The Level of Realization of Scientific Recommendations for The Cultivation and Care of The Crop by The Sesame Farmers and The Obstacles to Their Realization in Ashur Subdistrict, Sharqat District

Saad Ahmed Khalaf

doi:10.51699/70w35h53

Authors

Saad Ahmed Khalaf Department of Food science and technology, Faculty of Food Science-Al-Shirqat, Tikrit University, Salah Aldin, 34005, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51699/70w35h53

Keywords:

Sesame, Obstacles to Implementation, Ashur District, Sharqat County, Iraq

Abstract

The study was set to find out the level of implementation of scientific recommendations for sesame cultivation and crop management as well as identify the obstacles that hinder the implementation of scientific recommendations by the farmers in the sub-district of Ashur in the district of Sharqat. In order to meet the research goals, a questionnaire containing items regarding scientific recommendations for sesame cultivation and crop management and a set of items regarding the difficulties faced in the implementation of the recommendations has been developed. Data were gathered from 52 sesame farmers of the study area and analysed by applying the suitable statistical tools in the SPSS. The findings revealed that the implementation of the recommendations applied to sesame cultivation and management by the farmers was moderate and leaning towards low, thus it is recommended to improve extension and training programs and activities in sesame farming to increase the level of implementation of recommended agricultural practices by the farmers. The results also indicated a series of constraints which inhibit the implementation of the scientific recommendations, mostly due to the absence of harvesters for the sesame crop. This can be explained by the lack of modern technologies and government support for supplying the modern technologies to the sesame farmers that are used to boost the production and productivity and the efficiency of sesame crop production in the study area. The study has found that strengthening the implementation of scientific recommendations for sesame cultivation and crop management needs to be strengthened, with increased efforts from the agricultural extension service, timely transfer of modern agricultural innovations to the farmer, provision of production inputs, which is very important for improving and increasing production, as well as improve its efficiency. Traditional farming practices and knowledge that have not evolved with the advancements in agriculture and technology nor with the supply of improved seeds and pesticides for sesame continued to be relied on by the farmers in the region.

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