Effects of Comprehensive Land Husbandry Technologies on Land Productivity in Rwanda.

Abstract

Land husbandry technologies have been reported as one of the most important factors for land productivity in previous studies; the reason why the current study analyzed all Comprehensive Land-husbandry Technologies used for land productivity increase; assessed indicators of land productivity increase in the study area and finally the study established the relationship between land-husbandry technologies and land productivity. A questionnaire was used to collect primary data. Apart from descriptive analysis, correlation and regression analysis were conducted on the responses from a sample of 98 farmer respondents in Rwamagana terraced site (named RW-34). About the analysis of Comprehensive Land-husbandry Technologies used for land productivity increase; terracing, cut off drains, water ways, agroforestry, ditches and others were found to be the main land husbandry technologies used in Rwamagana intervention area. Beneficiaries combine both mechanical and biological measures; terraces and agroforestry with 70% and soil bund with agroforestry 25%. Research found out indicators of land productivity increase in the study area, where the results come out to be overcoming poverty and obtaining food security (33%), improvement of living conditions of farmers (36%), and increased production (29%).About the relationship between Land-husbandry technologies and Land productivity, the findings showed that the level of satisfaction of respondents towards land productivity is high where 32% confirmed increased soil fertility, improvement of living conditions of farmers defined by 25%, 16% for reduced soil erosion, 15% overcoming poverty and obtaining food security, while 12% declared improved crop yield. The results of the survey concluded that all beneficiaries practiced land husbandry technologies and the study also highlighted some of the reasons of not practicing Land husbandry technologies before and among them there are limited knowledge, lack of equipment, land tenure and poverty. In the due course, the study highlighted that terracing is the most practiced land husbandry technology like cut off drains, creation of water ways, agroforestry, soil bunds and ditches.