Low External Input Agricultural Farming System for the Increase in Productivity of Resource Poor Farmers.

Abstract

This paper examined the effect of low external input agricultural farming system on the productivity of resource poor farmer. The majority of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are small scale entrepreneurs whose farm operations are performed with low input agricultural technologies. Majority of the technologies comprised the refined indigenous knowledge system. Farm size, labour inputs, capital inputs, planting materials and organic manure are the main determinants of the gross income of LEIT farmers. Farmers preferences for low input system vary considerably depending upon the phase of crop production which include technologies for land preparation use of draught animals, natural/organic substitute for inorganic pesticides and fertilizers, seed multiplication technologies, simple irrigation and drainage method, low input processing. There is also a considerable interest among farmers for low input approaches for most phases of production. There is therefore the need for farmers to adopt these cost effective agricultural technologies since they are not only readily available, but also they do not require too much skills and also poses the capacity of making the process of rural development more sustainable.

Key words: low external input agriculture, farming system, resource poor farmer.