Ex-ante participatory research proposal assessment conducted in Southern Togo

Revue d’Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux

S. Hounzangbe-Adote¹  H. H.M. Ould Ferroukh²  V. Deffo³  R. Maliki⁴ 

[1] DPA/FSA/UNB, Cotonou, Bénin.;INRA, Alger, Algérie.;IRAD-Wakwa, Ngaoundéré, Cameroun.;Uniho/IITA, Cotonou, Bénin.;

关键词: Polyculture élevage;    Fertilité du sol;    Approche participative;    Adoption de l’innovation;    Diffusion de la recherche;    Togo;   

DOI  :  10.19182/remvt.10119

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This study was conducted to showcase a participatory method for assessing technical options in Southern Togo. The aim was to address farmers’ needs with respect to soil fertility problems in situations involving mixed crop-livestock farming systems. In collaboration with various stakeholders, the scientists thus assessed the potential for adopting a crop association involving maize for food (seed) and fodder (straw), i.e. a mixed function plant, and Mucuna pruriens, i.e. a long-cycle legume that is cropped to produce fodder and enhance soil fertility. The chemically fertilized crop association is here referred to as MME. Participatory action research (PAR) analytical tools were implemented in the four-phase method used. The first phase included an overall description of the entire study region to identify representative sites based on published information and exploratory interviews. In the second phase, the diversity of farmers was characterized through interviews with resource people at the selected sites. The third phase involved participatory selection of a range of technical options that included the MME association as well as local practices with features similar to this association, and alternative research proposals to enhance soil fertility and ensure the production of sufficient fodder to feed livestock. This selection was carried out by farmers chosen as being representative of their diversity. They were asked to rank—using notes, or pebbles because of the high illiteracy level—the different technical options presented during visits to the test plots or using visual aids. The fourth phase included an assessment of farmers’ comments on the perceived effects of the different options on agropastoral resource management (water, soil, biodiversity), their acceptability or cost-effectiveness relative to the labor cost. This method was applied in three villages in southern Togo. Six main farmer categories were identified in these villages: landowners, land tenants, members of farmers’ organizations, literate farmers, illiterate farmers, and women. In addition to MME, six options were selected, including the MME association with variants of local practices, such as the unfertilized maize and long cycle Mucuna association (MM), a fertilized maize and short cycle Mucuna association (MMCE), an unfertilized maize and short cycle Mucuna association (MMC), and a monocropped maize crop with massive fertilizer applications (ME). The two other options were proposed by researchers: maize cropped in fields surrounded by quickset hedges of fodder legumes that were harvested to feed livestock managed in stalls, with the dung subsequently spread in the fields (MHF), and strip intercropping of maize and Cajanus cajan. The MME association was the option that landowners, literate farmers and members of farmers’ organizations preferred. Women selected the MM association due to their scarce financial resources and land insecurity status. Land tenants and illiterate farmers favored MMCE as a second crop season is possible. An assessment of the different options revealed that most of the farmer categories considered that the MME association and the MHF option had the most positive impacts on agropastoral resources. MME and MMCE were considered as being the most socially acceptable associations, especially amongst landowners, as well as extension agents, consumers and merchants who had also been interviewed; this was followed by the MHF option. MM and MME turned out to be the most cost-effective associations whereas the two alternatives proposed by researchers were the least. This assessment method makes effective use of farmers’ expertise and is based on their perception of the impacts of technology. A positive perception is one of the factors influencing the adoption of a research proposal. Time and suitable tools are required when farmers are trained on the different options to ensure that this perception will not be biased by the quality of the information conveyed by researchers. Local variants of the options proposed by researchers can also be identified or adapted on the basis of this assessment. Development research initiatives should be focused on the processes involved in these participatory adaptations.

【 授权许可】

Unknown