gadarif State, Sudan

المجلة: Sudan University of Science and Technology

سنة النشر: 2016

تاريخ النشر: 2016-04-12

This study aimed to study the socioeconomic characteristics of smallscale farm’house hold head in the rain-fed sector of Gadarif State, investigate the social profitability and competitiveness of the main crops grown in the state and determine the optimal cropping sequence. Both primary and secondary data were used in the study. Multistage random sampling technique was used to collect primary data on small-scale farms from three villages of the state by means of questionnaire, during 2012/2013 season. Secondary data were collected from Central Bureau of Statistics and Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Descriptive statistics, F-test, Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM), and linear programming technique were used to achieve the stated objectives. The results revealed that, yields and net returns of small-scale farms was so poor, even though the majority of farmers were in the active age group, married with reasonable family members, has long agricultural experience and somehow large farm size. Results of the policy analysis matrix showed that, government intervention for improving the profitability and competitiveness of the main crops grown in Gadarif state (sesame, groundnuts, sorghum and millet) is still short of optimum. Despite the fact that all crops were financially and socially profitable and has high comparative advantages under the current policy measures. Farmers producing sorghum, sesame and millet were taxed in domestic-inputs. The situation was worse for the socially profitable groundnut-crop, which taxed in domestic inputs, output transfer and total transfer.