Impacts of rural water schemes on maize production in the hhohho region of swaziland.
Journal Title: Scientia Agriculturae - Year 2016, Vol 14, Issue 1
Abstract
Maize production on Swazi Nation Land (SNL) accounts for only 10% of total agricultural output in Swaziland. Although, almost all households in SNL produce maize, the country has never reached self-sufficient levels in maize production. Many farmers put the blame on the decline in rainfall, lower maize prices, and high input prices among others. The main objective of this study was therefore to assess the impacts of rural water schemes on maize production in the Hhohho region of Swaziland. The Hhohho region has many sustainable water schemes than the other regions and it has the most favourable climatic conditions for maize production. To achieve this objective, primary data was collected from two groups of farmers (beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the schemes). Profitability and the factors affecting participation were analysed through the farm budgetary and Logit regression analysis respectively while Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to examine the impacts of rural water schemes on maize production in the area of study. Results showed that although farmers in the scheme incurred a more variable costs than those not in the scheme but they still make about trice the profit made by those not in the scheme. The relatively low profit by the farmers not in the scheme was largely attributed to the 76.8% of their total cost spent on fixed assets which significantly affect their profit level. Family size and family labour as well as irrigation and type of farming practice significantly affect participation in the water scheme. The water scheme had a positive impact on maize and the least a farmer could receive under the rural water scheme for maize cultivation is E2351.71. There is also a spillover effect of the water schemes on the non-beneficiary group by E1530.06 which means the intervention of water schemes might increase the non-beneficiaries output as well.
Authors and Affiliations
M. O Raufu , I. O Oyewo , M. D Abdurrasheed
Keywords
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- EP ID EP138581
- DOI 10.15192/PSCP.SA.2016.14.1.179184
- Views 96
- Downloads 0
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