Labour Arrangements and Farmers’ Exchange Networks: Following a Maize-Fertilizer Intervention in Northern Tanzania Gundula Fischer, Simon Wittich (IITA) ESA Writeshop Dar es Salaam, July 2016

Introduction and Objective “We skipped the technology and went back to what we are used to” Qualitative follow-up study (commissioned by chief scientist) WTP study in Babati, focus on information, credit/cash constraints Lottery game: improved maize seeds, Minjingu Mazao, row planting

Research Approach Inductive approach: What do farmers themselves regard as important? 56 semi-structured interviews with farmers, extensionists, implementers etc. and an extensive literature review Atlas.ti: process of coding, labour emerged as one of the richest codes

Main Results and Discussion Inputs were offered together with a labour-intensive practice (row planting) Farmers cope with labour and time constraints through ox-ploughing Exchange networks revolve around ox-ploughing, labour, manure, crop residues Continuum of exclusive family and hired labour

Main Results and Discussion Different farmer groups: Poorer farmers: cannot fulfill labour requirements, child labour Farmers of larger fields: time contraints, limited availability of hired labour Off-farm income: row-planting on small plots

Conclusion Stronger focus on labour needed (Who? Gender? Class? Child Labour?) SI indicator framework: contribution to social domain, how is labour embedded in social relationships, how do technologies relate/alter existing labour organization

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