Group Farming and crop productivity

It is with no doubt that with the embracement of community and group farming, there is
an anticipated increase in crop productivity. The residents in the village, contribute a pivotal role
in creating interest and the urge from the community residents, who subsequently make requests
to the organizations and leaders of farmer groups and campaign workers to offer a helping hand.

Crop production is a crucial aspect of every farmer's day, which affects their agricultural
land's profitability. But then, the embracement of group farming has been seen to improve Crop
yields, thanks to the intelligent planting practices (Farm Gro, 2021). Teamwork and expert
assistance that help group farmers better understand the soil, the types of nutrients that they may
lack and the effects of plant seeds. In short, the introduction of science and technology in
agriculture has helped planting.

Timely clearance and farm maintenance, including, but not limited to cultivation,
planting, weeding, among others facilitate good yields. The group contributes to land and bushes
clearance, property development and enhancements, land planning, water and its sources channel
construction and area fencing. This organization in-charge has then provided the technical as
well as initial land and agricultural handling assistance; lift irrigation, more specifically, (diesel
pump setting); operating insights on pumping and irrigation planning, group management as well
as social mobilization training and further helped access the land by virtue of forest rights
legislation (Dorin, 2017). Technical and original handling support for farms, water as well as
crop management. Group farming also helped to establish forward and backward connections for
government access to and marketing of input services.

In view of the importance of crops production, the concept of high-performance

agriculture is central. How efficient you are as a group is essentially the amount you can produce
on any given amount of land. In today's economy it is as important as ever to be able to do things
efficiently. You want your space and the land you have worked to cultivate to maximize. Returns
on crops not only affect your efficiency, but also your bottom line.

Group Farming and Profitability

Group farmers can reduce the cost of supply by working with suppliers to improve their
contracts. According to previous researches on how profitable group farming can be, it is evident
that the group farmers must drive that expense when it comes to input costs, or the seller will
drive it for them (Chris Whited, 2018). It might seem "free," to travel, hats or various other
marketing items and activities, but in fact they cost you a higher price – without adding anything
to your farm. Negotiate to cut off those additional supplements and not be reserved for discounts
for suppliers. By reducing the number of vendors you deal with, you can also reduce input costs.
Select suppliers that are willing to work together without sacrificing quality on cost reductions.

With the concept of group farming, one common thing is being diversified. Many of the
ways farmers in the past have diversified to the extent they only offer short explosions of
opportunity with increased risks. Search for unique ways of diversifying as a group to what the
market needs - areas that provide better control, increased risk and competitive advantage. Group
farmers must pay attention to the expected profits and the Return on Investment for
diversification, especially in a market that may have tight market access to funds needed to
invest in new services. Get expert advice, plan carefully, and then diversify your homework. This
then shows a clear illustration of the profit index of community farming.

Outsourcing or partnering with certain other farmer groups for services, such as decision
making to the more qualified and experienced members in the farmer group is a key plus that
facilitates positive profits. Externalizing certain services to more qualified and efficient group
members can save you a full-time staff cost such as salaries and wages, while ensuring that the
farm has specialists who are members of the group to meet the requirement on the farm. We have
to admit that we cannot hire as many people as experts outside the farm to do this as efficiently
and economically thus the need for group farming (Chris Whited, 2018).

Socio economic Characteristics and Group Farming

Moller (1998) claimed that rural economy monetization affected the socio-economic
authority structure and decision-making in the society. He also said that the monetizing of the
rural economy has given families the opportunity to work for wages rather than for family farms,
thus making young men economically more independent from their fathers, with the increasing
possibilities of earning income outside the family farm. It is therefore evident that socio
economic characteristics have an impact on group farming concept.
 Different statistical analysis showed that socio-economic characteristics such as the age
of the head of the farmer group and group size directly and substantially influence participatory
participation in the group farm. The opposite impact on participation of extension contact does
not indicate that expansion has a negative impact, but shows that group farmers were unable to
benefit in order to start the modernization process by using improved technology. Thus, their
methods of production are preferring to self-use or low selling surplus activities.
REFERENCES

Farm Gro, 2019, “9 Ways to Improve Crop Yield: A Farmers Guide,”

https://www.farmgro.africa/9-ways-to-improve-crop-yield-a-farmers-guide/, Accessed 0n
12th May, 2021

Chris Whited, 2018, Best Practices for Improving Profitability,

https://blog.familyfarmsgroup.com/best-practices-for-improving-farm-profitability,
Accessed 0n 12th May, 2021

Moller MR (1998). The changing Roles of Rural Non-Agricultural Activities in the Livelihoods
of Nigerian Peasants. Danish Institute for International Studies. Center Dev. Res. Work.
Pap. 98: 9