Browsing by Author "Thomas, Benisiu"

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    An assessment of the role of research and extension services for small-scale crop farmers in North-Central Namibia
    (2012) Thomas, Benisiu
    The aim of this study was to assess agricultural research and extension services that are aimed at improving rural household livelihoods in the changing environment in the north-Central Regions of Namibia. The study reviewed various secondary sources or publications and unpublished sources comprising technical reports, books, review papers and maps, all of which were deemed useful based on the role of agricultural research and extension services in north-Central Namibia. The presentations of the results were illustrated by examples from the area of crop production including seed multiplication, animal draught power and crop improvement schemes. The study found sufficient evidence that some research-extension strategies being employed are moderately successful. The main challenge, however, remains to strengthen national farming research or extension systems with an appropriate institutional and coordinating structure, focusing on decentralised participatory and adaptive research and on farm trials.
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    Relative importance analysis of the factors influencing maize productivity at Olushandja and Etunda irrigation Schemes of Namibia: A secondary analysis of data from farm household survey
    (University of Namibia, 2017) Charamba, Vonai; Thomas, Benisiu; Charamba, Beatrice
    The main objective of this study was to apply relative importance analysis to determine the main factors that affect maize productivity for smallholder maize farmers in the Olushandja Dam and Etunda Irrigation Schemes, north-central Namibia. According to the analysis the key determinants were labour, consultation with extension service providers, land under maize production, the type of seeds used (local or hybrid), access to credit facilities, the experience in horticultural farming. The results singled out labour as the most important factor in maize production, accounting for 16.4% of the farm level variations in technical efficiencies. Technical efficiency gains as the size of land increases. This probably means that those farmers with small plots applied too much of inputs with respect to the size of their land. Farmers who consult extension services and those trained in good horticultural practices were more technically efficient and credit facilities should be availed to farmers so that they can access farm inputs in time to boost productivity.