Foti, R. and Mapiye, C. and Mutenje, M. and Mwale, M. and Mlambo, N. (2008) Farmer participatory screening of maize seed varieties for suitability in risk prone, resource-constrained smallholder farming systems of Zimbabwe. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 3 (3). pp. 180-185.
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Abstract
The top down approach to hybrid seed production and variety selection in Sub-Saharan African countries has resulted in farmers being reduced to simple adopters of seed varieties mostly not suited to their pedo-climatic conditions and socio-economic circumstances. This has led to rates of take-up of these seed varieties being painstakingly slow, a situation that threatens to thwart efforts directed at the attainment of food security in the region. In this study, farmer participatory research techniques were used to screen maize seed varieties for their suitability in the semi-arid risk prone areas of Zimbabwe. Farmers were found to prefer drought resistant short season varieties and to retain seed from previous harvests for future planting seasons reflecting their tendency towards risk aversion. The study thus buttresses the need to include farmers in research geared at generating and selecting maize seed varieties that are suitable to their local environments
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Author Affiliation: | Bindura University of Science Education, Bindura, Zimbabwe. |
| Subjects: | Plant Protection Crop Improvement > Seed Technology |
| Divisions: | Maize |
| Depositing User: | Mr B Krishnamurthy |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Dec 2010 17:41 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Dec 2010 19:41 |
| Official URL: | http://www.academicjournals.org/ajar/PDF/pdf%20200... |
| URI: | http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/1070 |
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