Project properties
Title Rotary weeders in rice cultivation: Technography of an agricultural implement
Group Technology and Agrarian Development Group
Project type thesis
Credits 30-33
Supervisor(s) Harro Maat, Dominic Glover
Examiner(s) Harro Maat
Contact info Harro Maat (harro.maat@wur.nl) or Dominic Glover (dominic.glover@wur.nl), Technology and Agrarian Development Group, de Leeuwenborch, 4th floor.
Begin date 2012/01/01
End date 2012/12/31
Description Various types of manually operated, mechanical rotary weeders have been developed for use in smallholder rice cultivation systems. These weeders are regarded as an important component of a rice cultivation method called the System of Rice Intensification (SRI).

How do these machines work? Besides suppressing weeds, some say that their chief role is to aerate the soil. Others believe the weeders work by trimming the lateral roots of rice plants - encouraging new roots to grow deeper down into the soil.

Rotary weeders also cut the time required for weeding compared to hand weeding, thus reducing the number of people needed to accomplish this important task. The weeders even seem to alter the division of labour between men and women.

Even more remarkable, multiple alternative designs of weeders have come onto the market - yet none of these has emerged as a dominant design. And, despite having been around since 1898, the rotary weeder seems never to have caught on in a big way - until now, perhaps.

Researchers in the Technology and Agrarian Development Group and the Development Economics Group are engaged in a 4-year project to discover just what is happening in SRI. Your MSc thesis project on rotary weeders could make an important contribution to this work.

We are looking for an ambitious, self-reliant student to carry out some field research on the use, maintenance, manufacture and distribution of rotary weeders. We can offer a placement in Tripura (northeastern India), Madagascar (French speaker required), or possibly other locations in India.

Interested? Please contact us to discuss the opportunity. This project is particularly suitable for students on the MID and MDR programmes. Students from MPS, MAB, MES, MOA etc. are also welcome to enquire.
Used skills Qualitative research
Requirements TAD 30806 Technography, Researching Technology and Development, or equivalent thesis preparation course from another chair group.