Tropicultura (Jan 2008)
Animal Traction: an Underused Low External Input Technology among Farming Communities in Kaduna State, Nigeria
Abstract
In spite of the slow rate of adoption of animal traction (AT) technology in West Africa, the potential benefit of the technology, in terms of increase in hectares cultivated and the reduction in drudgery has been a subject of discussion by researchers. This paper uses a linear programming and binary choice probit model to analyze the benefits and constraints to AT technologies taking into consideration socio-economic and institutional factors and perception variables. One hundred and twenty households from Maigana and Yakawada villages in Kaduna State were enumerated by a simple random sampling technique using both structured and unstructured interview procedures. The result revealed considerable under-exploitation of AT technology in the study location. The partial use of AT technology for tillage operation only increased gross margin by 32% and labor bottlenecks experienced in the peak of the season can be reduced by 43%. However, the increase in gross margin is over 78% when the full AT technology package is used. The general trend in the models showed that by adopting the complete package of the technology, the full potential could be exploited. The size of family labor force substantially influenced the adoption behavior of the household while the selected perception variables were quite useful in explaining household's perception of the technology. Conversely, the use of tractors showed a highly significant but negative relationship with the adoption of AT technology. Households' managerial know how, financial constraint and the family labor capacity limits the benefits derived from the technology. These results suggest that farm mechanization using complete AT package is a viable panacea for agricultural intensification and increased productivity among the smallholders in the northern guinea savanna ecology of Nigeria. The paper concludes with pragmatic steps of how the identified constraints can be eliminated to sustain holistic adoption of AT technology and exploit its full potential benefits.
