The Economic Impacts of using Wheat Recommended Technology Package in Al Sharkia Governorate

Abstract: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
• Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Economics. Egyptian Association of Agricultural Economics. Vol.(26), No.(1), Cairo, Egypt, March 2016.
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The primary objectives of this study are to measure the economic impacts of using the recommended technology package of wheat in Al Sharkia Governorate, investigate farmer’s perception about using this package, and identify the problems they faced. To reach these objectives, the methodology used was based on the calculation of different economic indicators and the production function for wheat grown in the study area using a 200-farmers socio-economic survey conducted during winter season of 2014/2015 in Al Sharkia Governorate. The target groups were the demonstration farmers (demo farmers) who used the technology package recommended by the Project for three years (100 farmers) and their neighboring farmers (100 farmers).
Our findings revealed that the average grain yield of wheat for the demo farmers exceeds that cultivated by their neighbors by about 11.3% since it reached about 3.50 and 3.15 ton/fed for both types of farmers, respectively and the demo farmers gained more profits in terms of all of the economic efficiency indicators. Besides, the results showed statistical significant positive effect of using the recommended technology package on the production function of wheat grown in the demo farms in the study area. Moreover, disseminating this package has positive potential effect on increasing the local production of wheat, saving irrigation water, raising the self-sufficiency rate of wheat, reducing wheat imports, enhancing the incomes of wheat producers in Al Sharkia Governorate, and increasing Egypt’s net agricultural income.
These results confirm that the recommended technology package of wheat is a potential, not only to boost the local production of wheat but also to enhance the incomes of wheat producers in the study area. The demo farmers reported that the package was useful due to achieving high yield and high quality of grains, saving irrigation time and costs, saving seeds, easy weeding, saving chemical fertilizers, and disease-resistance. Therefore, farmers are encouraged to the recommended technology package of wheat in Al Sharkia Governorate. However, the main problems they faced while using this package were lack of raised-bed machines, high costs of production, lack of skilled labour, lack of regular maintenance for the raised-bed machines, lack of chemical fertilizers, and unavailability of wheat improved seeds.
Thus, the study recommends sufficient farmer’s access to knowledge and improving communication channels between farmers and agricultural extension and skilled extension personnel to transfer and disseminate the recommended technology package of wheat in Al Sharkia Governorate; re-activating the role of mechanical service stations and agricultural co-operatives by providing them with raised-bed machines; training agricultural extension personnel on operation and maintenance of the raised-bed machines; and providing agricultural co-operatives with adequate seeds of improved wheat varieties at suitable time and affordable prices.
Finally, these recommendations are supported not only by our findings but also by the objectives of the National Agricultural Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 targeting promoting self-sufficiency of the strategic food commodities, reducing poverty rates in the rural areas, and rationalizing water and land use through the introduction of new high-yielding drought-tolerant varieties, introduction of agricultural management technology package in order to improve agricultural production systems (MALR, 2009).
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2016

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PP. 1:12

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مكتبة معهد بحوث الاقتصاد الزراعي-7 ش نادى الصيد - مبنى الهيئات والشركات - الدقي- الجيزة (الدور الرابع)

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Agricultural Economics Research Institute (AERI)

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