Socio-economic and gender issues affecting the …

1 Socio-economic and gender issues affecting the adoption of conservation tillage practices by Florence B. Lubwama Agricultural Engineering & Appropriate Technology Research Institute P. O. Box 7144, Kampala, Uganda. Abstract gender and Socio-economic issues cut across all areas in agricultural production. Therefore, there is a need to know how development policies and programmes are likely to affect the economic activities and social relationships among different groups of people in a community. Although conservation tillage technologies are gender neutral, they often become biased towards one sex during project formulation and implementation in farming systems if plans are not gender sensitive. Technology development and transfer should aim at equal opportunities for women and men to participate and benefit.

2 The paper highlights the importance of taking into account gender needs when designing and transferring agricultural technologies as men and women are physiologically different and their needs should be given their respective study and other development attention. Socio-economic issues which can affect the adoption of conservation tillage practices are discussed. 1. Introduction Worldwide, conservation tillage practices have Box 1: Basic definitions been the general solution to the traditional crop production methods that invert the soil and socio -economics destroy its structure. Conservation tillage has been practised by many farmers worldwide as a socio -economics refers to environmental, traditional method to sustain soil fertility and economic , social and institutional patterns, and reduce tillage energy requirements.

3 A lot of their linkages that compose the context of advantages have been realized in agricultural development (Huisinga, 1997). Social and production with the conservation tillage concept, economic factors at various levels of social which have have greatly increased production systems form an environment where people worldwide. For example, in Uganda, like in interact through roles and relationships defined many countries in East and Southern Africa, by gender , age, ethnicity and other social conservation tillage practices have increased variables. crop production especially in the dry-land areas through the increase of stored soil water and gender minimized labour, energy and capital requirements in agricultural production. gender refers not only to women or men per se, but to the socially defined roles of each sex, as However, despite the popular campaign for the well as to the relation between them.

4 gender adoption of conservation tillage practices in the issues , therefore, form part of the development region, the move has at times been hampered by approach that puts people at the center and several issues which include Socio-economic and ensures their participation in the entire gender ones (Box 1). development process. 155 This paper is published in: Kaumbutho P G and Simalenga T E (eds), 1999. Conservation tillage with animal traction. A resource book of the Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA). Harare. Zimbabwe. 173p. A publication supported by French Cooperation, Namibia. For details of ATNESA and its resource publications, see Conservation tillage - disease and pest control and - fodder cropping). Conservation tillage is the concept of farming technology designed to minimise tillage All these activities pose various constraints operations hence minimizing soil disturbance which have a direct bearing to the adoption and increasing soil structure build-up and process of conservation tillage practices.

5 Some organic matter in the soil. of the constraints encountered in soil cover management activities include: 2. Conservation tillage practices - cultures and traditions, - knowledge and perception and The aim of conservation tillage is to maintain - competitive uses of crop residues. maximum residue cover for protecting soil against erosion and increasing water infiltration Those pertaining to weed management activities without reducing crop yields. Conservation include: tillage practices, therefore, include: - availability of suitable inputs and Soil cover management; implements, Weed management; - lack of knowledge and adequate support Soil and water conservation. services The activities required for soil cover while those pertaining to soil and water management involve mulching and planting conservation include: cover crops.

6 - inappropriate technologies, Weed management involves application and use - inadequate technology dissemination, of: - labour availability and cost, - low management skills, - herbicides, - insecure land tenure systems and - mulching, - availability of suitable implements among - mechanical weed control, others. - hoeing and - agronomic crop management; The technologies involved in conservation tillage can be analysed under two scenarios which have while soil and water conservation activities a close bearing to the adoption process of the involve: technology: Socio-economic and gender . gender and Socio-economic issues cut across all areas of physical measures: concern in agricultural production. This is because men and women farmers share many - terraces, characteristics, but often have different - bunds and constraints and production systems.

7 - basins), Under the Socio-economic aspect the main issues biological measures: are those pertaining to credit facilities, ownership of property or assets, culture and tradition. The - tree planting, issues of concern under gender and technology - rotational grazing and are whether the technology in question gender - cover crops sensitive. Involvement of women and men in farming, the constraints on their productivity, and agronomic measures: their intra-house division of labour and responsibilities, the control and use of income - crop rotation, have widespread implications for agricultural - early land preparation and planting, production. - proper spacing, - early weeding, 156 This paper is published in: Kaumbutho P G and Simalenga T E (eds), 1999. Conservation tillage with animal traction.

8 A resource book of the Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA). Harare. Zimbabwe. 173p. A publication supported by French Cooperation, Namibia. For details of ATNESA and its resource publications, see 3. Socio-economic issues affecting adoption these agricultural technologies. Besides, farmers or farmer groups should be used to assess Financial facilities farmers' credit needs. Credit Import taxes The adaptability of suitable implements for In most of the countries in the region, conservation tillage, on-farm research agricultural inputs (tools, implements, fertilizers, technology, among others, are all affected by the chemicals etc.) are handled by local availability of finances. Farmers access to entrepreneurs and stockists for sale to farmers. production inputs like improved varieties of Import tax regulations are often not favourable cover crops, herbicides and farming tools and on agricultural inputs.

9 In most countries in the implements depends on their access to credit. A Asian continent, ( India, Thialand, Phillipines number of countries in the region practice some etc.) one of the biggest contributors to sort of rural credit scheme to assist smallholder agricultural development has been through farmers improve their agriculture. In most cases providing favourable tax incentives on the banks handling the credit fund are found in agricultural inputs. In these countries, taxes on the city and larger towns, away from the farming agricultural tools and machinery are much lower community. Accessing such credit for compared to public service and industrial agricultural purposes have proved difficult for equipment range. Similarly, there is a lower tax small-holder farmers. Where there is on fuel and lubricants for use on agriculture accessibility, the interest rates have tended to be compared to other fuel avenues.

10 Too high for farmers to afford. In Uganda such interest rates stand at 22 - 27%. Failure in recognising need for tax differentials in respect to agricultural inputs, has resulted in Formal banking institutions also demand farmers low access to such agricultural inputs. collateral to act as security on the loan. This is This has consequently resulted in low technology often in form of land, house or title to some adoption. There is, therefore, a need for immovable assets. Smallholder farms in many governments to review the tax policy on countries in the region often cannot afford any of importation of agricultural inputs. the above requirements. The situation is often more difficult when it comes to the women, who Ownership of property in most countries, have no rights to ownership of expensive property including housing and land.