Synergies and Determinants of Sustainable Intensification Practices in Pakistani Agriculture

Awais Jabbar,Qun Wu,Jianchao Peng,Jian Zhang,Asma Imran,Luo Yao

doi:10.3390/land9040110

Abstract

Sustainable intensification practices (SIPs) involve a process to produce high yields for existing land without affecting the environment. The significance and relevance of SIPs in a Pakistani context demands an investigation. Hence, this study takes the initiative to investigate the determinants regarding the adoption of these practices. Based on the evidence, we selected five SIPs, namely, improved seeds, organic manure, crop rotation, intercropping, and low tillage. Furthermore, this study analyzes the adoption of SIPs with randomly collected data from 612 farmers through multistage sampling. A multivariate probit model (MVP) is employed to analyze the mutually dependent adoption decisions and identify the factors associated with them. The results revealed that education, the area under cultivation, access to information, extension access, social participation, rainfall variability, and temperature increase significantly predict the adoption of SIPs. The adoption of organic manure and crop rotation was highest between all the ecological zones, whereas low tillage was the least adopted practice. Adoption intensity in mixed cropping zones was slightly higher than the other ecological zones. Moreover, the findings also reveal the important synergies amid natural resource management and input-based SIPs. Hence, the study highlights the perseverance and importance of social groups and recommends the government to formulate comprehensive policies to facilitate institutional access and elevate the adoption level amongst the farming community.

Highlights

Asian agriculture is going through a tough period, as attaining an optimum level of production has become a difficult task
Intensities such as one sustainable intensification practices (SIPs) counts for a single practice, two SIPs count for double practices, three SIPs counts for Adoption intensity consists of the number of intensification practices adopted jointly by farm three practices adopted together, and the same pattern continues for all the legends
Legends represent the number of practices adopted together, (Figure 3) indicate that the adoption of two practices together was highest among others, and this trend such as one SIP counts for a single practice, two SIPs count for double practices, three SIPs counts for three practices adopted together, and the same pattern continues for all the legends

Summary

Introduction

Asian agriculture is going through a tough period, as attaining an optimum level of production has become a difficult task. Ever-increasing population, urbanization, and climatic uncertainties are continuously posing threats to regional food security. 38.5% of the labor force working in agriculture, occupying a pivotal position in Pakistan’s economy [1,2]. Despite being a vital part of Pakistan’s economy, agriculture remains a backward sector, and a continuous slump in its performance is an open fact. The country’s population is expected to surpass 229 million by 2022, and to feed the continually increasing population looks like a difficult task. Apart from the population pressure, the climate and land-use change continue to stress the fragile agriculture production system of Pakistan [3,4,5].

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion