Adoption Of Agroforestry Technologies Research Articles

Assessment of the Adoption of Agroforestry Technologies by Limited-Resource Farmers in North Carolina

Agroforestry is a natural resource management system that integrates trees, forages, and livestock. The study reported here was conducted to determine farmers' knowledge about and willingness to adopt agroforestry technologies in North Carolina. The study reported participants were primarily older, male farmers, suggesting the need to attract more females and younger individuals to adopt agroforestry technologies. The increasing number of diversified farm operators presents a new audience for Extension educators to offer programs to improve limited-resource farmers' livelihood. The study recommends Extension training programs and information centers for farmers who need skills and knowledge to manage agroforestry technologies.

Would strictly enforced forestry regulations affect farmers’ stated intentions to plant indigenous fruits trees? Insights from Cameroon

From theory it is expected that forestry laws and regulations affect the adoption of agroforestry technologies, such as planting of indigenous fruit trees. These trees are important sources of nutrients and income to thousands of farmers. However data on farmers’ perceptions and behaviour towards such policy instruments are scarce and contradictory. Based on data collected from 394 households in Cameroon, using a structured questionnaire, farmers’ awareness, perception and willingness to accept policy instruments governing on-farm trees were assessed. The study further investigated whether the policy instruments would affect their intentions to plant selected indigenous fruit trees on their farms. The analysis found that a majority of farmers are unaware of the laws governing access and trade in indigenous fruit tree species. Furthermore, even if strictly applied, a significant majority of farmers (60%) would not be discouraged by the regulations, from planting trees on their farms because it constitutes part of their traditional farming practices. Yet, the authors argue that planting of indigenous fruit tree species could increase under simplified rules, as 40% of the farmers do claim they would refuse to plant such trees if existing regulations are strictly enforced. The study therefore concludes that there is a need for new policies to attract more farmers to integrate indigenous fruit trees on their farms. Given the current trend to encourage on-farm tree planting to address food security and climate change issues, this is especially relevant.

Determinants of agroforestry technology adoption in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

This study explores factors that affect the adoption of agroforestry (AF) technologies in ‘Tsolo’ and ‘Lusikisiki’ areas in O.R. Tambo district in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is based on empirical evidence gathered from households in the study areas. The aim and objective of the study are consistent with the strategic priorities of the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. The study finds that agricultural farming experience, education level of the household head, a proxy variable for household wealth status, land size owned, number of livestock owned, pace of adoption of other agricultural technologies, the scale of slope of farm land, and percent of severely degraded farm land affect the adoption of AF technologies in the study areas significantly and with the higher magnitudes of the odds ratios. These variables need to be considered in all the initiatives by government and non-governmental organizations to promote AF as a strategy to realize integrated rural development in the study areas. These findings have policy implications to advance integrated sustainable rural development strategies. The local government in the study areas can use the promotion of AF technologies for multiple purposes, particularly as a tool toward rural poverty alleviation and climate change mitigation measures.

Carbon stock and sequestration potential of agroforestry systems in smallholder agroecosystems of sub-Saharan Africa: Mechanisms for ‘reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation’ (REDD+)

The adoption of agroforestry technologies in the tropics stores high biomass for soil fertility replenishment and offers potential for carbon (C) storage. Household survey and biophysical data from central Malawi are modeled to test whether farm incentives would lead to more improved fallow adoption; and therefore an increase in carbon sequestered on farms. With data from 40 households representing 40 models, three C sequestration scenarios were simulated: (i) baseline scenario, (ii) agroforestry with a carbon credit incentive, and (iii) agroforestry with a carbon credit and a seed selling option. Results show that the baseline scenario would sequester on average 3.94MgCha−1. The overall annual mean amount of C sequestered is 103 Mg per year, of which 12% is from soil C. In the second scenario, the annual mean was 239Mg C translating to 3.92MgCha−1, of which 62% is contribution from agroforestry. In the third scenario, the annual mean C was 393Mg, translating to 4.17MgCha−1, of which agroforestry's contribution was 39%. Our results show that agroforestry can increase C sequestration on farms. We conclude that smallholder farmers can benefit from the REDD+ mechanism.

Individual and Group Extension Methods: Perspectives from Vi-Agroforestry Project in Masaka district, central Uganda

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of group and individual extension methods in delivering agroforestry technologies at Vi-Agroforestry project, Masaka district. Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRAs) tools including semi-structured questionnaires were administrated to 90 randomly selected farmers who had received extension services from the project. In addition, twelve project extension workers were interviewed. Data were analysed using SPSS computer package and descriptive analysis. A statistical t-test was carried out to assess the influence of group and individual extension methods on farmers’ adoption of agroforestry technologies. Group and individual methods were found to have varying degree of success on farmers’ implementation of agroforestry technologies (t = 3.55, p

Potential for Agroforestry Adoption in Southern Africa: A comparative study of improved fallow and green manure adoption in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

This paper summarizes the findings of three ex-ante studies, from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia, that examined the potential for adoption of agroforestry technologies should they be extended to farmers. Ethnographic linear programme modelling of households in all three locations shows that the potential adoption of these technologies depends on household composition, farm size, and availability of draft power. Results show that both male and female headed households can adopt the technology. A seed selling incentive enhanced adoption through augmenting household income and benefited farmers by increasing funds available for discretionary use. In Zimbabwe there was a greater increase in discretionary cash for draft animal owners than non-owners. It is concluded that in Southern Africa, improved fallows are a viable alternative to chemical fertilizer use for small farmers.

Agroforestry practices in the buffer zone area of Mt Elgon National Park, eastern Uganda

AbstractIn this study, we investigated the attitude of local people towards the contribution of agroforestry practices to socio‐economic development in the buffer zone area of Mt Elgon National Park, Uganda. Primary data were collected through formal household survey conducted during June–October 2004 with the use of questionnaires administered to 120 households selected randomly from Mutushet and Kortek Parishes. Data were analysed using chi‐squared test and logistic regression model. The results support the hypothesis that the attitude of people towards agroforestry practices is independent of existence of collaborative forest management, ethnic group, sedentary farming experience and family size but depends on main occupation, education status, distance from park boundary, damage caused by wild animals, landholding size and total livestock units owned. Factors that significantly influenced adoption of agroforestry technologies were age of the household head, education status, extension contact, family labour force and gender. There is need to intensify extension programmes in those areas where the majority of people have negative attitude towards agroforestry practices.

Adopters, testers or pseudo-adopters? Dynamics of the use of improved tree fallows by farmers in western Kenya

Although there has been increasing research on the adoption of agroforestry technologies over the last decade, few such studies have assessed uptake over a long period and many are based on a single snapshot in time. Furthermore, most of these studies have mainly looked at non-adopters and adopters: only recently have social scientists considered testers. A further category of users neglected in adoption studies has been re-adopters of technologies. Studying this group provides an interesting and more nuanced understanding of adoption and re-adoption. Methodologically, most adoption studies use quantitative methods and fail to link their findings to wider socio-economic, political and institutional settings. This paper presents a study of the dynamics of improved tree fallow use by farmers in Siaya and Vihiga districts of western Kenya over a period of eight years. It uses both qualitative and quantitative data to critically discuss the motivations of adopters, testers/rejecters and re-adopters. The results show that the process of adoption is highly dynamic and variable with farmers planting improved fallows and discontinuing or re-adopting them due to a whole range of factors, of which soil fertility improvement is just one. These factors included incentives from projects, the tying of adoption to credit programmes, prestige, participation in seminars/tours and the availability of a seed market from projects promoting improved fallows. Farmers planting improved fallows for such reasons may be termed ‘pseudo-adopters’. There were significant differences in adoption between the two districts, with more farmers in Siaya planting improved fallows than in Vihiga. A majority of farmers in Vihiga (53%) who were given seed never planted improved fallows, even though they had been exposed to the technology. Some 40% of farmers in Siaya and 38% in Vihiga planted improved fallows but later rejected them. This has some important implications for research and development. For improved fallow technologies to be attractive to farmers, they must provide other tangible economic benefits besides soil fertility improvement. This presents a challenge to researchers who must better attune themselves to the needs and demands of farmers if they wish to see their research findings widely adopted.

Conflicts management, social capital and adoption of agroforestry technologies: empirical findings from the highlands of southwestern Uganda

In the highland ecosystems where actions by some individuals or groups often generate off-site effects among a wide range of social actors and stakeholders, the use and management of natural resources are susceptible to multiple forms of conflicts. This paper examines the hypothesis that conflicts constrain the adoption of agroforestry technologies. Using empirical data from 243 households in Kabale-Uganda, the study identified over 780 different cases of conflicts, and found positive relationships between certain types of conflicts and adoption of agroforestry technologies. The results of this paper challenge the conventional wisdom that conflicts are pervasive, and that the prevalence of conflicts is a major barrier to the adoption of NRM technologies. On the contrary, they seem to suggest that conflicts may have some positive outcomes; they provide incentives for the adoption of NRM technologies, and can be a potential force for positive social change. Conflicts are an essential feature of NRM in the highland systems and cannot therefore be ignored. What matters is the ways such conflicts are managed and resolved, and transformed into a force for positive change. We found that three dimensions of social capital (collective action, byelaws implementation and linking with local government structures) have increased the ability of communities to manage and transform conflicts into opportunities for collective action. These findings suggest new areas for further investigation to improve understanding of adoption decisions and building local capacity for scaling up the impacts of agroforestry innovations.

Management of Agroforestry for the Conservation and Utilization of Land and Water Resources

Although the potential of agroforestry for conservation and utilization of soil and water resources is well recognized, experimental evidence on the extent of actual benefits is limited. However, the scope for adoption of agroforestry technologies is great because of the low requirement for investment and the potentially high economic benefits, as most of them combine protection with production. Technologies vary from those with conservation as the main purpose to those focused on production, where soil conservation is supplementary. The adoption of agroforestry systems will ultimately depend on increased crop yields and economic benefits to farmers. The realization of their potential benefits will in turn depend on the management, which includes carefully selecting trees and shrubs adapted to local conditions, using a combination of appropriate technologies, and following good silvicultural and crop husbandry practices. Availability of tree seedlings and labour, the need to protect trees during non-cropping periods, competition of trees with crops for growth resources, and lack of short-term economic benefits are some of the constraints to the adoption of agroforestry by farmers.

A diagnostic survey of shifting cultivation in northern Laos: targeting research to improve sustainability and productivity

About 25% of Laos' four million people practise shifting cultivation (mainly of rice) on a third of the country's cropped area. Official policy is to eliminate shifting cultivation by the year 2000. Diagnostic surveys of shifting cultivation were conducted in Luang Prabang and Oudomsay Provinces in northern Laos to understand the practice from a farmer's perspective, to observe fields, and to identify and give priority to problems and research to address problems. Weeds, low and possibly declining soil fertility, intensification of the cropping cycle, rats (plus birds, wild pigs), and insects lowered rice yields or reduced system sustainability. The forest ecosystem has been degraded by logging, burning, and rice monocropping; and potentials for environmental rehabilitation through natural succession are minimal. Farmers cannot adopt high labor and cash cost innovations; and improved fallow is needed as an intermediate step prior to crop diversification, adoption of agroforestry technologies, and sedentary agriculture.