Weed management in groundnuts using ox-drawn weeders in northeastern Uganda: Farmers experience in ox-drawn weeders

Abstract A study was carried out with farmers to assess effectiveness of weed control using ox-drawn weeders and hand weeding. Trials were conducted in farmers ’ fields during first and second rains of 2000. Two different types of ox-drawn weeders (SAARI weeder and AEATRI weeder) were evaluated and compared with hand weeding. SAARI weeder was very effective in controlling annual weeds, giving the highest weeding efficiency (95%), while the lowest weeding efficiency (65%) was obtained from AEATRI weeder. Hand weeding efficiency gave weeding efficiency of 82%. Highest groundnut yield (1135 kg per acre) was obtained from fields (plots) weeded by SAARI weeder as compared to 691 kg per acre from fields weeded by hand. On returns to labour, ox-drawn weeder produced the highest gross margin (25,000 Ush./ha), while hand weeding gave 770 Ush/ha and subsequently returns per day of family labour were increased with the use of ox-drawn weeder (21,978 Ush for weeder and 3,735 Ush for hand weeding). At the end of the study, farmers concluded that ox-drawn weeders reduced the labour and costs required for weeding groundnuts and improved gross margins. They also found out that ox-drawn weeders are a practical and effective alternative to hand weeding and may improve groundnut yields