The Effect of technology transfer on farmers’ crop productivity and returns in Bargei village of Central Darfur state-Sudan

Abstract

The process by which new inventions practiced in those institutions ‘or labs and tested to become a technology. This study was an attempt to know the effect of new introduced innovations on farmers ‘crop productivity and returns in Zalingei locality during 2019/2020 cropping season. Demonstration farms conducted in an area of 2 feddan. Improved seeds of Millet, Dura, Groundnut, sesame and cowpea grown versus local in an area of 900 square meters each. Sowing date, sowing methods, Seed priming versus none primed, Lands prepared with chisel plough against the slope of water run, thinning to 2 plant/hole, weeding practiced 2-3 times, isolation, rouging, harvest and post harvest technologies learned by farmers. Partial crop budget run for costs benefit analysis. The study used clustered random sampling technique. Partial crop budget results showed that all enters gave positive net returns except sesame promio, seame local, cowpea Elmadih and cowpea local. It was noted that improved sorghum seed priming yield increased over local by 151%, net returns of improved sorghum increased versus local by 43% and straw value of improved sorghum versus local exceed by 18%. Results also indicated that seed priming of improved millet ashana yield exceed local by 54%, ashana net returns increased local by 210% and improved straw exceed local straw by 28%. Results also revealed that the treated and primed yields, net returns and straw return of improved groundnut exceed local by 25%, 13% and 14%, respectively. Dominance analysis results showed that sorghum local, millet local and millet ashana were dominated and eliminated due to higher costs and lower net returns. Marginal analysis indicated that sorghum tabat and groundnut gibaish had MRR of 872% and 31%, respectively. This result entails that for every 1 SDG invested in improved seeds cultivation farmer can returns the 1 SDG and obtain additional SDG 8.72 and 0.31, respectively. Sensitivity analysis for cost overrun by 10% showed that groundnut Gibaish was not sensitive to risk and uncertinity with MRR 26%, while analysis of benefit shortfall by 10% explored that groundnut Gibaish also had MRR of 26%. We recommended more developing and dissemination of improved technologies to enhance crop yield and farmers income.