Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique
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INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH OF MOZAMBIQUE Directorate of Training, Documentation and Technology Transfer Research Report Series Analysis of Adoption of Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotatoes: The Case Study of Gaza Province in Mozambique By Feliciano M. Mazuze Research Report No. 4E December 2007 República de Moçambique DIRECTORATE OF TRAINING, DOCUMENTATION, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER Research Paper Series The Directorate of Training, Documentation, and Technology Transfer of the National Institute for Agricultural Research in collaboration with the Michigan State University is producing two types of publications about the results of agricultural research and technology transfer in Mozambique. The publications from the Research Summary series are relatively brief (3 - 4 pages) and are very focused, providing preliminary research results in an expeditious manner. The publications under the Research Report series supply more detailed and in depth analyses. The preparation and dissemination of both the research summaries and reports are useful in designing and executing programs and policies in Mozambique. They also are an important step for the analysis and planning of activities in the directorates of the Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique. All comments and suggestions related to these publications are welcome and will be considered as input leading to further research. In this way, readers of these publications can make a meaningful contribution by submitting their comments and informing the authors of the usefulness of these publications to their own work. Paula Pimentel Director Directorate of Training, Documentation, and Technology Transfer Institute for Agricultural Research of Mozambique GENERAL ACKNOWLEGMENTS The Directorate of Training, Documentation and technology Transfer in collaboration with Michigan State University is producing two types of publications about the results of agricultural research and technology transfer in Mozambique. We thank the Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique (IIAM) and USAID in Mozambique for financial support of the Research Summary and Report series. We are also grateful to the Bureau of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade Program of USAID/Washington for their support to Michigan State University. The publications do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Government of Mozambique nor USAID. Feliciano Mazuze Head Center for Socio-economic Studies (CESE) Directorate of Training, Documentation and Technology Transfer ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF THE AUTHOR This report is based on my M.Sc. thesis. I sincerely express my gratitude to Dr. Richard Bernsten, my major professor, who tirelessly provided useful support, encouragement, and timely constructive comments and critical suggestions during all phases of the elaboration of the thesis. I also extend my gratitude to other members of my Committee, Dr. Eric Crawford and Dr. John Kerr, for their timely and useful comments and suggestions. I also thank the USAID/Mozambique (Grant 656-00-00-00050-00: Capacity Building in Public Sector Research and Extension) for financial support during my M.Sc. program degree at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University, and for logistical support for my fieldwork in Mozambique. I also thank the International Sorghum and Millet Collaborative Research Support Program (INTSORMIL CRSP) Management Entity for the successful implementation of the INIA/CRSPs graduate degree program in the U.S. I also thank my colleagues at National Institute for Agriculture Research for logistical support during my fieldwork, especially to Dr. Isabel Andrade and Dr. Tom Walker for their research support during the thesis process. I am deeply grateful for the support, sacrifice, love, and inspiration provided by my family. iii IIAM/MSU RESEARCH TEAM Feliciano Mazuze, Head of the Center for Socio-economic Studies (CESE), Directorate of Training, Documentation and Technology Transfer, IIAM Alda Tomo, CESE Analyst Isabel Sitoe Cachomba, CESE Analyst Rosalina Zefanias Mahanzule, CESE Analyst Maria da Luz Miguel, CESE analyst, based in Central Zonal Center Ana Lídia Gungulo, CESE Analyst, based in Central Zonal Center Venâncio Salegua, CESE Analyst, based in Northeast Zonal Center Adelino Afonso Manuel, CESE Analyst, based in Northeast Zonal Center Maria José, Administrative Coordinator Amélia Soares, Administrative Assistant Gilead Mlay, MSU Country Coordinator in Mozambique Ellen Payongayong, MSU Analyst and Statistics Training Coordinator in Mozambique Duncan Boughton, MSU Campus Project Coordinator Raul Oscar Pitoro, MSU Analyst Cynthia Donovan, MSU Analyst David L. Tschirley, MSU Analyst iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In Mozambique, the majority of the population relies on subsistence agriculture. Thus, the low levels of production and productivity, in conjunction with the relatively high population growth rate, have contributed substantially to a high unemployment rate, extensive poverty, and widespread VAD–especially among children and pregnant and lactating women. In early 2000, Mozambique experienced a severe flood that devastated cultivated land throughout the southern and central provinces of Maputo, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica and Sofala. Soon after the floods subsided, the government launched a program to multiply and distribute OFSVs. The program, which targeted the flood-affected rural people, was aimed at mitigating hunger and food insecurity, and reducing VAD. In addition, SARRNET, in close collaboration with its partners, conducted training activities to teach farmers about improved sweetpotato agronomic practices, the crop’s nutritional value and agro-processing techniques for sweetpotato; developed teaching materials on nutritional concepts for the primary school curriculum; and sponsored field days/demonstration activities at which food products made out of the roots of OFSVs were displayed. Several studies have highlighted the importance of β-carotene as the predominant source of pro-Vitamin A in preventing VAD in developing countries. However, the bioavailability (conversion of β-carotene into Vitamin A and effective utilization of this Vitamin A by humans) is conditioned by a complex set of factors, including the type and amount of carotenoid in a meal, the matrix in which the carotenoid is incorporated, the presence of absorption and conversion modifiers, the health status of the target population, and the presence of other micronutrients. Studies aimed at assessing the impact of food-based interventions in developing countries revealed different results from country-to-country. Furthermore, the seasonal availability of enriched sources of β-carotene, the low bioavailability and conversion of β-carotene into Vitamin A, and the prevalence of infectious diseases hamper the efficacy of food-based initiatives to mitigate VAD in developing countries. The willingness of farmers to grow OFSVs will greatly affect the program’s impact on reducing VAD. Recent studies have identified many social and economic factors that affect farmers’ technology adoption decision–including access to farm labor, farm machinery, storage and distribution facilities, inputs and output markets, credit availability, farm size, level of education, land tenure, profitability of the technology, farmer’s awareness of existing technologies, and government policies. However, since the effect of those explanatory variables and interactions among them on farmer’s technology adoption varies from region to region, location-specific studies are required to understand factors that affect adoption of a new technology in a given country. In Gaza province–one of the provinces targeted by the OFSVs multiplication and distribution program and the focus of this study–small-scale farming is by far the most important sector. One of the major constraints to crop production in Gaza province is the low and irregular rainfall during the growing season, resulting in high risk of crop failure. Thus, the development of short-duration varieties is crucial to increasing crop production under rain fed growing conditions. To assess the adoption of OFSVs in Gaza province, a multi-stage sampling approach was used to select a sample of 150 sweetpotato growers in Chokwe and Xai-Xai districts. Respondents were drawn at random from lists of farmers who received OFSVs vines in 2000. v A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the socio-economic characteristics of the sampled household, agronomic practices followed, labor used in sweetpotato production, farmers’ assessment of traits of some of the new OFSVs, access to output markets, and access to extension services. In the study area, middle-aged women mostly grow sweetpotato. Due to the lack of local opportunities, few households engaged in off-farm activities in 2003. However, most of respondents’ spouses worked away from home, primarily in South Africa or in Xai-Xai and Maputo cities. While public and NGO extension services have promoted orange-fleshed sweetpotato cropping practices, few farmers (20%) received technical information related to OFSV cropping. However, most respondents (83%) were aware of the nutritional benefits of consuming OFSVs for young children and pregnant and lactating women. Although few respondents (15%) participated in field days/demonstration activities, most of the respondents (70%) reported having heard about the products made out of OFSVs (e.g., cakes, juice, flour, chips) from SAARNET staff, extensionists, health workers and the media. Unfortunately,