Sunday 22 February 2015

International Journal Of Research Granthaalayah: IDENTIFICATION OF CROP PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS AND ...

International Journal Of Research Granthaalayah: IDENTIFICATION OF CROP PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS AND ...: IDENTIFICATION OF CROP PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS AND TECHNOLOGY  NEEDS IN H1 AGRO-ECOLOGY OF SHISHIR PA IN SOUTH ARI DISTRICT OF SOUTH OMO...

IDENTIFICATION OF CROP PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS AND TECHNOLOGY

IDENTIFICATION OF CROP PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS AND
TECHNOLOGY 

NEEDS IN H1 AGRO-ECOLOGY OF SHISHIR PA IN
SOUTH ARI DISTRICT OF SOUTH OMO ZONE, ETHIOPIA




1 Introduction 

The livelihood of over 93% of the people Southern Nation Nationality and peoples Region of
Ethiopia dependent on agriculture; however, agricultural system in the region is at subsistence
level. Much effort has been put to generate or adapt agricultural technologies that would help
to increase production and productivity but only few technologies adopt by the end users.
Because, technologies might have not be driven from the real need of the end users. A top bottom
approach that dominantly centered researchers/ professional attitudes has been fallowed. For
the successful research and development achievement, an agro-ecology based assessment is
crucial to understand the specific farming system production practices and problems and
technology needs of farmers and /or pastoralists. In this line, an assessment study was conducted
in H1 agro-ecology of Shishir PA in Debub Ari district of South omo zone. Mixed farming is
the livelihood of the farmers in the PA. The rain fall pattern is bimodal .Major crops grown in
the area are Sorghum Maize, Common bean, field pea, and sunflower, Enset (Enset
ventricosum), Yam, Cassava, Irish Potato, Sweet Potato, Taro, Garlic, Shallot, Cabbage,
Banana, Coffe, Sugarcane, Corianders, Ginger and Peppers.

Agriculture is the most important determinant of Southern Nation Nationality and peoples’ Region
of Ethiopia economy and it will continue to play the leading role in the overall economy
development of the region. The livelihood of over 93% of the people of the region dependent on
it, however, agricultural systems in the region is at subsistence level and food insecurity problem
is increasing at alarming rate. Moreover, rapid natural resource degradation is prevalent.

Economy of Ethiopia largely based on agriculture which accounts for 46.3% of the gross domestic
product, 83.9% of exports, and 80% of the labor force in 2006/2007, compared to 44.9%, 76.9%
and 80% in 2002/2003, and agriculture remains the Ethiopian economy's most important sector
[3]. Ethiopia has great agricultural potential because of its vast areas of fertile land, diverse climate,
generally adequate rainfall, and large labor pool.
Agriculture is most important determinant of Southern Nation Nationality and peoples Region
economy and it will continue to play the leading role in the overall economy development of the
region .The livelihood over 93% of the people of the region dependent on it, however agricultural
system in the region is subsistence level and food insecurity problem is increasing at alarming rate.
Moreover, rapid natural resource degradation is prevalent.
The food insecurity problems in the area caused by complex of factors ranging from natural ones
such as recurrent drought , degradation of natural resources , lack of appropriate technologies,
weak institutional support and lack of alternative employment. The same information also stated
by [2]. Therefore, there is a greater need to increase agricultural production and productivity.
Over the last five decades, researchers and extension have put much effort to generate improved
agricultural production technologies and deliver to the users. Despite that several technologies
have been developed, the conventional agricultural research and innovation pursued in the past
have not been very successful to deliver appropriate technologies to the end users. As a result very
few technologies developed previously are adapted by the end users and considerable number of
technologies are shelfed or kept in laboratory without significant contribution to the objective they
are designed for .This is due to several factors , of which the important once is usually the critical
process by which information is collected at grass root level from far factor farmers and pastoralist
to understand their specific farming system, production practices and production problems and
their technology need is ignored. A top bottom approach that dominantly centered researchers/
professional attitudes since long time for both research planning and technology generation. The
technology generated in this way might not address the real problems of the farming community
as they were users demand –driven and hence the farming community would be passive recipient
of the new technology. The research approaches have also been blamed for not targeting agroecologies
and for disregarding the indigenous technical knowledge’s.
Currently the regional government has recognized the needs move away from the existing research
approach so as to generate and adapt problem solving appropriate technologies centering the real
needs of farming community. Accordingly, the existing research approach and process was
reviewed and found be lengthy and less effective to deliver appropriate technologies and
unsatisfactory to the research customers (Farmers, pastoralist, and private investors).
Consequently, reengineering the research process is under way .This reengineering process is
expected to bring a radical , dynamic and rapid change and sustainable development in the
agricultural sector through generating and adaptation deliver of appropriate technologies with in
short period time by cutting-off length steps that adds no values to the customer. Recently Ethiopia
was divided in to 18 major agro-ecological zones and 48 sub-zones based on altitude rainfall and length of the growing period [4]. The research process, one of the essential that often ignored and
presently received much attention in the new approach is agro ecology based assessment .The
assessment study is take off for the subsequent research and extension activities and meant to
identify agro-ecology based agricultural production constraints and technology needs of the
farming community. Hence, this study was conducted in H2 agro-ecology of fasha PA with the
following objectives 0f (1).To describe and understand the nature of the farming system, and
production practices, (2). To understand farmers indigenous technical knowledge, (3).To analyze
and priories the major agricultural production problems, (4). To identify farmers technology needs
and (5) to better understand the existing condition in the H2 agro ecology and avail information to
researchers and development workers.

2. THE STUDY AGRO-ECOLOGY AND METHODOLOGY


This study was conducted in Shishir PA of South Ari district of South Omo zone. The PA
represents H1 agro-ecology. The study was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers
and development workers comprising of plant breeder, agronomist, socio-economist, extensionist
and natural resource experts. The researchers were from Hadassah, Areka and Jinka agricultural
Research Centers while the development workers are from South Omo and South Ari Agricultural
and Rural development office.
Before starting of the study, the study team made short discussion with South Omo district of
Agricultural and rural development office (ARD). Discussion was made to get information with
regard to the important preliminary conditions for the study such as assignment of experts for the
study team, the representatives of the PA, selection of the informant farmers and awareness created
to the farmers of the selected PA and also to the PA administration and development agents
working there.
A total of 49 informant farmers of extension groups representing each sub PAs, mix of variable
ages and both sexes were selected by themselves in collaboration with Shishir PA administration
and development agents.
For the purpose of discussion, the farmers were grouped in three interviewer sub groups of crop,
livestock and natural resources each containing 15(12 males and 3 females) farmers in each sub
group , respectively participated in the discussion. The other group formed was the key informants
sub-group with four farmers.
The study team also re -group based on the area of specialization in to four sub-groups of crop,
livestock and natural resource and socioeconomics. Another fifth sub group that was not related to
the area of specialization was also formed. The group was meant to handle the discussion with the
key informants.
Basic secondary data at zonal, district and PA levels were collected by the staff of the respective
Agricultural and Rural development office and presented to the study team. Primary data were collected through discussion between the disciplinary based sub-groups and the corresponding
farmers sub groups. The discussion was guided by the checklist prepared by multidisciplinary team
at regional level and issues raised during discussion were incorporated .visual observation were
also made at farm level.
Upon completion of sub group level discussion, information particularly agricultural production
and production related constraints identified by each sup groups of farmers were summarized
together .Then, informants farmers were gathered as one group and summarized series of
constraints had been briefed to them and then they ranked the problem by consensus in order of
their importance.

3. CROP PRODUCTION


3.1.MAJOR CROPS CULTIVATED AND CROPPING SYSTEM



Crops grown in the PA include sorghum, maize, haricot bean field pea, Sunflower, Enset (Enset
ventricosum), Yam Cassava, Sweet potato, Irish potato, Taro, Coffee, Sugarcane, Coriander,
Ginger, Pepper, Garlic, Shallot, Cabbage, and Banana. The PA has two cropping seasons autumn
and Summer. Common cropping systems practiced in PA are sole cropping, intercropping and
mixed cropping. Farmers grow crops for home consumption, seeds and income generation. The
crop varieties grown in the PA for all crops are local except maize in which all varieties are
replaced by improved one.
As there are diverse in shishir PA, the production problems are also diverse. Farmers listed series
of problems that affects the productivity of the existing crop varieties as army worm and stalk
borer on maize and sorghum, coffee wilt disease, coffee stem borer, Coffee berry disease bird
attack on sunflower and sorghum, erratic rainfall, mole rat attack on Enset and high rainfall result
in rotting and failing down of sorghum and Enset bacterial wilt. Weevls and rat storage pest on
different crops. In general the key informants strongly emphasized that the major production
constraints in crop production, Enset bacterial wilt is the number one problem mentioned. In
addition coffee disease, storage pests (Weevil rat) and stalk borer are the major production
constraints in the PA.

3.2. METHOD OF SEED SELECTION AND MAINTENANCE



According to the interviewed farmers seed selection is done by selecting maize plants with large
cobs and big seed size and sorghum having arge head at field condition.
For haricot bean seeds are selected after threshing from those plants which have good looking
seeds and free from disease/pest. The selected plants in case of maize and sorghum are harvested
separately, tied together and hung over smoking places whereas selected plant of haricot bean and
other pulses would be threshed and mixed/ treated with ash in order to protect it from
weevils(storage pests’ infection). 

4. AGRONOMIC PRACTICES


4.1.LAND PREPARATION



Large proportion of the farmers use oxen plowing for land those farmers who are living in hilly
and mountains are used hand tools ‘Boyira’ for land preparation. The land is tilled 3-4 times until
it gets ready for seed sowing depending on crop types. Major constraints of land preparation and
planting as mentioned by the key informants are shortage of oxen, livestock diseases, erratic nature
of rainfall, shortage of farm implements and labor.
According to interviewed farmers, the common cropping systems practiced in the PA are mono
cropping, intercropping, and mixed cropping. Both broadcasting and row planting are practiced in
the PA. Sorghum field pea and faba bean are broadcasted whereas maize and haricot bean are
planted in row. Haricot bean is planted being mexed with maize. The actual seed rate for all crops is not known. But they use around 12 kg seed of maize and sorghum to cover one hectare of land.
The use of hill planting of 3 to 4 maize seeds per hill for sowing maize.


4.2.WEEDS AND WEEDING



The major weed species of the PA are ‘gichila’(Bermuda grass),’ Aribi (Meskel flwer),’
commolina .Cultural practices such repeated cultivation and hand weeding are used to control
weeds. The major problems associated with weeds and weed control emphasized in the PA are
human disease, shortage of labor, shortage of money to employ labor and continues rainfall during
weeding time.
5. FERTILIZER USE

5.1.INORGANIC FERTILIZER

Farmers reported that apply of Urea and DAP fertilizers only for maize production in the locality.
Both types of fertilizer are applied at the rate of 100kg/ha each. But the time of application is
different. DAP is applied and covered with soil just before sowing. Urea application is done within
30-40 days after sowing.


5.2.ORGANIC FERTILIZER

According to the interviewed farmers the use organic fertilizer is common in the PA especially
homestead crops like vegetables (Shallot, beet root and cabbage) and Enset (Enset ventricosum).
Major problems encountered in inorganic fertilizer and organic fertilizers uses are increment of
inorganic fertilizer price year to year, unavailability of fertilizer at the appropriate time and
shortage of livestock for transportation of organic fertilizer to the farming field. Farmers of the PA
leave residues of maize and sorghum in order to improve the soil fertility and also mixed cropping
of cereals and pulse are practiced as well for the same purpose.
6. FARM IMPLEMENTS /MECHANIZATION


Variable traditional implements are used in the PA for different activities. The major implements
include ‘ Wolle’, ‘Boyira’ ‘Gosha’ axe and plow. According to interviewed farmers ‘gosha’ is
used for cultivation, ‘Boyira’ is used for digging and cultivation whereas ‘wolle’ for cutting grass
and clearing. These implements are traditional, less effective, time consuming and laborious. The
sources of farm implements are local markets.


7. STORAGE, PROCESSING AND MARKETING


Farmers in the PA store their crop products mainly in granary made of wood /bamboo .Rats and
weevils are the common storage pests in the locality. With regard marketing, the farmers revealed
that as the PA is potential for diverse crop production they have surplus production for sale. Coffee
and maize are sold in large quantity for for merchants in local as well as in urban market at Gazer.
Coffee being the first important cash crop. Maize is sold in large quantity to earn money to cover
the fertilizer cost and to pay taxes. Maize is susceptible to weevil and usually sold immediately
after harvesting. Those product in small quantity such as sorghum, haricot bean and field pea are
sold at local market by women’s for covering of expenditures for buying salt, fuel and other items.
8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank South Ari district of South omo zone of agricultural and rural development
office, farmers of Shshir PA and South agricultural research institute for finical support.


Keywords:

Agricultural problem identification, 
production constraint, 
H1 agro-ecology, 
agricultural
technologies, 
agro-ecology,


Published by: Wondwesen Shiferaw, Ermiyas Mekonen, Kebere Bezaweletaw, Yasin Goa,
Eliyas mesikelu, Getachew Gashaw, Shiferaw Boke, Alayu Mekuria, and bereket zeleke,
“Identification of Crop Production Constraints And Technology Needs in H1 Agro-Ecology of
Shishir Pa In South Ari District of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia.” International Journal of Research
– Granthaalayah, Vol. 3, No. 1(2015): 50-57.



INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH -GRANTHAALAYAH


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Wednesday 18 February 2015

CREATIVITY IN VISUAL ART

CREATIVITY IN VISUAL ART




1. INTRODUCTION

Man is different from other animals because of his ability to think. He can think about future and
can draw plans for the times to come. He can adapt himself to the changing environment and has
also got the capacity and power to change the world, because nature has given to man an invaluable
gift of creativity in abundance.


2. WHAT IS CREATIVITY?


Creativity involves breaking out established pattern to look at things in a different way. Anyone
can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple. Creativity is the
ability in man to bring something new into existence. It is closely linked with imagination which
involves dreaming dreams and seeing vision. Everyone is struggling with his world – to make
sense out of nonsense, meaning out of meaninglessness, music out of silence, order out of disorder,
and form out of chaos. Creativity is characterized by intensity of awareness, a heightened
conscious.
3. CREATIVITY IN VISUAL ART

Latest research in education and psychology has found that creative work is the result of a magical
combination of intuition and experience. Creative process in visual art is a dynamic relationship through which an individual is engaged in putting together objects and ideas that are outside him.
He manipulates elements of design i.e. lines, colours and forms and organizes them in relation to
his perception, sensitivity and understanding of product. Creative work in Visual art is
characterized by novelty, originality, or imagination. Original work is work that has not been done
before, something novel. Imagination in Visual art, the ability to form a mental image of
something, is the process by which people get ideas about subject. Ideas in art can be considered
original if they are not produced previously. An idea can be original in the sense that you have
never thought of it before. Originality in idea on higher level is that no one has ever thought of it
before. Just because it’s an original idea to you doesn’t mean it is original to everyone. Originality
in visual art should be universal.
Creative experience through the visual art offers satisfaction and fulfilled through aesthetic
perception. Creative process cannot be experienced simply by making something with art
materials, nor can it be achieved merely by knowing information about the visual art. Creativity is
focused on process not on product. It is a journey and retains a sense of adventure as we go along.

The person who creates meaningful visual images in his work does so because of his ability to
relate himself in terms of the things he sees, the ideas he has heard about these same things, and
the materials he uses to give aesthetic form to his own ideas.
4. REQUIREMENT OF CREATIVITY

Creative work is the result of a magical combination of intuition and experience. People who are
creative are turned in to their world – they harbor an incredible mix of experiences, ideas and
personal observations. Successful Painters or Ad Maker are those who are interested in life around
them. These experiences become their “idea bank”. Intuitions involve insight and hunches rather
than reasoning. Creative artists whether painters or ad makers use their reservoir of experience to
fuel the intuitive process. For an example Piyush Pandey (Executive Chairman & National
Creative Director, Ogily & Mather) created a wonderful television commercial for Fevicol product
where he used the background of the desert of Rajasthan and regional dialect and music to convey
the massage to mass. This concept broke with old ways of doing and seeing things and thinking
about things. Piyush Pandey says that sometimes creative ideas come from out of blue and not just
by sitting in the AC room.
Development of creativity needs favorable environment, sharp observation and has a power of
breaking the set of rules. A seed can grow into a plant only when suitable environmental conditions
are there; similarly, if suitable environment conducive to the development of creative potential
surrounds, creativity can develop to the maximum in the field of visual art with help of
imagination.
It is a matter of common observation in visual art or may be in other subjects also that children
come to school with lot of curiosity and enthusiasm which are lost gradually as they proceed
through education system at higher level (university level). All children have the gift of
imagination. This can be seen in their drawing and painting when free expression is permitted. Children are active by nature and would like to explore their environment and participate in
activities if these are organized. Sitting quietly in the class imposes a kind of burden on them but
activities in visual art unfold the child’s creativity.
Visual art not only encourages creative expression but also provides a suitable outlet as a refuge
from pent-up feelings and emotions. If the approach is correct, this will not only help the students
remember the facts better but also make visual art education a wonderful creative outlet for them
at every level of education. 
5.AIM OF CREATIVITY IN VISUAL ART

The creative process does not aim to create only “BEAUTY” in the visual art in ordinary sense.
Beauty in visual art is only a secondary by product of value and purpose of creative experience.
Fulfillment and self-realization are the central purposes of the individual who is absorbed in the
action with an art medium.
Various forms of Visual art help the student to explore various means of communication (verbal
and nonverbal). It encourages the student to express in his way, sharpen his senses through keen
observation of the surroundings, and discover his preferences through exposure to a variety of
materials and media of expression. He discovers himself in the process of visual art, identifying

the personal form of expression and become aware of his own environment.
We need new concepts in government and administration, education and health care, crime
prevention, and protection of environment. Visual art with the help of creativity can create new
forms, new patterns and new symbols which can solve the visual problems. These new concepts
demand creativity and visual art can unfold the creativity at maximum optimal level. Therefore
creativity in visual art can play important part in building a new society.
Keywords

Creativity, 
Visual art communication, 
Nature, 
originality, 
Intellectual abilities, 
Creative
experience, 
Aesthetic.

Published By 

Dr. Bijender Singh Chauhan, “Creativity in Visual Art.” International Journal
of Research – Granthaalayah, Vol. 3, No. 1(2015): 37-40.



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