These criteria, developed into ethnographic decision trees, can be used by researchers and extension agents to design and test more appropriate and successful improved fallow systems, and by policy makers to help improve the soil fertility options available to farmers. Materials and Methods Ethnographic decision trees were created based on initial interviews with approximately 30 farmers in the Eastern Province of Zambia in early 1998. Non-testers were selected randomly from village lists. Interviews took place from July - November, 1998. However, more very poor women who test the technology tend to adopt it.
Men are twice as likely to be classified as well off or fairly well off as women.
The reasons why wealthy farmers are more likely to test IFs are not clear. This could be related to the influence of wealth on testing, as oxen ownership is a wealth criteria. Farmers with access to more land are more likely to test improved fallows. Club membership encourages the testing and the expansion of improved fallows. Rather, six people mentioned lack of access to more land as a constraint to planting an improved fallow.