Adoption of sustainable forest management practices in Bolivian timber concessions: a quantitative assessment

Adoption of multiple sustainable land management practices and its effects on productivity of smallholder maize farmers in Nigeria

Due to the important role that the agricultural sector plays in sustaining growth and reducing poverty in developing countries, the adoption of practices that have the potential to simultaneously improve agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impacts is essential. This paper examines the determinants of farmers’ perceptions of climate change and subsequent adoption of sustainable land management practices in the Niger basin of Benin. Binary and multivariate probit models are applied in a two‐stage regression procedure to cross‐sectional data collected through a survey of 545 randomly selected farm households in 28 villages. The findings indicate that there are substitutabilities among three pairs of sustainable land management practices being used by the farmers. Climate change perception is positively related to land tenure, experience in farming, number of relatives, tractor use, and membership in farmers’ organizations, and negatively related to household size, remoteness, and plough use. Moreover, the findings reveal that the uptake of land management practices is related to assets, land tenure, education level of the household head, remoteness, social network, non‐irrigated land size, having a farm located near a river/lake/stream, tractor and plough use, being a subsistence farmer or not, and memberships in farmers’ organizations. The adoption of sustainable land management practices could be encouraged through improving access to markets, adequate roads, and technologies, as well as by promoting membership in farmers’ organizations.

This study investigated the level of adoption and factor affecting the level of adoption of sustainable soil management practices. This research was based on the primary data that was collected in 2012 at Chisapani, Nagdaha and Kathjor VDCs of Ramechhap district of Nepal to analyze the level of adoption and factor affecting the level of adoption of sustainable soil management practices. Pre-tested semi structured interview schedule were used to collect the primary data from 120 farmers, 40 farmers from each VDC by applying simple random sampling technique. The major sustainable soil management practices adopted were found to be improved farm yard manure, improved cattle urine, inclusion of the vegetable and legume in the farming system and use of the bio-pesticide. The level of technology adoption was found to be 79.55% and this shows that the level of adoption was high. The higher level of adoption was due to increase in the production and productivity of the crops and improvement in soil fertility. While considering about the factor affecting the adoption of sustainable soil management practices, the study showed that the five variables namely training, credit, income, livestock standard unit and experience were significantly affecting for higher level of adoption. A unit increase in training, credit, livestock standard unit and experience would increase the probability of level of adoption by 3.48%, 0.83%, 0.45% and 1.1% respectively and a hundred rupees increase in income would increase the probability of level of adoption by 0.0819%.

This study investigated the level of adoption and factor affecting the level of adoption of sustainable soil management practices. This research was based on the primary data that was collected in 2012 at Chisapani, Nagdaha and Kathjor VDCs of Ramechhap district of Nepal to analyze the level of adoption and factor affecting the level of adoption of sustainable soil management practices. Pre-tested semi structured interview schedule were used to collect the primary data from 120 farmers, 40 farmers from each VDC by applying simple random sampling technique. The major sustainable soil management practices adopted were found to be improved farm yard manure, improved cattle urine, inclusion of the vegetable and legume in the farming system and use of the bio-pesticide. The level of technology adoption was found to be 79.55% and this shows that the level of adoption was high. The higher level of adoption was due to increase in the production and productivity of the crops and improvement in soil fertility. While considering about the factor affecting the adoption of sustainable soil management practices, the study showed that the five variables namely training, credit, income, livestock standard unit and experience were significantly affecting for higher level of adoption. A unit increase in training, credit, livestock standard unit and experience would increase the probability of level of adoption by 3.48%, 0.83%, 0.45% and 1.1% respectively and a hundred rupees increase in income would increase the probability of level of adoption by 0.0819%.

While the drivers for the adoption of sustainable supply chain management practices have been widely studied, most studies focus on the isolated effect of individual drivers. In this study, we examine the relationship between stakeholder pressure and the adoption of social and environmental sustainability supply chain practices given the simultaneous conditional effects of both entrepreneurial orientation and sustainability orientation. A survey of U.S. firms shows that both entrepreneurial orientation and sustainability orientation simultaneously function as moderators of the effect of stakeholder pressure on the adoption of social and environmental sustainability supply chain practices. That is, as stakeholder pressure increases, adoption will be higher for firms with higher entrepreneurial orientation. However, as sustainability orientation increases, adoption of practices will be higher, but the effect of the stakeholder pressure-entrepreneurial orientation interaction diminishes. The main theoretical contribution of this study lies in showing the concurrent effect of two different organizational level drivers on the adoption of social and environmental sustainability supply chain practices. Entrepreneurial orientation will only get firms so far in the adoption of sustainable supply chain practices. Once a strong sustainability orientation takes effect, higher practice adoption ensues independently of stakeholder pressure and entrepreneurial orientation. Therefore, this study indicates that efforts in developing a strong sustainability orientation are more likely to better prepare firms for the adoption of sustainable supply chain management practices.

The study examined the effect of market access on the adoption of sustainable soil management practices by farmers in the study area. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers; identified the sustainable soil management practices adopted by the farmers; determined factors influencing the choice of sustainable soil management practices used; determined the relationship between market access and the adoption intensity of sustainable soil management practices and identified constraints faced in adopting sustainable soil management practices. Multistage sampling procedure was employed to collect data from one hundred and fifty (150) farmers. Thereafter, data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate probit regression. The findings revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 45 years, with a mean household size of about 6 members. Majority (69.6%) of the respondents had formal education and a mean year of experience of about 18. The study also revealed that all the respondents had access to one form of market or the other for purchase of inputs and sales of their products. In addition, the mean distance covered from farm to home was less than 5 kilometres for most of the respondents while the distance from home to major market and farm to major market was between 5 and 10 kilometres. The most popular sustainable soil management practices adopted by the farmers were the use of chemical fertilizers, crop rotation and intercropping. Furthermore, the multivariate probit regression model showed that age of the respondents, educational level, farm size, household size, farming experience, farm income, awareness of sustainable soil management practices, average distance to the input market, average distance to the output market, average price of product, average price of input for each practice, subsidies on input for each practice, significantly influenced the adoption of sustainable soil management practice by farmers. Also, it was found by the study that inadequate fund is the major constraint faced by the respondents in adopting sustainable soil management practices.

Soil fertility in mixed crop-livestock farming systems of Punjab, Pakistan: The role of institutional factors and sustainable land management practices

The scaling of adopted measures on farms is often proposed however, the factors that inform non-adoption of advised measures are typically overlooked. Better understanding of these factors could offer important insights for overcoming these bottlenecks and therefore offer important potential with respect to addressing agri-environmental challenges. We investigated the factors hampering the adoption of sustainable land management practices advised by the main agricultural extension of Ireland. A large qualitative dataset (N = 760) containing farmers’ reasons for rejection of advised practices was analysed to identify bottlenecks for adoption. Our research showed that rejection can be explained by different underlying reasons. While subsidies exist for the implementation of sustainable land management practices, incentives to implement are insufficient and costs remain the main barrier for the adoption of the sustainable land management practices. Additionally, land ownership challenges and the aging farming population hamper the adoption of sustainable land management practices. Next to an analysis of the reasons for rejection of all advised practices, we investigated three often advised sustainable land management practices in-depth: implementation of riparian buffer zones, preventing cattle access to watercourses and implementation of a nutrient management plan. The differences in barriers for adoption between these practices showed the need for nuanced communication in order to enhance uptake. In order to reach water quality targets through enhanced uptake of sustainable land management practice, advice should be framed and tailored to farmer objectives.

The slow and discontinuous adoption of agricultural technologies is one of the major threats to low agricultural productivity in developing countries. These actions highlight the challenges encountered in the adoption and the continuous use of sustainable land management practices in addition to the choices regarding the type used. The study investigated factors influencing the adoption decisions of smallholder maize farmers and the intensity of adoption of sustainable land management practices. Empirical data were collected from 250 farmers through interviews using a structured questionnaire. The adopter group and non-adopter group were compared using t-test and chi-square statistics, while the double hurdle with the fractional outcome response model was applied to establish the factors responsible for the adoption and the extent of use of sustainable land management practices. The results indicated that socio-economic and institutional characteristics are determining factors responsible for the adoption of sustainable land management practices and the extent of its use. The study recommended that continuous adoption and extensive use can be fostered by encouraging farmers to join a social organisation where related and relevant information on sustainable land management practices is shared through trained agricultural extension officers. Furthermore, regular training and access to credit facilities should be offered.

Soil loss, nutrient depletion and land degradation contribute to the skimpy performance of smallholder agriculture and pose serious policy challenges in developing countries. Surprisingly, natural resource management practices that enhance sustainability while improving productivity have not been fully adopted despite continuous efforts of promotion. Using data collected from 2901 farm households in the Farmers Innovation Fund (FIF) of the World Bank, this study examines factors delaying adoption of resource management and farming practices from the perspective of social learning and network size. Specifically, the study aims at identifying the extent to which differences in network structure matter in providing opportunities to learn about new ways of sustainable resource management practices using regression analysis. The result confirms that social network size plays a significant role in enhancing adoption of natural resource management practices. Moreover, external sources of information such as extension provision play a crucial role in enhancing adoption of resource management practices. Thus, future endeavours should link extension services to informal networks to enhance adoption of sustainable natural resource management practices.

Understanding farmers’ intentions to adopt sustainable crop residue management practices: A structural equation modeling approach

While the goal of sustainable pest management programs is to promote the adoption of sustainable practices among growers, the effectiveness of these programs varies across different contexts. Assessment of the farmers’ actual adoption of the practices is a crucial measure for evaluating the training program’s effectiveness. Using a primary survey of specialty crop growers in Tennessee, we examined the adoption of sustainable pest management practices with particular attention to the roles of various training sources. Our results suggest that the training delivered by extension specialists and master gardeners has significantly positive effects on the adoption of these practices. Additionally, the grower’s knowledge level of integrated pest management, level of education, and training received from university faculty members positively influenced the adoption of good pest management practices (GMPs) while larger land acreage holdings had a negative impact on the adoption of GMPs. We also found that the growers prefer shorter training sessions with integration of online and visual-based learning tools.

In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in interest from both academic and corporate sectors concerning sustainable supply chain management. The increasing number of published papers focusing on this topic is a signal for this. To contribute further to the development of this field, this paper presents a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the impact of adopting sustainable supply chain management in the agricultural sector in Ethiopia, considering a total of 67 papers published between 2010 and 2023. This literature review aims to examine barriers, internal and external driving forces of the adoption of sustainable supply chain management practices, the impact of adopting sustainable supply chain management practices on the performance and identify constraints and opportunities of sustainable supply chain management practices in Ethiopian agricultural sectors. Focusing on the Ethiopian context, the study provides insights into the link between sustainable supply chain practices and performance outcomes. Additionally, NVIVO, qualitative data analysis software, was utilized to enhance the review process and ensure the systematic literature analysis.

As an outcome of agricultural activities, land degradation causes detrimental impacts on the environment and soil. It requires sustainable measures to combat the problem that is becoming critical worldwide. Despite many technological improvement programmes in agriculture, especially on land conservation, adoption has remained low in many developing countries. This situation triggered a further investigation into potential factors influencing sustainable land management practices (SLMPs) adoption in Mbulu district, a semiarid area in northern Tanzania so as to determine and suggest appropriate measures that can promote greater adoption. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and data from 120 farmers was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The adoption index was computed and determined the level of SLMPs adoption to be low. Probit regression analysis examined the factors influencing the adoption of SLMPs. Results show that gender, marital status, education, land size, and the distance to the extension office significantly influenced the adoption of SLMPs. Specifically, being male, widowed, having formal education, owning a larger size of land, and being closer to the extension office significantly increased the likelihood of the adoption. Also, being unmarried and unaware of SLMPs reduced the probability of the adoption. Awareness-raising programmes must be more targeted and effective to reach the intended audience. In addition, promoting sustainable land management practices that support income diversification and livelihood improvement is crucial in the study area. Furthermore, the adoption of sustainable land management practices requires supportive policy and institutional frameworks in the study area. Overall, addressing these factors requires a multi-faceted approach that involves collaboration between various stakeholders, including farmers, communities, the government, civil society organisations, and the private sector. By working together, these stakeholders can create an enabling environment that promotes SLMPs adoption and contributes to more sustainable livelihoods and income diversification in the study area.

Family forest lands represent a vitally important economic, environmental, and social resource in the U.S. A study of family forest owners was conducted in Virginia in 2007 to determine the relationship between attendance at Extension Service educational programs and the adoption of sustainable forest management practices. A mail survey was conducted to 3435 randomly selected forest owners, with a usable response rate of 32%. Participation in educational programs was shown to be significantly related to higher levels of adoption for all seven categories of sustainable forest management practices studied. For example, in the woodland management category, participants in workshops offered through the Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program (VFLEP) adopted one or more specific practices at a rate of 94%, significantly greater than 83% for forest owners who attended other general educational programs, which in turn was significantly higher than the 75% adoption rate for forest owners who did not attend any educational programs. Two key indicators of sustainable forest management are the preparation and use of a forest management plan, and the use of professional technical assistance providers. For both of these categories participants in the VFLEP adopted at significantly higher rates, 41% and 73%, respectively.