O milho -Zea mays L. na Ilha Josina Machel : um estudo sobre a preferência e escolha de variedadeds de milho pelos camponeses com ênfase para o sector familiar

Abstract

This degree work is the result of a rapid rural diagnosis made by the district directorate of manhiça agriculture (dda et alii., 1994) in the manhiça district, specifically on josina machel island. The diagnosis showed the low yields in general achieved by the family sector and specifically in the maize crop, despite the existence in the country of varieties of this cereal with high yield potential. Hence the reason for directing this study to the family sector of the josina machel island. The main objectives of the study were to identify the varieties cultivated in the area, the determining factors that somehow influence the decision-making by farmers in the family sector regarding the preference and choice of maize varieties, as well as strategies that influence them. farmers take to face a set of factors that limit maize production on the island. Regarding the methodology, the study consisted of three phases. The first phase consisted of the elaboration of the protocol at the faef (faculty of agronomy and forestry engineering). The second phase was the field activities that were based on an exploratory study, having interviewed 62 peasants from different strata but with an emphasis on the family sector, for which a survey was used. The field activities lasted 21 days in July 1996. The third phase was the definitive data analysis phase at the Faculty of Agronomy. The study identified 8 maize varieties currently existing and cultivated by the island's population, 5 varieties (berene, muacoene, nhafacana, nongana and whamba) of the local type and 3 varieties (matuba, inia umbeluzi and kalahari) improved. Likewise, the study identified socio-economic factors, factors linked with the characteristics of the varieties (in the work considered as internal factors) and climatic factors (here considered as external factors) as factors that somehow influence the island's peasant with regard to decision making regarding preference. Regarding the choice of maize varieties, the availability and price of the variety in question were identified as determining factors in the choice. In general, and depending on the factors mentioned above, the preference of the island's farmers is local varieties, which are considered by many interviewed farmers (95%) as being of short cycle in relation to improved, drought-tolerant, hard consistency and easy availability compared to improved