| dc.description.abstract | This study examines association between modernity
and adoption of' farm innovations in Torit District,
Southern Sudan, especially as the Regional Government
sought to transform the agricultural sector through the
modernisation approach. It is guided by a theoretical
perspective purporting that modernity, at both community
and farm levels, is associated with adoption of'
agricultural innovations.
Adoption scores were recorded for five different
categories of agricultural innovations viz. improved
farming practices, cash cropping, mechanisation, high yielding
seed varieties and biological inputs in two
locations with contrasting ethno-economic characteristics.
Adoption indices were cross-tabulated with farmers' personal
modernity attributes to explore any associations.
The data showed that the hypothesis on modernity and
adoption is too general. Th.e two locations , despite their
different ethno-economic characteristics, do not manilest
a significant variation in adoption of Agricultural
innovations. On the other hand socio-economic differences
within each location, are significantly related to adoption,
but again only for some, categories of agricultural innovations
like mechanisation and purchased inputs but not for others ;
The major conclusion of the study is, therefore, that
the theory and models as presented in the literature review f
are not equally applicable to all categories of farmers and
all kinds of agricultural innovationsThis suggests the
need for alternative development strategies for various
groups of farmers. The issue of equality also arises, in
that, policy makers may have to assess various categories of
agricultural innovations:in terms of the proportions of
resources they claim and the proportion of farmers they
benefit. | en |
