Factors affecting the adoption of strip tillage practices in Zambia's Choma District

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess the factors that affect the adoption of strip tillage practices among smallholder farmers in Choma district. Southern province of Zambia.And further to determine the extent to which each factor identified affects adoption. The structured questionnaire was the primary instrument used for data collection and also informal interviews on the sample surveyed. Descriptive statistics were generated using SPSS. Excel was used to organize Outputs. Estimates of the parameters P and a were obtained using Tobit model in ST ATA. This model was used to identify the factors that motivate the level and intensity of adoption of strip tillage practices in Choma district. This thesis considered explanatory variables like the level of education, the size of family, risk sensitivity represented by size of farm operations and off farm income; access to financial capital represented by farm size, human capital represented by demographic variables like age, gender and marital status; and physical capital represented by total value of assets. The results showed that adoption of strip tillage is explained by farm size (p-value=0.015), the age of the farmer (p-value=0.036), education level of the farmer (p-value=0.000), and access to technical (p-value=0.017), and credit services (p-value=0.005).

In line with these findings, researchers should continue to develop technologies that could be adopted by farmers for the purpose of high productivity gains. In addition, efforts should be made by scientists to design institutional arrangements that will facilitate technology to flow up to the farmers. The government should also employ enough agricultural extension officers so that they can adequately provide technical assistance necessary for adoption of a new technology.