%0 Journal Article
%T On-farm evaluation of sweetpotato varieties in Zanzibar
%A HH Saleh
%A ZO Thabit
%A AH Ali
%J African Crop Science Journal
%D 2004
%I 
%X On-farm evaluation of new crop varieties is crucial for speedy adoption of the materials by farmers. In Zanzibar, many experiments on sweetpotato (Ipomea batatas) have been conducted, but mostly on-station, hence, farmers\' participation was limited. To improve farmers' adoption of new technologies including acceptance of new high yielding varieties, and for purposes of making recommendation to farmers based on their knowledge, skills and experience, on-farm experiments for testing of six improved sweetpotato varieties was done for two seasons in the Islands of Pemba and Unguja. Eight on-farm sites were involved and participation was highly encouraged. In order to involve many farmers as possible, Farmer Field Schools (FFS) and Farmers Research Groups were used in evaluation of the varieties. The criteria used by farmers to assess the materials included: plant establishment, drought resistance, disease and pest resistance, yield performance, dry matter content and cooking qualities. The seven varieties possess attributes desirable to the farmers. Therefore, all the varieties will be recommended to farmers. Key Words: Farmer Field Schools, Ipomea batatas, Pemba R¨¦SUM¨¦ Evaluation sur ferme de nouvelles vari¨¦t¨¦s est cruciale pour acc¨¦l¨¦rer l'adoption des mat¨¦riaux par les fermiers. A Zanzibar, plusieurs exp¨¦riences sur des patates douces (Ipomeo batatas) ¨¦taient conduites, mais sp¨¦cialement sur station, par cons¨¦quent, la participation ¨¦tait limit¨¦e. Pour am¨¦liorer l'adoption des nouvelles technologies, y compris des nouvelles vari¨¦t¨¦s ¨¤ haut rendement, par les fermiers; proposer des recommendations aux fermiers sur base de leurs connaissances, skills et exp¨¦riences, des exp¨¦riences sur fermes pour tester six vari¨¦t¨¦s am¨¦lior¨¦es de la patate douce ¨¦taient faites pour deux saisons dans les iles de Pemba et Unguja. Huit fermes ¨¦taient impliqu¨¦es et la participation ¨¦tait encourageante. Pour impliquer le plus grand nombre possible des fermiers des ¨¦coles de terrain de fermiers et des groupes de recherche des fermiers, ¨¦taient initi¨¦s dans l'¨¦valuation des vari¨¦t¨¦s. Les crit¨¨res utilis¨¦s par les fermiers pour ¨¦valuer les mat¨¦riaux: l'¨¦tablissement des plantes, la r¨¦sistance a la s¨¦cheresse, r¨¦sistance aux maladies et pestes, rendement, le contenu en mati¨¨re s¨¨che et la qualit¨¦ de la cuisson. Les sept vari¨¦t¨¦s poss¨¨dent les attributs d¨¦sir¨¦s par le fermiers. Par cons¨¦quent, toutes les vari¨¦t¨¦s seront recommend¨¦es aux fermiers. Mots cl¨¦s: Ecoles de terrain des fermiers, Ipomea batatas, Pemba African Crop Science Journal Vol.12(3) 2004: 253-258
%U http://www.ajol.info/index.php/acsj/article/view/27885