Access to agricultural knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa in the absence of a central supplier of knowledge: The case of Gezira scheme in Sudan, Nada Musa, Florence Kyazze, Haroon Sseguya, Jarl Kampen, Elwasila Elwasila

Nada Siddig Abdalla Musa
Department of Extension and Innovations Studies, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, P. O. Box 7062
Makerere University
Kampala
Uganda
Florence Birungi Kyazze
Department of Extension and Innovations Studies, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, P. O. Box 7062
Makerere University
Kampala
Uganda
Haroon Sseguya
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Central Region
Uganda
Jarl Kennard Kampen
Biometris, Wageningen University and Research Center, Droevendaalsesteeg 1
Wageningen
The Netherlands
Elwasila Mukhtar Mohamed Elwasila
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, P. O. Box 32
University of Khartoum
Khartoum
Sudan

Purpose: This study assessed farmers’ access to agricultural knowledge after reduction of government support in Gezira Irrigation Scheme, Sudan.

Design/methodology/approach: An explanatory cross-sectional study was designed to conceptualize farmers’ access to agricultural knowledge in terms of availability, reachability, findability, comprehensibility and usability. Data were collected from 381 randomly selected farmers using a questionnaire. This study was conducted in seven purposively selected sites of Gezira irrigation scheme in Sudan. Data was analyzed using descriptive and multivariate statistical methods.

Findings: Farmers in Gezira irrigation scheme accessed knowledge on land preparation, appropriate seeds and fertilizers, credit sources, crop pest and disease management, irrigation, and weeding mostly from fellow farmers, neighbors and relatives. The majority of farmers perceived agricultural knowledge to be adequate. Adequacy of knowledge was influenced by a variety of factors, including number of crops grown, number of knowledge sources, farmers' education level and possession of off-farm income sources.

Practical Implication: With increased interest in farmers’ access to agricultural knowledge, the findings point out the diversity of types and sources of knowledge and the importance of strengthening farmer-to-farmer communication in the context of reduced government support.

Theoretical Implication: The paper contributes to understanding how farmers continue to access agricultural knowledge in the context of reduced government support to agricultural extension services.

Originality/value: This study highlights how farmers access and perceive agricultural knowledge after government reduced support to agricultural extension services in the Gezira Irrigation Scheme. The results indicate that paying attention to the informal sources of agricultural knowledge can enhance the quality and quantity of knowledge accessed by farmers.

Keywords: Agricultural knowledge, Knowledge access, Farmers' perceptions, knowledge adequacy, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan.