Enhance Smallholder Farmers Research Articles

The value of indigenous knowledge for enhancing smallholders’ resilience to climate change and food insecurity: a case study of small-scale irrigation system in Niger

ABSTRACT The global south faces challenges in enhancing smallholder farmers' resilience to climate change and food insecurity. Indigenous knowledge and small-scale irrigation (SSI) systems are being promoted as a viable solution to address these challenges. This paper explores how smallholder farmers use local knowledge to establish informal and farmer-led SSI to enhance smallholders' resilience in agriculture and livelihoods. A qualitative research approach with 79 semi-structured interviews was carried out with farmers' households in Tamaske rural community in Southwest Niger, followed by thematic and statistical analysis. The results revealed that an alternative SSI strategy is mostly based on internal agencies rather than externally supported and it serves as a tool to enhance household food and income security amid climate change. The empirical case allows us to assess the value of indigenous knowledge in agriculture by asking how local people can bring together ideas and resources to enhance SSI and build resilience to climate change. The study suggests that the initiation and multiplication of SSI systems can be achieved by farmers' own agencies if appropriate technology and cooperation mechanisms are selected. The policy focus should promote simple, root-based technology as limited government financial support in the global south may hinder this progress.

Climate change vulnerability and adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers: A financing gap perspective

With climate change continuously threatening global food production, smallholder farmers are increasingly struggling to adapt to changing climatic conditions, decreasing productivity, and limited access to finance. To examine these challenges, this study used cross-sectional data collected through a multi-stage approach across three plantain-producing states in southwest Nigeria, with 100 farmers randomly selected in 5 local government areas per state to give a total of 300 farmers. A two-step Stochastic Frontier model is used to examine the relationship between climate adaptation strategies and plantain productivity while the Harold-Dorma growth equation and Multivariate Probit regression are used to assess the financing gap and its effect on adaptive capacity. Finally, the Foster Geer-Thorbecke (FGT) equation is used to measure the vulnerability of farmers to climate change. Findings show that as the financing gap of the farmers decreases, their ability to adopt climate adaptation strategies to enhance their productivity increases. However, 80% of the farmers are financially vulnerable to climate change, with 37% facing severe financial constraints. The vulnerability depth for the farmers is 56%, indicating that with $106.55 (56% of the vulnerability line of $190.26), many farmers' adaptive capacity could be enhanced to reduce their vulnerability below the vulnerability line. This study's approach provides a comprehensive approach for assessing smallholder farmers' ability to adopt adaptation strategies that increase productivity and enhance resilience. While other policy measures to enhance smallholder farmers' ability to address the challenges of climate change are important, it is crucial to prioritise actions that improve the financial status of smallholders.

Returns to quality in rural agricultural markets: Evidence from wheat markets in Ethiopia

In many Sub-Saharan countries, farmers cannot meet the growing urban demand for higher quality products. While the literature has focused on production-side constraints to enhance smallholder farmers’ output quality, there is scarce evidence of market-side constraints. Using a sample of 60 wheat markets in Ethiopia, I assess whether farmers received a price premium for supplying higher quality outputs. I exploit a unique feature of the data which precisely measures observable and less or unobservable quality attributes, and relate them to transaction prices. Observable attributes cannot serve as proxies for less observable ones. Transaction prices further reflect this, indicating that markets only reward quality attributes that are observable at no cost. However, these results hide cross-market heterogeneity. Farmers engage in relational contracts receive a higher price but similar rewards for quality. Observable quality attributes are better rewarded in markets with more traders per farmer, while unobservable attributes are rewarded in the presence of other value chain actors (i.e., grain millers and farmer cooperatives). Both regression and machine learning approaches support these findings.

Impact of Livestock Insurance Schemes on Smallholder Farmers’ Resilience to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the impact of livestock insurance schemes on smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change in Saharan Africa. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the impact of livestock insurance schemes on smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change in Saharan Africa. Preliminary empirical review revealed that livestock insurance schemes significantly enhanced the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa by providing financial protection against climate-induced livestock losses, maintaining livestock assets, and stabilizing household incomes during climatic shocks. However, barriers such as high premium costs, limited awareness, and distrust in insurance providers hindered widespread adoption. Recommendations included premium subsidies, extensive education programs, and improved transparency to increase uptake. Integrating insurance with broader risk management strategies was also emphasized to maximize resilience benefits. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) may be used to anchor future studies on livestock insurance schemes on smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change. The study recommended integrating socio-economic factors into theoretical frameworks, enhancing practical training and capacity-building for farmers, and creating supportive regulatory policies to improve the adoption of livestock insurance schemes. It emphasized the importance of integrating insurance with broader risk management strategies, leveraging technological innovations to enhance accessibility, and conducting continuous monitoring and evaluation to ensure the schemes' effectiveness. These recommendations aimed to enhance smallholder farmers' resilience to climate change, maximize the benefits of livestock insurance, and ensure sustainable agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: Livestock Insurance Schemes, Smallholder Farmers, Resilience, Climate Change, Sub-Saharan Africa, Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI)

Smallholder farmers’ perceived motivations for the adoption and implementation of climate information services in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana

This study investigated smallholder farmers’ perceived motivations for the adoption and implementation of climate information services (CIS) in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana. Specifically, the study answered the following research questions. (i) What is the perception of smallholder farmers on climate change and variability in the Atwima Nwabiagya District?; (ii) What are the CIS accessed and used by the smallholder farmers for farm management decisions?; (iii) What are the perceived motivations for the adoption and implementation of CIS by smallholder farmers?; and; (iv) What are the barriers confronting smallholder farmers in adopting and implementing CIS? Primary data was collected through questionnaire surveys with 200 farming households and four key informant interviews in four selected communities (Kobeng, Seidi, Wioso, and Nkawie Panin) in the study district. Results showed that smallholder farmers perceived climate change and variability through increased windstorms and thunderstorms, variable rainfall, and increased temperature patterns. The surveyed farmers also perceived that the climatic changes affect their agricultural activities adversely. However, the smallholder farmers accessed and used CIS including weather warnings (86%), daily weather forecasts (70%), and seasonal forecasts (60%) to manage climatic risks on the farm. Results also showed that the smallholder farmers were motivated by critical factors including improvement in the acquisition of proactive measures (92%), increased knowledge of climatic patterns that affect food stock (91%), and a reduction in loss of stock produced (88%) to access and use CIS. Despite this, the smallholder farmers were confronted with key barriers in their uptake and utilization of CIS. These were the timeliness of CIS (73%), a lack of weather symbols in the forecasts (65%), and inadequate information on seasonal forecasts for long-term planning (61%). The study concluded that the motivations for smallholder farmers using CIS in the study district may vary depending on their context, goals, and challenges. However, the general motivation is to enhance smallholder farmers’ farm planning and risk management by using weather and climate forecasts to make better decisions on crop selection, planting dates, input use, pest and disease control, irrigation, harvesting, and marketing.

Estimating the intrahousehold costs and benefits of innovations to enhance smallholder farmers’ resilience

This paper introduces a new framework to quantify costs and benefits for resilience-related outcomes of agricultural innovations targeting smallholder farmers. The framework employs a non-unitary household model with expected utility to quantify welfare benefits associated with non-monetary outcomes that are important from a development perspective, such as improved consumption smoothing, empowerment, and changes in time use. We demonstrate the application of the framework using a case study of climate information services (CIS) in Ghana. We develop a set of individual bargaining weights based on the women’s empowerment in agriculture index, to demonstrate how benefits from CIS are distributed among men and women within households. We find that for the average risk-averse farmer, using CIS is associated with a 37-percent increase in expected utility, but male household heads benefit more than women living in male-headed households. Cost–benefit analyses that do not consider the intrahousehold distribution of benefits associated with agricultural innovations will overestimate benefits accruing to women with low bargaining power.

Adoption of climate resilient agricultural practices among the Giriama community in South East Kenya: implications for conceptual frameworks

While quantitative studies are robust at assessing the extent of climate change adaptation, and statistical relationships among variables involved, qualitative studies are also essential to understand the social rationales underlying relationships among variables, and to identify the roles of variables that have been overlooked or are hard to measure. This study investigates factors that influence the adoption of climate resilient agricultural practices by resource-poor Giriama farmers in southeast Kenya, with a view to understanding why some smallholders from this cultural group adopt climate resilient practices, while others do not. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 30 farmers, 15 of whom had adopted climate resilient farming practices recommended by agricultural experts, and 15 of whom had not adopted any of those practices. The adopters were market-oriented, and tended to have individual land tenure, higher levels of experience in farming, slightly larger farm sizes, middle to high school education levels, and be younger. They had access to agricultural extension, access to farm inputs, and their off-farm activities tended to be related to agricultural supply chains. Non-adopters farmed entirely for subsistence, on communal or leased land, had less formal education, and adhered strongly to cultural beliefs and practices. Their off-farm income was unrelated to agriculture. More of the adopters were males, while many of the non-adopters were female. Particular cultural practices and taboos inhibited the adoption of several of the climate resilient practices, such as planting hybrid maize, keeping dairy goats, using improved goats such as the Kenyan Alpine for breeding purposes and the use of water conservation structures for crop production. Further, the qualitative information explains how and why factors such as land ownership, gender, culture, and access to information are interrelated, in ways that are not necessarily obvious in statistical analysis. The study thus highlights issues that need to be considered in conceptual frameworks underpinning both quantitative and qualitative studies, and particularly how they interact, in order to provide the knowledge essential to policy and programs intended to enhance smallholder farmers' adaptive capacity.

The Impact of Indigenous People’s Pre-existing Information on Rice Farming: Findings from Laos

Dissemination of information can enhance smallholder farmers’ agricultural outcomes and incomes in developing countries. However, the impact evaluation for new information can be inaccurate without considering pre-existing information that the indigenous people have used. This study explores qualitative causal links between existing agricultural information used by Lao smallholder farmers on rice yield and selling price with 180 household data. We categorized the pre-existing information into weather, farming technique, input, intermediate trader, and sales price. The source of each piece of information is used as an instrumental variable to overcome the endogeneity issue between information use and agricultural outcomes. Using farming technique information positively affects rice yields by 57.1% compared to those without that information. Moreover, intermediate trader and crop sales information result in 64.5% and 60.0% higher selling prices than non-user groups. A statistically significant causal relationship exists with agricultural outcomes. The more genuine impact should be measured with a newly updated impact evaluation approach that considers this preexisting agricultural information.

Use of Information Systems (Mobile Phone App) for Enhancing Smallholder Farmers’ Productivity in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: Implications on Food Security

The rapid growth of information systems in the form of mobile phone applications in developing countries resulted in several benefits compared to other choices in relation to costs, environmental exposure, and simplicity of usage. However, smallholder farmers fail to meet the soaring demand for food and other agro commodities in time, and dodging market overflows is an extreme encounter among communal farmers due to a deficiency of information and unacquainted administration. Therefore, the study analyzes the factors influencing the use of information systems for enhancing smallholder production in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study applied a descriptive survey research design. A multi-stage simple random technique was used to collect data from 220 emerging growers using a semi-structured survey. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model. The study indicated that most smallholder growers in the mentioned study area use information systems (IS) for their agricultural activities and agribusinesses and have further changed the farming landscape. Interestingly, agricultural productivity has been enhanced, as well as improved the food security status among rural households. Smallholder farmers have experienced problems in using information systems on their farms. Empirical results reveal that socio-economic factors influence the use of mass media for agricultural purposes by smallholder farmers. Therefore, the study recommends the government should embark on educational awareness and training of farmers in using information systems to enhance productivity.

Exploring the Barriers to the Adoption of Climate-Smart Irrigation Technologies for Sustainable Crop Productivity by Smallholder Farmers: Evidence from South Africa

Climate change continues to impact the livelihoods of smallholder farmers due to low adaptive capacity. In South Africa, the challenge is exacerbated by water scarcity and shortened crop-growing seasons. Climate-smart irrigation innovative technologies (CSIT) enhance smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change. However, there is still a limited level of effective adoption and usage of these technologies in smallholder communities. This study investigated the barriers affecting the adoption of CSIT in rural areas of the Vhembe and Capricorn districts in Limpopo Province, South Africa. We explored the farmers’ socioeconomic factors extracted from farmers’ perceptions of CSIT-specific attributes. A multi-stage randomized sampling technique was used to select 100 smallholder farmers (SHF). Data analyzed by descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequency distribution are presented in graphs and tables. According to the findings, insufficient communication channels, a lack of financial availability, unstable land tenure systems, and insufficient training are the main obstacles to implementing CSIT. There is a need for policy and decision-makers to improve the communication channels for disseminating agro-meteorological information to the intended beneficiaries.

Use of inorganic fertilizer on climate-smart crops improves smallholder farmers' livelihoods: Evidence from Western Kenya

The main challenges facing smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are soil fertility decline and climate change, culminating in increased food insecurity. The double effect of climate change and soil fertility decline could be devastating among the poor rural smallholder farmers, who solely depend on rain-fed agriculture with little investment in adaptive mechanisms. Using inorganic fertilizers and careful selection of climate-resilient crops such as sorghum could improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers through improved soil health and crop yields. However, information on the effects of inorganic fertilizer on sorghum production remains uncertain, especially in SSA. We evaluated the effects of inorganic fertilizers on sorghum yields among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya. We conducted a cross-sectional survey and collected data from 300 smallholder sorghum farmers. We employed a multi-stage sampling procedure to collect data from the specific smallholder farmers from the target population. We employed endogenous switching regression (ESR) modeling to control observed and unobserved bias in predicting the effects of inorganic fertilizer use on productivity. Smallholder farmers applied a limited amount of inorganic fertilizer. We established that hired labor, agricultural training, and farmers' perception of soil erosion were significant positive determinants of inorganic fertilizer use. Location and access to weather forecast information were key negative determinants of inorganic fertilizer use. The use of inorganic fertilizer increased crop yields by 14%. The findings suggested that inorganic amendments could promote food security and improve purchasing power, thus enhancing smallholder farmers' capacity to cope with declining soil fertility and climate change-related challenges. Therefore, agricultural policies targeting improved productivity of smallholder sorghum farmers could enhance inorganic fertilizer use while considering the determinants.

Unlocking credit access for farmers (Case study of dairy farmers in East Java, Indonesia)

Access to credit is crucial for the economic development and sustainability of smallholder farmers in rural areas. In the context of Malang, East Java, Indonesia, this study delves into the factors that influence smallholder farmers' access to credit. Smallholder farmers play a pivotal role in ensuring food security, agricultural, and livestock productivity in Indonesia, making it imperative to understand the determinants of their credit access. This research was conducted between July and August 2023, employing a Probit Model and descriptive statistics to analyze data collected through a survey questionnaire. A multistage random sampling technique was employed, encompassing 70 smallholder dairy farmers in Malang. Findings from the Probit Model unveiled that several factors significantly affect the decision of smallholder farmers to adopt credit access. These factors include education levels among farmers, cattle ownership, access to the internet, participation in livestock training programs, and the employment of family members. The positive influence of these factors emphasizes the importance of targeted interventions to enhance smallholder farmers' credit access. To promote the adoption of credit access among smallholder dairy farmers in Malang, collaborative efforts between stakeholders and government entities are essential. These efforts should focus on improving the availability of livestock-related training programs and enhancing internet accessibility, particularly to bolster the sustainability of the livestock sector, with a specific emphasis on dairy farming. Such measures can help uplift the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, foster agricultural growth, and contribute to overall rural development in the region.

Determinants of Milk Commercialization through Milk Collection Centres of the Smallholder Dairy Value Chain in Zimbabwe

The dairy development programme schemes in Zimbabwe form the basis for the participation of smallholder dairy milk producers in the dairy value chains. Smallholder producers participate in the semi-formal value chain (in which milk is processed at the milk collection centres and sold locally) and formal dairy value chains (in which milk delivered to milk collection centres by smallholder producers is delivered to established formal milk processors). Although the dairy development programme was formed in the early 1980s, the smallholder value chains have failed to make significant impact, with only 5% of the milk coming from the value chains. The objective of this study was to determine the main reasons for the low commercialized milk entering the smallholder dairy value chains through the milk collection centres. A sample of 185 dairy producers from four smallholder dairy schemes were randomly selected. A Tobit regression model was used to assess the main determinants of commercialization. The results indicate that access to information, distance to the MCC from the farmers’ homestead and producer price of milk paid by the MCC were the major determinants of the commercialization of the milk sold to the MCC. The main conclusions of the study are that in order to improve the role of the MCC in milk marketing, policy interventions have to be targeted and prioritized at improving market access. The MCCs play a central role in integrating smallholder farmers to value chains and markets that have potential to incentivize farmers to increase the quantities marketed through the MCCs, if favourable market and price policies are developed and implemented. Establishing sub-centre MCC within easy reach of farmers would enhance smallholder farmers’ participation and commercialization of the milk output from the smallholder dairy value chain. Keywords: dairy development programme, market, price, processors, Zimbabwe DOI: 10.7176/JESD/13-10-05 Publication date: May 31 st 2022

The Role of Agricultural Social Enterprise to Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptive Capacity to Climatic Stresses in Tanzania

This paper intended to ascertain the implications of agricultural social enterprise on the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers to climatic stresses in the Kilolo District, Tanzania. The study used a sample of 90 households. Household questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGD), and key informant interviews were used to collect primary data for this study. Secondary data were collected through a review of literature relevant to this study. The content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data, whereas quantitative data were subjected to Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) version 20 for analysis. Microsoft Excel 2007 was used to analyse rainfall and temperature data trends of the study area. Findings revealed that the agricultural social enterprise found in the study area (i.e. One Acre Fund-OAF) enhanced the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers since the services it provided to its clients positively influenced the functioning of the determinants of adaptive capacity and consequently led to the increase of average maize production per acre by 54.5%. This study concludes that agricultural social enterprises such as OAF have the potential to enhance smallholder farmers’ adaptive capacity to climatic stresses, however other stakeholders should come together to support this cause.
 Keywords Climatic stresses; Adaptive capacity; Social enterprises; Social entrepreneurship

Farmers’ adaptation to climate change and crop yield: a case of Amuru and Apac districts of Northern Uganda

ABSTRACT With increasing incidences of the negative impacts of climate change to smallholder farming, an understanding of the effects of farmers’ adaptation options to climate change on crop yield is critical in designing practical measures and policies for increasing food production and food security. This study assessed the effects of smallholder farmers climate change adaptation intensity on crop yield with focus on maize, groundnuts and beans in Apac and Amuru districts, northern Uganda. Cross-sectional survey design was employed for data collection. Data were analysed using both descriptive and econometric approaches. Results showed that the most common climate change adaptation strategies used by smallholders related to varietal adjustments including planting different crop varieties each time, drought-resistant varieties, early maturing varieties, improved seeds and changing the time of planting. Yield comparisons between adapters and non-adapters for the three major crops showed that adapters realized significantly higher yields than non-adapters for most of the climate change adaptation strategies. This study suggests that farmers who used more adaptation strategies realized higher yields than the non-adapters. Our findings call for increased efforts by stakeholders to strengthen agricultural extension services and coverage to enhance smallholder farmers capacity to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Adaptive capacity to climate change and food security among farm households in Southwest Nigeria

Smallholder farming households represent one of groups most exposed to the vagaries of climate change because their production and livelihood depend on climatic elements. This study assessed the effect of climate change adaptive capacity on smallholder farming households' food security in Oyo State, Nigeria. Data from 246 farming households were analysed using factor analysis to generate the Climate Change Adaptive Capacity Index (CCACI), Foster-Greer-Thorbecke Indices and Logit Regression. The most adopted adaptation strategies were intercropping, fallowing, fertilizer application, and crop rotation. Most of the households had moderate or high adaptive capacity to climate change. Econometric results show that farm households with low climate change adaptive capacity have a greater likelihood of being food insecure relative to farm households with moderate and high climate change adaptive capacity. These findings emphasize the need to enhance smallholder farmers' capacity to mitigate the adverse effect of climate change on national food security.

The Effects of Tunnel Technology on Crop Productivity and Livelihood of Smallholder Farmers in Nepal

Technologies-based production practices are critical for agricultural growth and sustainable development in low-income countries like Nepal. In the last few years, tunnel house has been increasingly promoted as tools to enhance smallholder farmers’ livelihood and tackle climate adversaries. However, little is known about what factor determines its adoption and whether it helps smallholders adapt to climate change and experience better livelihood. We address these gaps using the cross-sectional survey data collected from 62 adopters and 92 non-adopters in three municipalities of Bagmati Province. We employed descriptive analysis and probit model and found out that age, farm size, and ethnicity strongly influence the technology adoption amongst smallholder farmers. Additionally, treatment model and ordinary least square (OLS) regression were utilized to examine tunnel technology’s effect. Our study shows that tunnel significantly increases production by 32 tons/year/hectare and protects crops from climate change effects such as heavy rainfall and temperature change. Likewise, tunnel technology increases the net crop income by $1700/year/hectare. However, the economic benefit is not substantial compared to technology’s adoption cost as adopters incur enormous costs of $12,000/year/hectare on equipment, labor and resources. These results suggest policymakers should concentrate on reducing the technology’s cost, which could be achieved through subsidies, financial support, or price control mechanisms. Ensuring technology’s affordability can contribute to smallholder farmers’ sustainable livelihood in Nepal and countries with similar contexts.

Determinants of Rice Farmer Participation in the Direct Marketing Channel in Ghana

Enhancing smallholder farmers’ access to reliable, ready, and direct marketing channels is a prerequisite for sustainable food supply and poverty reduction in the developing countries including Ghana. However, it is a great challenge for smallholder farmers to access direct marketing channels in Ghana. This paper analyzes the factors that influence smallholder rice farmers’ participation, and the intensity of participation, in direct marketing channels using primary data from 199 farmers in three rice-growing districts in the Northern Region of Ghana. A double hurdle model was used in the empirical analysis. The study findings show that a lower percentage of farmers sold their rice output to processors (direct marketing). Farm size, the price of rice output per 85 kg bag, access to market information, and access to credit increased farmers’ participation in direct marketing channels, whereas payment period and ownership of a bicycle reduced their participation. The study concludes that improving farmers’ access to market information and credit availability would enhance participation in direct marketing channels.

Examining Farmers’ Resilience to Climate Change and Policy Ramifications in North-West Cameroon

Over half of the world’s population depends on smallholder farms for their daily food needs. However, high levels of vulnerability and low levels of resilience to the adverse effects of climatic variations and changes constitute major threats to smallholder farms and farmers. It is within this context that this paper assessed the levels of resilience of smallholder farmers as well as the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change in north western Cameroon. A mixed research approach was adopted during data collection, and data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. It was found that climate extremes were the order of the day, and farmers perceived income level, practice of agroforestry and land accessibility as the main determinants of resilience. The main resilience option practiced by most smallholder farmers was agroforestry. Chi-square and t-test statistics showed the existence of a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between smallholder farmers resilience to climate change and different environmental, institutional and socio-economic variables. Logistic regression coefficients showed the existence of a statistically significant cause-effect relationship (p<0.05) between farmers’ resilience to climate change and different environmental, institutional and socio-economic variables such as income level, land accessibility, credit accessibility, information accessibility and number of farms. From the foregoing, income level, land accessibility, credit accessibility, information accessibility and number of farms play a significant role towards enhancing smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change. Policy makers therefore need to factor in these variables when crafting policies geared towards improving smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change.

Commercialization level and determinants of market participation of smallholder wheat farmers in northern Ethiopia

Wheat market participation improves the income and economic growth of many smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Despite this, smallholder farmers are not enough to participate in the wheat market so that commercialization level is very low due to different factors. This study, therefore, identified the determinants of market participation of smallholder wheat farmers and measured its commercialization level in Northern Ethiopia. The data were collected from 190 randomly selected sample households using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and the double hurdle model were used to analyze the collected data. The descriptive result revealed that the average commercialization level of the sample wheat farmers was 10.26%. The model result showed that the age, educational level, current selling price, wheat market experience, access to market/information, off/none farm income, family size, market orientation, distance to all weather roads and land size allocated for wheat significantly affected the smallholder wheat farmers’ market participation. Therefore, a policy on improving market access (by improving market infrastructure, marketing facilities, and encouraging contract farming), farmers’ awareness on market (by farmers’ training), and productivity of land (using the best agronomic practice and improved technology) should be designed to enhance smallholder farmers’ commercialization level.