IMPACT OF MASTER FARMER TRAINING ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ RAPOKO ELEUSINE
CORACANA (L.) PRODUCTIVITY IN BUHERA DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE

IMPACT OF MASTER FARMER TRAINING ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ RAPOKO ELEUSINE
CORACANA (L.) PRODUCTIVITY IN BUHERA DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE

OSCAR NDORO

CALVER MVUMI

PETRONELLA MATIZANADZO

SEKAI. A MANYIWO

Sustainability revolves around many factors which include technological training, number of farmers trained and high
yields. The study investigates impact of Master Farmer Training (MFT) on rapoko Eleusine coracana (L.) cultivation,
considering in situ variables in Buhera District. A cross-sectional survey design was used among trained and non-trained
farmers. Data analysis was carried out in R version 3.2.3. Chi-squared test for independence was used to confirm
association between MFT and rapoko cultivation, and between household gender and rapoko cultivation. MFT had a
positive influence on number of farmers (100% were master farmers (MFs), while 23% were non-master farmers (NMFs)
who grew rapoko). Yields for MFs were higher than for NMFs. The values for first and second year of t were 3.37 at P <
0.01 and 10.75 at P< 0.01 respectively. MFT influenced formation of farmer groups which allowed them to get training
on rapoko cultivation. More male-headed households (70%) cultivated rapoko than female-headed households (40%)

Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa

2017