Adoption Of Management Practices Research Articles

Sustainable soil management: Soil knowledge use and gaps in Europe

AbstractSoils are the foundation of agricultural production, ecosystem functioning and human well‐being. Bridging soil knowledge gaps and improving the knowledge system is crucial to meet the growing EU soil policy ambitions in the face of climate change and the ongoing trend in soil degradation. The objective of this article is to assess the current state of knowledge, knowledge use and knowledge gaps concerning sustainable soil management in Europe. This study is based on interviews with 791 stakeholders and 254 researchers and on a comprehensive review of >1800 documents carried out under the European Joint Programme on agricultural soils. Despite differences in stakeholder groups, the conclusions are rather consistent and complementary. We identified major knowledge gaps with respect to (1) soil carbon stocks, (2) soil degradation and fertility and (3) strategies for improved soil management. Transcending these three areas, particularly the loss of soil organic carbon, peatland degradation and soil compaction, are most critical, thus, we stress the urgency of developing more models and monitoring programmes on soils. Stakeholders further report that insufficient transfer of existing soil research findings to practitioners is a hindrance to the adoption of sustainable soil management practices. In addition to knowledge production, soil knowledge gaps may be addressed by considering seven recommendations from the stakeholders: (1) raising awareness, (2) strengthening knowledge brokers, (3) improving relevance of research activities and resource allocation for land users, (4) peer‐to‐peer communication, (5) targeting advice and information, (6) improving knowledge access, and (7) providing incentives. We argue that filling and bridging knowledge gaps should be a priority for policymakers and the insights provided in the article may help prioritise research and dissemination needs enabling a transition to more sustainable soil management in Europe.

Sustainable maize intensification through site-specific nutrient management advice: Experimental evidence from Nigeria

There is growing evidence on the impacts of site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) from Asia. The evidence for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where SSNM developments are more recent and where conditions concerning soil fertility and fertilizer use differ importantly from those in Asia, is extremely scarce. We evaluate a SSNM advisory tool that allows extension agents to generate fertilizer recommendations tailored to the specific situation of an individual farmer’s field, using a three-year randomized controlled trial with 792 smallholder farmers in the maize belt of northern Nigeria. Two treatment arms were implemented: T1 and T2 both provide SSNM information on nutrient use and management, but T2 provides additional information on maize price distributions and the associated variability of expected returns to fertilizer use. We estimate average and heterogenous intent-to-treat effects on agronomic, economic and environmental plot-level outcomes. We find that T1 and T2 lead to substantial increases (up to 116%) in the adoption of good fertilizer management practices and T2 leads to incremental increases (up to 18%) in nutrient application rates, yields and revenues. Both treatments improve low levels of nutrient use efficiency and reduce high levels of greenhouse gas emission intensity, after two years of treatment. Our findings underscore the possibility of a more gradual and sustainable intensification of smallholder agriculture in SSA, as compared with the Asian Green Revolution, through increased fertilizer use accompanied by improved fertilizer management.

Involvement of Women Dairy Farmers in Decision Making Regarding Dairy Farm Activities in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India

An investigation was carried out to study the decision making of 225 women dairy farmers regarding dairy farm activities in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. The data was collected by administering the interview schedule to the respondents. The data collected during the period of study was scrutinized and tabulated. The study revealed that majority of farm women were participating in decision making regarding taking loans (82.67%), health care of animals (80.00%), management of newborn calves (80.00%), insurance of animals (73.33%), culling of uneconomic animals (73.33%), construction of animal sheds (58.67%), and breeding practices (56.00%) in Narasaraopeta division. .Majority of women dairy farmers in Pedaravuru division were participating in decision making regarding farm expansion (64.00%), purchase of loans (61.33%) and insurance of animals (60.00%) whereas majority of women in Guntur division were participating in decision making in purchase of roughages and feeding of animals (64.00%). Overall, significant (P≤0.01) majority of farm women were participating in decision making regarding purchase of roughages and feeding of animals (44.89%). Only 13.30%, 12.40%, 11.60% and 6.70% were participating in decision making regarding management of pregnant animals, management of sick animals, utility of dung and adoption of scientific management practices, respectively. Overall, 35.60% and 12.90% were regularly participating in decision making regarding preparation of milk products and sale of milk, respectively.

Practices and drivers for antibiotic use in cattle production systems in Kenya

Understanding antibiotic use in livestock systems is key in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and developing effective interventions. Using a standardised questionnaire, we investigated the patterns and drivers of antibiotic use in 165 cattle farms across the three major cattle production systems in Kenya: intensive, extensive, and semi-intensive systems across in three counties: Machakos, Makueni and Narok in Kenya. We used a causal diagram to inform regression models to explore the drivers of antibiotic use in the study farms. Antibiotic use was reported in 92.7% of farms, primarily for prophylactic purposes. Oxytetracycline, penicillin, and streptomycin were the most used antibiotics to treat and control the most reported diseases including mastitis, diarrhoea and East Coast fever (ECF). Regression analysis indicated a positive association between the frequency of antibiotic use at the farm level and both disease incidence and herd size. Conversely, farms that provided cattle with appropriate housing were less likely to use antibiotics, and there was no difference in antibiotic use between those who consulted with veterinarians or sourced antibiotics directly from animal health providers. Our study highlights the complexities around understanding the interplay between practices and drivers of antibiotic use. It also underscores the necessity to enhance education regarding the appropriate usage of antibiotics among cattle farmers, encourage the adoption of proper herd management practices which may reduce disease burden, and reinforce veterinary services and supportive legislation to promote the prudent use of antimicrobials.

Post-COVID-19's impact on green supply chain management and sustainable E-commerce performance: the moderating role of big data analytics.

This study investigates the relationship between COVID-19 and the adoption of green supply chain management practices (GSCM) in the Pakistani e-commerce industry. It also assesses the impact of these practices on ecological sustainability across three dimensions and explores the role of big data analytics (BDA) in enhancing them after the pandemic. The research utilized partial least squares structural equation modeling to evaluate data and test hypotheses. The research sample was composed of 390 managers operating within Pakistan's e-commerce industry. The study's preliminary findings reveal that COVID-19 has positively influenced the adoption of GSCM practices, which are moderated by BDA. Implementing GSCM has a positive impact on the perceived environmental and social resilience of e-commerce enterprises, but no significant effect on their perceived economic resilience. Additionally, GSCM acts as a mediator in the relationship between the impact of COVID-19 and the perceived environmental and social resilience of e-commerce firms, but not for economic resilience. This research focuses on Pakistan's e-commerce industry and investigates how COVID-19 affects the adoption of eco-friendly supply chain practices. It measures the impact of these practices on ecological sustainability using three dimensions. The study also examines how BDA can improve the adoption of GSCM in e-commerce, offering new insights into sustainability during and post-pandemic. The results recommend that the e-commerce industry can use BDA and GSCM practices to improve e-commerce sustainable performance. This is initial research that integrates COVID-19 impact, BDA, GSCM practices, and e-commerce sustainability in a single framework that was overlooked previously.

Phenological growth stages of biquinho pepper according to the BBCH scale

Biquinho pepper has been gaining prominence on the national scene because of its sweet taste and low pungency. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the phenological growth stages of biquinho pepper according to the BBCH scale. Based on this general scale, biquinho pepper showed 9 of the 10 principal stages (germination, leaf development, formation of side shoots, shoot development, development of the harvestable vegetative parts of the plant, flowering, fruit development, coloring or ripening of fruits and senescence). In addition, 25 secondary growth stages have also been described. The study will act as a tool for adoption of better crop management practices (nutrient management, irrigation scheduling, monitoring of management of pests and timely harvest of fruits).

Conjugated Polymer Process Ontology and Experimental Data Repository for Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

Polymer-based semiconductors and organic electronics encapsulate a significant research thrust for informatics-driven materials development. However, device measurements are described by a complex array of design and parameter choices, many of which are sparsely reported. For example, the mobility of a polymer-based organic field-effect transistor (OFET) may vary by several orders of magnitude for a given polymer as a plethora of parameters related to solution processing, interface design/surface treatment, thin-film deposition, postprocessing, and measurement settings have a profound effect on the value of the final measurement. Incomplete contextual, experimental details hamper the availability of reusable data applicable for data-driven optimization, modeling (e.g., machine learning), and analysis of new organic devices. To curate organic device databases that contain reproducible and findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) experimental data records, data ontologies that fully describe sample provenance and process history are required. However, standards for generating such process ontologies are not widely adopted for experimental materials domains. In this work, we design and implement an object-relational database for storing experimental records of OFETs. A data structure is generated by drawing on an international standard for batch process control (ISA-88) to facilitate the design. We then mobilize these representative data records, curated from the literature and laboratory experiments, to enable data-driven learning of process-structure-property relationships. The work presented herein opens the door for the broader adoption of data management practices and design standards for both the organic electronics and the wider materials community.

Enhancing US Software Companies' Competitive Edge with Agile Project Management

The primary purpose of this study was to examine how the adoption of Agile Project Management practices can help US-based software companies gain a competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving global marketplace. With ever-increasing customer demands and changing technology landscapes, it was crucial to assess whether agile methodologies could effectively address these challenges. The software industry in the USA faced challenges related to project delays, cost overruns, and difficulties in responding to changing customer requirements. Traditional project management approaches often proved inadequate in such dynamic environments. The study aimed to determine whether Agile Project Management could mitigate these issues and improve competitiveness. The research employed a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected through surveys distributed to software companies implementing agile practices. Qualitative insights were gathered through in-depth interviews with industry experts. Data analysis involved statistical techniques for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. The findings revealed that Agile Project Management significantly improved software development processes. Agile adoption also fostered better collaboration among cross-functional teams. Moreover, Agile practices positively impacted software quality and customer satisfaction, ultimately contributing to a competitive edge. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that Agile Project Management has a substantial positive impact on the competitiveness of US-based software companies. To enhance competitiveness, it is recommended that US software companies consider the adoption of Agile Project Management practices. Additionally, organizations should invest in training and cultural changes to facilitate a smooth transition to agile methodologies. Continuous improvement and alignment with agile principles are essential for sustained competitiveness. Keywords. Agile Project Management, Software Development, Competitiveness, Customer-Centric, US Software Companies

Co-implementation of tillage and precision nutrient management practices on crop yield of kharif maize (Zea mays)

Our accustomed agricultural practices of tilling the soil continuously and excessive fertilizer applications caused not only a decrease in organic carbon content and soil degradation but also disturbed environmental harmony. With this backdrop, current study was carried out during rainy (kharif) seasons of 2018 and 2019 at the research farm of Trihut College of Agriculture, Dholi, Pusa, Bihar to evaluate the effect of different tillage and nutrient management practices on maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with tillage as the main plot and nutrient management as the sub-plot. The results showed significantly superior maize grain yield in PB (6.1, 6.2 mg/ ha) and 60% RDN+GSGN (6.0, 5.9 mg/ha) over CT (4.9, 5.0 mg/ha) and RDF (5.1, 5.4 mg/ha) during 2018 and 2019. Similar trend was followed in stover yield, net returns and B:C ratio. Among path analysis, harvest index and no of grains/cob observed largest direct path coefficient of yield attributes to determine the maize grain yield and stover yield respectively. The results suggest that the adoption of conservation tillage and precise nutrient management practices will help in the realization of better yield with maximum profit by way of reducing the input capital apart from improving soil health thereby sustaining natural resources for future generations.

TALENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, ORGANIZATION CULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN CHARTERED UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Universities contribute to economic development of a country. However, Universities experience scarcity of academic staff due to tremendous increase in student enrolment yet little attention is given to attraction and retention of staff for sustainable performance. This study determined the relationship between talent management practices (TMP), organization culture (OC) and sustainable organizational performance (SOP). Correlational and retrospective longitudinal designs were adopted and 51 Registrars purposively selected from 51 Chartered Universities responded to questionnaires. Secondary data was from accredited Government records. Reliability was confirmed by Cronbach Alpha coefficient 0.960 from pilot study on 5 Universities. Data was analyzed descriptively and inferentially. The multiple regression findings revealed varied results with SOP; talent attraction (β=0.342, p=0.000), talent development (β=0.128, p=0.118), talent retention (β=0.035, p=0.696), career management (β=-0.203, p=0.007) and succession planning (β=0.134, p=0.020). Talent attraction and succession planning found positive significant influence on SOP, Career management found negative significant influence on SOP while Talent development and Talent retention found positive insignificant influence on SOP. The R2= 0.691 implied that 69.1% of variation in SOP explained by TMP. The model was significant as shown by (F=17.861, p=0.000). The moderated multiple regression results found that organization culture was a significant moderator; Int.(TMP*OC) = [R2Δ=0.012, β=0.197 and p=0.005]. The R2Δ=0.012 implied 1.2% variation in SOP explained by interaction between TMP and OC hence conclusion that moderator strengthens the relationship between TMP and SOP. The study concluded that effective TMP are critical contributors to SOP under positive organization culture. The study recommends adoption of innovative talent management practices that ensure the right talents are attracted to the right jobs and deliberate steps towards creation of supportive institutional culture for adoption and implementation of TMP to ensure SOP. KEY WORDS: Talent, Culture, Sustainable, Chartered Universities

An adoption spectrum for sustainable agriculture practices: A new framework applied to cover crop adoption

CONTEXTThe adoption of sustainable agriculture practices is critical for future ecological, food security, and farmer livelihood goals. Traditionally, the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices is treated as a binary decision, which simplifies the known complexity around behavior change. Furthermore, this approach ignores farmers that have previously utilized a practice, the extent to which a farmer adopts a practice across their farm, as well as the complexity of different sustainable agriculture practices, which may evolve over time. OBJECTIVEThis analysis explores the complexity of farmer adoption of best management practices by developing a framework that considers adoption across multiple components and beyond a simple outcome. METHODSWe develop a new framework for the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices that proposes four key elements: Entirety, variability, sophistication, and longevity. We incorporate this framework into a latent class analysis, using data from a nationwide survey of U.S. row crop farmers' focused on cover crop adoption. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSWe identify five types of adopters, including non-adopters, previous adopters, conservative new adopters, innovative new adopters, and early adopters. This analysis challenges existing innovation theories, which typically indicate that early adopters are the primary innovators within an innovation system. Instead, we identify a class of new farmer adopters that have the highest adoption of innovative, sophisticated practices. Utilizing multinomial logit models, we further examine the factors that influence farmers' adoption classification. We find self-efficacy, perceived production risks, social-environmental altruism, communication and networking, other conservation practice use, diversity of cash crops, livestock operations and farming size have various effects on farmers' different adoption types. SIGNIFICANCEThe framework and its application for cover crop adoption provide a structured opportunity to further our understanding of sustainable agriculture practice adoption. Given our identification of five types of adopters, and their unique needs, interests, and propensity to adoption of varying levels, these results provide practical implications for successful farmer learning and extension services. In particular, we highlight that adoption may have multiple forms that should be considered in policy development and technical assistance, including not only “new” adoption, but also re-adoption, as well as continued and increasingly complex adoption of sustainable agriculture practices.

Extension event attendance increases adoption of weed management practices by sports field managers

AbstractData from a national survey of 348 U.S. sports field managers were used to examine the effects of participation in Cooperative Extension events on the adoption of turfgrass weed management practices. Of the respondents, 94% had attended at least one event in the previous 3 yr. Of this 94%, 97% reported adopting at least one practice as a result of knowledge gained at an Extension turfgrass event. Half of the respondents had adopted four or more practices; a third adopted five or more practices. Nonchemical, cultural practices were the most-adopted practices (65% of respondents). Multiple regression analysis was used to examine factors explaining practice adoption and Extension event attendance. Compared to attending one event, attending three events increased total adoption by an average of one practice. Attending four or more events increased total adoption by two practices. Attending four or more events (compared to one event) increased the odds of adopting six individual practices by 3- to 6-fold, depending on the practice. This suggests that practice adoption could be enhanced by encouraging repeat attendance among past Extension event attendees. Manager experience was a statistically significant predictor of the number of Extension events attended but a poor direct predictor of practice adoption. Experience does not appear to increase adoption directly, but indirectly, via its impact on Extension event attendance. In addition to questions about weed management generally, the survey asked questions specifically about annual bluegrass management. Respondents were asked to rank seven sources of information for their helpfulness in managing annual bluegrass. There was no single dominant information source, but Extension was ranked more than any other source as the most helpful (by 22% of the respondents) and was ranked among the top three by 53%, closely behind field representative/local distributor sources at 54%.

What Are the Prospects of Sustainable Aquaculture in the Niger Delta, Nigeria?

Globally, the wild capture fishery is declining, and aquaculture is expanding to help fill the gap, especially in Asia and developing countries. However, the sustainability of the aquaculture sector is raising questions, and answering those questions requires the adoption of new technologies and better management practices. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in Nigeria where aquaculture generally means catfish, the most farmed species of which is clarias garipinus because it is a native species, and it plays an important role in the average Nigerian diet. However, small-scale catfish aquaculture businesses are affected by various challenges that threaten the sustainability of the sector. Prominent among these challenges are: poor management skills; lack of good quality fish seed supply; high cost of fish feed; inconsistency in government policy and limited regulations; lack of consideration about the impacts of aquaculture practice on the environment causing water pollution and environmental degradation, and insecurity of investment against natural disasters such as floods. This research investigated these challenges in eight sites in two states (Delta and Bayelsa) in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Data were gathered from a survey questionnaire, key informant interviews, personal observations, and published literature. Key findings showed that the sustainable development of the small-scale catfish farming industry in Delta and Bayelsa states is vulnerable to several threats that prevent it from fulfilling its undoubted potential to grow into a much larger sector, which could significantly reduce Nigeria’s reliance on fish imports, as well as relieve pressure on the overfished marine catch sector. Nevertheless, despite the threats, most catfish farmers are committed to their work and deserve the support of the government to enable them to succeed.

Management Practices and Quality of Care: Evidence from the Private Health Care Sector in Tanzania.

We measure the adoption of management practices in over 220 private for-profit and non-profit health facilities in 64 districts across Tanzania and link these data to process quality-of-care metrics, assessed using undercover standardised patients and clinical observations. We find that better managed health facilities are more likely to provide correct treatment in accordance with national treatment guidelines, adhere to a checklist of essential questions and examinations, and comply with infection prevention and control practices. Moving from the 10th to the 90th percentile in the management practice score is associated with a 48% increase in correct treatment. We then leverage a large-scale field experiment of an internationally recognised management support intervention in which health facilities are assessed against comprehensive standards, given an individually tailored quality improvement plan and supported through training and mentoring visits. We find zero to small effects on management scores, suggesting that improving management practices in this setting may be challenging.

Water Quality Management in Improving Freshwater Aquaculture: Interventions of KVK-Khordha

Adoption of Scientific Management Practices (SMPs) is imperative for increasing production and productivity in fish farming. From pond preparation to harvesting fish, the Research and Development Institutions have disseminated technologies and techniques for the benefit of farmers and it is understood that adoption varies from farmer to farmer based on their capacity, willingness and the robustness of the practice. Among the different SMPs in fish farming, water quality management is one of the key practices that determine the success of fish farming. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the advisory role of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)-Khordha in promoting water quality management practices through its soil and water testing laboratory. Twenty beneficiaries of the KVK from three districts of Odisha were selected for the study. The results indicated that majority of the farmers have never tested water samples before and tested for the first time at KVK. Further, the sources of information for testing water were found to be limited. The study also concluded that the major reason for testing water was towards understanding the manuring and fertilization schedule. Most of the farmers tested their water before stocking and also fully adopted the recommendations provided by KVK. The study suggests more intensive efforts by development agencies to organize different campaigns and use of the other extension methods to sensitize the adoption of water quality management practices with a larger impact.

Changes in soil properties with long-term organic inputs due to distance from homestead and farm characteristics in southern Ethiopian farmlands

Traditional farming systems across much of Sub-Saharan Africa have greater organic inputs near to the homestead than in fields further away. This is likely to produce a fertility gradient that impacts production capacity, and so provides an opportunity to explore impacts of organic amendments on soils. Across 198 farm plots in 69 households in Halaba, Southern Ethiopia, we investigated the influence of different organic input systems on soil properties. The study also examined the influence of household and farm characteristics on the adoption of land management practices and its impact on soil properties. Samples were taken from farm plots located close (<30 m), near (30–300 m) and far (>300 m) from the homestead, representing different levels of organic amendments. Soils located close to homesteads had significantly greater soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity and soil nutrient content compared to soil located near and far from the homestead areas. Soil organic carbon concentrations close to the home were 15%, 27% and 45% greater than farm plots located at far from the home in Andegna Choroko, Asore and Lay Arisho kebeles, respectively. Across all sites, the mean soil organic carbon stock ranged from 20.6 t ha−1 to 84.6 t ha−1, depending on the location of the plots with respect to the homestead. Household and farm characteristics also influenced land management practices and soil properties. In some catchments, farm plots managed by female headed households and relatively rich farmers displayed significantly greater soil organic carbon than farm plots managed by male headed and relatively poor households. This was likely due to greater organic inputs in female headed households in areas where men were otherwise engaged in off-farm activities and in wealthier households with greater access to organic manures. Tree cover in farmlands influenced accumulation of soil organic carbon. The results suggest that out-scaling farm management practices that are common around homesteads, such as adding animal manure or household wastes and maintaining tree cover, would help to improve key soil properties and agricultural productivity.

Policy development to support ecosystem services on pasture systems in Saskatchewan: A case study

Grasslands provide a wide variety of public and private environmental benefits arising from ecosystem services. At the same time, grassland ecosystems are being irreversibly altered. To protect grassland ecosystems and services, many policies have been introduced to encourage private grassland owners and users to adopt management practices to conserve and enhance ecosystem services. However, because such practices are largely voluntary, they are only effective if private ranchers and landowners opt in. The purpose of this case study was to identify acceptable and cost-effective policy tools to increase the provision of ecosystem services on Saskatchewan grasslands. A sample of Saskatchewan ranchers were surveyed to investigate their opinions and attitudes toward ecosystem services produced by grasslands, preferred policy parameters associated with grassland enhancement, and willingness-to-accept (WTA) to forego production in return for grassland conservation. The results indicated Saskatchewan ranchers place positive value on ecosystem services, but would require incentives ranging between $34.83 and $42.58 per acre ($86.06 and $105.21 per hectare) to compensate for a 10 % loss in production associated with increasing grassland conservation. Additionally, ranchers prefer policy options most closely aligned with their values indicating that conservation practices that enhance water quality and wildlife/habitat were far preferred to carbon sequestration. Results have implications for policy options and grassland conservation, particularly in a time where public grasslands in Saskatchewan have been privatized.

A Holistic Analysis of Food Security Situation of Households Engaged in Land Certification and Sustainable Land Management Programs: South Wello, Ethiopia.

Land degradation, food and tenure insecurity are significant problems in the northern highlands of Ethiopia, particularly in the region known as the country's famine corridor. Addressing these twine issues in the region has become a focal point for both local and international organizations, underscoring the significance of preventive measures. Since 2000, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) has been implementing sustainable land management and certification programs. This study aims on households involved in these programs, specifically in Dessie Zuria and Kutaber Woredas, South Wello Zone (SWZ). The primary objectives of the research were to assess households' current food security status, identify factors influencing their food security, and classify coping and survival strategies employed by households during food shortages. Primary and secondary sources have been used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data were collected from surveyed households and analyzed USING SPSS software version 26, whereas qualitative data were transcribed, grouped, and interpreted in line with the aim of the research. Three food security models, namely the Household Food Balance Model, Months of Adequate Household Food Provisioning, and Household Dietary Diversity Score, were employed to evaluate food security. Consequently, a significant percentage of the surveyed households, amounting to 88.3%, 35.6%, and 93.8%, were found to experience food insecurity according to the respective models. Rainfall shortages and variability, crop pests and diseases, shrinking farm plots, and land degradation are among the identified food security determinants. During dearth periods, households deploy a variety of coping and survival strategies. To mitigate food insecurity stemming from both natural and socio-economic factors, the research suggests several recommendations. These include advocating for tenure policy reforms by the GoE, and the local governments should promote the adoption of efficient land management practices, instituting a land certification system based on cadasters, encouraging family planning, boosting investments in education and literacy, raising awareness and providing training in climate-smart agriculture techniques, educating communities on optimal grain utilization, saving, trade, and storage methods, facilitating opportunities for income generation through off-farm and non-farm activities, and offering support for crop and livestock diversification.

An Investigation of the Extent of Implementation of the Financial Management Practices of Agri-SMEs in developing countries: Evidence from Tanzania

The success of agricultural Small and Medium Enterprises (agri-SMEs), among other factors, heavily relies on their ability to manage finances effectively. This study examined the extent to which agricultural SMEs in Tanzania practice financial management activities. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from 427 agri-SMEs in three regions of Tanzania. Descriptive statistics and higher-order reflective-formative Structural Equation Model (SEM) were employed for data analysis. The findings indicated moderate adoption of financial management practices. Specifically, agri-SMEs were found to frequently engage in working capital management practices, such as maintaining sufficient cash flows and records for payables and receivables. However, financial reporting is less frequently practiced, with sporadic financial statements preparation and financial analysis. The findings indicate further that other financial management practices such as financial accounting, capital budgeting and financing management were moderately and infrequently implemented, with external financing sources being utilized less frequently compared to internal financing sources. The path analysis indicates that all lower-order constructs significantly contributed to the higher-order financial management practice construct with capital budgeting demonstrating the strongest impact. The findings highlight the need for improving financial reporting, analysis, and external financing usage in Tanzanian agri-SMEs. These findings offer valuable insights agri-SMEs in developing countries to appropriately strategize on implementation of financial management practices that will lead to improved access to finance and high performance.

Adoption of competence management practices by industries in an emerging country: an analysis via fuzzy TOPSIS

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine competence management practices in Brazilian industries using ISO 10015 as a framework of analysis, which establishes guidelines for competence management and people development.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted with 22 high-qualified human resources management (HRM) professionals (81.8% of participants hold a PhD) with extensive experience in the Brazilian industrial sector (an average of 20.4 years). The experts assessed 13 practices (P) elaborated based on the ISO 10015:2020, considering two categories: large industries (LI) and small and medium-sized industries (SMI). Data analysis was performed using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, frequency analysis, Fuzzy TOPSIS and sensitivity analysis.FindingsThe practice “individual competences are correctly defined by organizations at all hierarchical levels” was deemed the best practice for LIs, while the practice “clear definition of activities and their specificities when structuring competence management and people development programs” was considered the best practice for SMIs. The practice “organizations map employees' future competence and development needs on a regular basis” received the lowest rating for both LIs and SMIs. When compared to LIs, SMIs have more severe deficiencies in applying competence management practices. The study's findings can be of great value in assisting managers in implementing structured competence management systems and people development initiatives.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study can be used by managers of businesses of all sizes and economic sectors to analyze their critical points in order to identify opportunities to improve their competence management systems and people development programs.Originality/valueThis study fills a knowledge gap by analyzing the adoption of competence management practices in Brazil, answering the call for HRM research in developing countries. By using ISO 10015 as a framework of analysis, this study also addresses the literature gap regarding this important and relatively new management tool.