Farmer Associations Research Articles

Peran Kepemimpinan dalam Keberhasilan Pengembangan Paguyuban Petani Al Barokah di Desa Ketapang Kecamatan Susukan Kabupaten Semarang Jawa Tengah

Leadership is a behavior in the process of social control that can affect the lives of other people and power in influencing the behavior of others to direct the achievement of specific goals (Mustapa & Maryadi, 2017). The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of leadership and leadership style in the development of the Al Barokah Farmers Association. The study was conducted from February to July 2022 in the Al Barokah Farmers Association, located in Ketapang Village, Susukan District, Semarang Regency, Central Java. The research showed using qualitative methods with descriptive data. The unit of analysis in this study is the executive board of the Al Barokah Farmers Association. Meanwhile, the team of observation in this study includes the leadership role of the chief executive of the Al Barokah Farmers Association based on Henry Mintzberg's theory and leadership style based on the Path-Goal leadership theory. Data collection techniques by observation, documentation, and interviews. Data analysis techniques include 1) data reduction, 2) data presentation, and 3) drawing conclusions and verification. The results of the study show that the leadership role carried out by the chief executive is seen from attending a meeting or formal event as a representative of the community, the direction from the chief executive to make programs based on the needs of members, playing a role in determining even dominant in recommending appropriate relationships with Al Barokah's vision and mission, holding an RAT (Annual Membership Meeting) led by the executive chairman, together with the association to resolve hoax issues that occurred, from an agreement of the executive chairman as a representative of the association with the director of BNI and the Ministry of Cooperatives regarding the cooperation of KUR with BNI and the launch digital cooperative in Al Barokah, the establishment of an agreement on the buying and selling process between the chief executive and the buyer from the Netherlands, the control of organic farming activities of farmer members through the ICS (Internal Control System) under the auspices of the chief executive, from the direction of the chief executive to allocate human resources for the children of farmers to assist in the digitization of agriculture in Al Barokah, and how to select the assistance that enters the community by holding a meeting chaired by the chief executive. Meanwhile, the leadership style that occurs in the Al Barokah Farmers Association is supportive and participatory.

Experiences and Perceived Outcomes of Low-Income Adults During and After Participating in the British Columbia Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

The British Columbia Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program (FMNCP) is a farmers' market food subsidy program that provides low-income households with coupons valued at $21/wk for 16 weeks to purchase healthy foods at participating BC Association of Farmers' Markets members' markets. This study aimed to explore changes, differences, and similarities in participants' experiences and perceived short-term outcomes during and after participating in the FMNCP. A longitudinal qualitative research approach was used to conduct a recurrent cross-sectional analysis. Data generation and analysis were guided by Freedman etal's theoretical framework of nutritious food access. Data generation occurred during 2019 FMNCP program (time 1) and 4 to 7 weeks after (time 2) the program year ended. Data at each time point were analyzed separately using directed content analysis, followed by a comparative analysis to identify changes, differences, and similarities between time points. Twenty-eight adult participants were interviewed during the program; 24 were re-interviewed post program. Three communities in British Columbia, Canada. Three themes were generated: temporary relief and engagement; lasting experiences and outcomes; enhancing participant experiences and outcomes. The first theme related to how participants' experiences and perceived outcomes, such as increased financial support and improved diet quality and health, were temporary. The second theme reflected positive lasting experiences and outcomes from participating in the FMNCP, including increased food and nutrition knowledge and enhanced social ties. The third theme focused on enhancing participants' program experiences and outcomes, including increasing the duration of food subsidies. The FMNCP temporarily enhanced access to nutritious foods and had lasting positive effects on participants' nutrition-related knowledge and social outcomes. Nevertheless, participants struggled to maintain healthy eating practices post program due to financial constraints. Expanding farmers' market subsidy programs may improve access to nutritious foods; maintain positive dietary, social, and health outcomes for participants; and reach more low-income households.

Developing local food with taro cultivation in Tempursari Village, Candimulyo, Magelang

Local food is created and developed in accordance with the potential, resources, and local culture of the area. As a result, the type, quantity, and quality of local food products will vary depending on the regional conditions. Tempursari Village has a fairly high diversity of food where 8 types of taro grow there. The taro cultivation activity was attended by 20 members of the Mekar Sari Farmers Association. The implementation stages include village potential surveys, discussions with farmer groups, cultivation training, plant maintenance, monitoring and evaluation. The results of these activities are able to increase land productivity so as to provide an alternative in improving the economy of farmer groups as a way of diversifying food by optimally utilizing land resources which provides a positive value for farmer income.

Pengabdian Masyarakat melalui Teknologi Osama Biobased Economy untuk Budidaya Cabai di Desa Sukasari Kabupaten Tasikmalaya

Chili is one of the important food ingredients. The lack of public knowledge about chili cultivation techniques and good land optimization makes people's interest to grow chili less. In addition, household organic waste management in Tasikmalaya, especially in Sukasari Village, has not been optimal. The objectives of this service activity are 1) To provide knowledge and skills about chili cultivation techniques; 2) Utilization of household organic waste through the technology of processing household organic waste into organic fertilizer that can have economic value (Osama biobased economy); and 3) Educate the public regarding the optimization of yard land. The partners in this activity are the Jaya Mukti Farmers Association and Mukti Farmers Group which are located in adjacent areas with a total of 32 people using a random sampling technique because the sample is homogeneous. The activities carried out were in the form of socialization, demonstration, and practicum on household organic waste processing technology (Osama), chili cultivation techniques and optimization of yard land, as well as distribution of seeds and fertilizers to the community. The data collection technique in this activity uses a questionnaire. The results of this service activity indicate that there is an increase in community knowledge and skills in chili cultivation and the use of household organic waste and home yards.

THE STUDY OF ISLAMICS ACCOUNTING ON AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS CONTRACT IN MADURA

This research aims to find out the characteristic of Madurese farmers in making an economic contract on the agricultural sector by using the Islamic accounting approach. The present research was applied by using qualitative research. The results of this study are some economics contract find out between some parties to solve the farmers' problem in working capital or another necessary to plant the tobacco as (a) Qardh in order to fulfill the short-term necessary of fund of members of farmer association, (b) ijarah can be reached by the farmers by rent the resources in the form of land, (c) musyarakah can be applied by investing all of their resources in tobacco farmerry as land, water, and and fund (d) muzara'ah can be applied by farmer as operator with land owner, and (e) salam can be applied in merchandise system of tobacco. All of the potential activity can be applied by using islamic contract approach, although all of them are not perfectly proper to Islamic accounting standards in Indonesia.

Environmental and Energy Analysis of Two Orchard Systems: A Case Study in Mediterranean Environment

This paper aimed to analyse and compare the environmental and energy sustainability of two orchards (peach versus kiwifruit) located in Southern Italy using Life Cycle Thinking. To this end, anthropogenic energy, CO2 emissions, biogenic energy and carbon gains were also considered through Life Cycle Assessment methodology and Energy Analysis. The C–CO2 balance was calculated as the difference between total C–CO2 stored in soil and trees, at the end of their life cycles, and orchards Carbon Footprint (CF). The results showed that the production of 1 kg of peaches caused minor impacts, especially with reference to CF (0.124 kg CO2 eq against 0.145 for kiwifruit), while it required 1.56 MJ of energy against 1.32 MJ for kiwifruit. In both orchards the main sources of direct CO2 emissions came from fuel combustion, nitrous oxide release by crop residue decomposition, and nitrogenous fertilizer distribution. Nevertheless, both orchards had sustainable environmental and energy results. Despite the management of the orchards releasing CO2 and consuming energy, they showed a significant capacity to store CO2 and energy, proving to be virtuous systems. This research can give useful indications for farmers, farmer associations, technicians, and stakeholders to improve orchard management efficiency. The net balance approach seems to be an adequate strategy, allowing best estimation of environmental impacts and guiding farmer decisions towards more sustainable alternatives.

Application of Soft System Methodology for Modelling Institutional Strengthening of Salt Farmers

Salt farmers (smallholders) are the main actors in the production cycle of the national salt supply chain. However, they still face various problems regarding production technology, productivity, quality, market prices, product absorption by industry, access to capital, and incentives. Strengthening their institutional capacity requires collaboration and support from the government and other actors along the supply chain. This study aims to develop a model of institutional strengthening of salt farmers by applying a soft systems methodology. The institutional strengthening model was developed in three forms, i.e., the establishment of a salt farming corporation, the formation of cooperatives, and the revitalization of the salt farmer association. Various individual actors are involved, assessed, and then integrated into this model. The suggested strengthening model involves cooperatives and/or BUMDes (village-owned enterprises), farmer groups, and processing factories supported by government and financial institutions with partnership programs.

Adoption Level Association of Farmers regarding Recommended Tomato Production Practices in Haryana

The vegetable sector plays a vital role in farm income enhancement and alleviation of poverty in many developing countries, whereas tomato is one of the vegetable crops that has a high demand throughout the world. The annual production of fresh tomatoes accounts to approximately 180 million tonnes. Thus, the present study was carried out in four districts viz., Nuh Sonipat, Gururgram and Palwal of Haryana state, so as to know the adoption level of farmers. Primary data on tomato growers was collected by applying purposive and systematic random sampling procedures for the selection of districts and respondents. The investigation was focused on the adoption level of the farmers regarding improved production practices of tomato. Results from the present study reveals that majority (55.63%) of the respondents were having medium level of economic motivation followed by high economic motivation. Results also revealed that out of 13 variables selected to study the relationship, six variables, viz., education, mass media exposure, economic motivation, innovativeness and experience showed positive and age showed negative correlation at 5 per cent level of probability. Whereas, multiple regression analysis between selected independent variables and adoption level of the respondents inferred that, all the eleven variables together contributed 51.20 per cent variation in the adoption level of the farmers about production technology/practices of tomato cultivation.

Understanding Farmer Perception and Impact of Seasonal Climate Event on Rice Farming in Indonesia: Implication for Adaptation Policy in Local Level

The study aimed to understand how farmers perceive seasonal climate events (SCE) and assess the impact on farming and how farmers’ attitudes and efforts to adapt in dealing with SCE. This study was conducted in Kuantan Singingi Regency, Riau Province, Indonesia, in August - December 2020. Total of 297 farmers was selected purposively to be interviewed. Descriptive statistics analysis was used to analyze socio-demographics, farm characteristics, the impact of SCE on rice production, and farmers’ responses in adapting to SCE as an effect of climate change. Friedman’s test was used to analyzed the importance of climate over other non-climate-related stressors. Ordinal regression analysis was performed for the determination of possible association of farmers’ socio-demographics and farm characteristics to the perceived extent of SCE impact. Flood was the climatic factor that most often caused rice production failure. Farming experience, education, gender, farm size, cultivation period, rice varieties, land management, fertilization, rice field type, and farming purpose have a significant effect on farmers' perceptions of SCE impact. Adjusting the planting season, the use of chemical fertilizers, and controlling pests and diseases were the most dominant responses by farmers in dealing with SCE. Implications: The availability of weather information must be done massively, induction of flood-tolerant varieties needs to be carried out, female farmers with higher education and long experience in farming can be used as cadres as extension officers to farmer groups, planting twice a year was an option to increase rice production, the number of farmers get assistance from extension officers could be increased.

Effects of Agricultural Extension Services on Leaf Vegetables Farmers Use of Agro-Chemicals in Imo State, Nigeria

This study was designed to analyze the effects of agricultural extension services on leaf vegetables farmers’ use of agro-chemicals in Imo State, Nigeria. The study described socioeconomic characteristics of leaf vegetables farmers that use agro-chemicals, ascertained the role of extension services on use of agro-chemicals by leaf vegetable farmers, ascertained the sources of information on the use of agro-chemicals among leaf vegetable farmers, determined the influence of extension services on agro-chemicals use by leaf vegetable farmers and determined the extension variables influencing use of agro-chemicals by leaf vegetables farmers. Data were collected in 2021 with structured and validated questionnaire from 128 proportionately and randomly selected leaf vegetables farmers that use agro-chemicals in Imo State. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency distribution and percentages as well as econometric tools of bivariate and logit regression models. Major roles of extension services in farmers’ use of agro-chemicals for leaf vegetables production were acting as catalyst to speed up adoption rate, technology transfer and source of information. The major sources of information to the leaf vegetables farmers on agro-chemicals use were fellow farmers association and traders on vegetables. Extension services positively and significantly influenced leaf vegetables farmers’ use of agro-chemicals. The agricultural extension variables influencing use of agro-chemicals by leaf vegetables farmers were availability of certain communication media, extension agents familiarity, relevance of subject matter, size of extension staff, size of audience, frequency of use of familiar teaching methods, farmers’ satisfaction with extension information, perceived usefulness of extension information, perceived quality of extension staff and relative cost of the extension teaching methods. There is need for extension services to intensify efforts at visiting and training leaf vegetable farmers on the appropriate application techniques of agro-chemicals to their vegetables to minimize the hazardous effects of the agro-chemicals on farmers’ health and the environment and consequently increase productivity and farm income.
 Keywords: Extension services, leaf vegetables, farmers, agro-chemicals, Imo State.

Rice land sustainability and agricultural financing through waqf

Purpose – This paper aims to formulate a waqf of rice field model combined with the mitigating risk associated with maintaining the agricultural land due to the conversion issue.Methodology – This study used a qualitative method with a library approach by adopting a qualitative content analysis which strengthens primary data collection through in-depth interviews with experts consisting of regulators, practitioners, and academics in the fields of waqf and agricultureFindings – The results showed that the strategy to implement the waqf of rice fields could be pursued by an internal strategy, namely optimizing and revitalizing waqf land. That had been pledged as a means of production and an external strategy through the acquisition of potential paddy fields for waqf and managed by nazhir. In implementing the proposed model, some institutional engineering is needed, namely by presenting the role of anchor companies as managers, farmer associations of driving actors, and off-takers who buy crops. It can mitigate the risk of reduced cash waqf principal and farmer financing through a holistic feasibility study, involvement of insurance/guarantor, reserving capital funds, restructured financing, blended finance schemes, and institutional strengthening.Implications – This model expects to answer the sustainability problem of agricultural land, be a catalyst for increasing production quantity, and solve the financing issue for farmers.Originality – This preliminary study integrated the agricultural issues with the concept of waqf and Islamic instruments strengthened by literature review and expert judgment, followed by formulating the proposed model's strategies, models, and risk mitigation.

Agribusiness and environmental conservation in tropical forests in the eastern Amazon

Agribusiness in tropical forests could provide incentives that generate employment and income through public and/or private investments capable of reducing carbon emissions and encouraging the efficient use of natural resources through environmentally sustainable management. The objective of this study was to analyze the agribusiness practices adopted by cooperatives and associations of farmers in Pará state (Eastern Amazon, Brazil) and the importance they attribute to environmental conservation. The methodology consisted of remotely conducting interviews based on a questionnaire with farmer cooperatives and associations. We found that the main products produced by the cooperatives and associations were fruits and their derivatives. In addition, we identified a significant positive relationship between the operation duration of a cooperative or association and the number of products they produced. Regarding the challenges faced by cooperatives, legal challenges were most notable, while the challenges faced by associations were related to environmental issues. Notably, associations and cooperatives showed low agreement considering the importance of each conservation practices analyzed. The results also suggested that the current subsidies granted to cooperatives and associations have nonsignificant impacts on the intensity of their adoption of environmental conservation practices, implying that monetary incentives are effective only with cooperatives/associations that have weaker attitudes toward the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Agricultural policy should consider both economic support and effective and continuous programs focusing on the sustainable use of natural resources.

Michigan’s Swamplands and Michigan Agricultural College: Paul M. Harmer’s Career and Legacy in Muck Soils Research on the Corey Marsh

Michigan’s Swamplands and Michigan Agricultural College: Paul M. Harmer’s Career and Legacy in Muck Soils Research on the Corey Marsh David E. Wright (bio), Patricia E. Norris (bio), and Jennifer C. Owen (bio) In January 1945, the Michigan State College Record ran an article, “Muck Yields Wealth,” about the Michigan State College (MSC) Muck Soils Research Farm on the Corey Marsh, located in Bath Township, twelve miles northeast of Lansing. Ten years earlier, the article claimed, the 200-acre plot had been “considered virtually worthless,” but by 1945, it was “worth millions of dollars to Michigan’s muck land farmers in the wealth of experimental findings it is spawning.”1 The Muck Soils Research Farm was located on a parcel that was part of the swampland acreage transferred to Michigan ownership by the federal government through the Swamp and Overflowed Lands Act of 1850, which was later given to Michigan’s fledgling agricultural college. At the time of its passage, proponents of the 1850 law echoed the view that “worthless” swampland might be redeemed through drainage and reclamation. According to the Congressional Globe, “the passage of this bill and the donation of these scraps of land, injurious as they exist to the States, and utterly valueless to this Government, is but the beginning of the work of reclamation; the State Legislatures must follow, appropriate money, and redeem them from the water—and the sooner the better for the health of the people and the prosperity of the country.”2 The benefits of draining swamplands were further described in a 1907 federal bulletin that provided an inventory of swamplands deeded to the states and a description of the feasibility of reclaiming the lands for productive use. [End Page 91] Swamplands, when drained, are extremely fertile, requiring but little commercial fertilizer, and yield abundant crops. They are adapted to the growth of a wide range of products and in most instances are convenient to good markets. While an income of $15 to $20 per acre in the grain-producing States of the Middle West is considered profitable, much of the swamp lands in the East and South would, if cultivated in cabbage, onions, celery, tomatoes, and other vegetables, yield a net income of more than $100 per acre. In addition to the immediate benefits that accrue from the increased productiveness of these lands, a greater and more lasting benefit would follow their reclamation. The taxable value of the Commonwealth would be permanently increased, the healthfulness of the community would be improved, mosquitoes and malaria would be banished, and the construction of good roads made possible. Factories, churches, and schools would open up, and instead of active young farmers from the Mississippi Valley emigrating to Canada to seek cheap lands they could find better homes within our own borders.3 The land on which the MSC Muck Soils Research Farm was located was unused by the college until Michigan’s Muck Farmers Association pressed MSC to expand agricultural research on muck soils. The college responded by creating the Muck Soils Research Farm in 1941. Paul M. Harmer, MSC muck soils specialist, was the first director of the farm. By 1945, the Record reported the muck farm was producing “1,000 bushels an acre in onions, and fantastic yields of mint, spinach, lettuce, dill, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, and other crops. Experimental findings by Dr. Harmer have enabled the state’s muck farmers to convert many acres of mediocre land into high producing soil.”4 In 2012, Michigan State University (MSU)—formerly MSC— closed the Muck Soils Research Farm because of financial and hydrological challenges that made continuing research there problematic. The land—the only state land grant to MSU that has remained in continuous ownership of the university—is now the MSU Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center (CMERC). Changing social views about the value of swamplands in their natural state are reflected in plans for CMERC. As the vision for the CMERC evolves, exploring the history of the land and its use figures prominently into plans for ecological restoration [End Page 92] on the site; studying that history has uncovered the legacies of Paul Harmer, his Department of Soil Science at MSU...

Rural access roads and the quest for agricultural development: an appraisal of the conditions in south-east in nigeria

This study examined the quest for agricultural development in Nigeria vis-à-vis the conditions of rural access roads in South-east Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the impact of the condition of the three types of rural access roads, namely, bush-paths, gravel-surfaced roads, and tarred roads on the quantity of food crops produced by smallholder farmers, their income levels, and contribution to agricultural GDP. The study adopted the quantitative research method and cross-sectional survey design. The questionnaire was validated and pre-tested. The reliability test performed on the questionnaire showed a Cronbach’s Alpha Index of 0.823. Five (5) sample units comprising five chapters of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States were used to select 328 stratified random respondents. Descriptive statistics consisting of frequency counts, and percentages were used in analyzing the data. Three hypotheses were put forward for test using Simple Linear Regression and ANOVA. The findings show that bush-paths as rural access roads did not significantly increase the quantity of food crops produced by rural farmers, that gravel-surfaced roads as rural roads never increased the income level of rural farmers; and that tarred roads as rural access roads did not contribute significantly to total agricultural GDP. The study recommends that government and other major stakeholders like international agencies and other development partners should prioritize and embark on massive rural road construction and regular maintenance.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK OF RICE FERTILISER SUBSIDY MANAGEMENT TO ATTAIN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: MALAYSIA’S PERSPECTIVE

This study identifies the regulations concerning fertilisers produced for the development of paddy and the rice industry. It looks into the issue of mismanagement of the government’s fertiliser subsidy scheme from the legal perspective. It also focuses on the roles played by manufacturers, distributors, sellers, service providers and farmers when dealing with fertiliser, and whether such dealings are parallel to the law. The mismanagement of the rice fertiliser subsidy puts the country’s financial security at risk and preventing farmers from successfully achieving food sovereignty through the increase in productivity of rice yields as well as increase in income for paddy farmers’ survival. There are several regulations governing fertiliser subsidy and its management such as the Control of Paddy and Rice Act 1994, Plant Quarantine Act 1976, Pesticide Act 1974, Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 and Environmental Quality Act 1974. However, most mismanagement cases involve big commercial farms, which are associated with the fertiliser industry rather than the subsidy for fertiliser in the government rice sector. The cases involved graft, fraud, bribery and smuggling of fertiliser. This paper also reviews the roles of Farmers Association and Farmers Board in regulating fertiliser subsidy.

The Legal Position of Notary Deed in Establishing Water-Using Farmers' Associations

The role of the Notary in the process of establishing the Association, among others, is to make a deed of Establishment of the Association and register it with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights if it is desired that the association is a legal entity. The existence of an authentic deed made by a notary is used to protect and guarantee the rights and obligations of the parties to the agreement. A normative juridical approach is used in this study, and is carried out by examining existing library materials. The results of this study are the legal position of a notary deed in the establishment of a water user farmer association in Semarang district is recognized by regulations, namely according to Act No. 16 of 2017 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Act No. 2 of 2017 concerning Amendments to Act No. 17 of 2013 concerning Social Organizations. The legal consequences that arise from the establishment of a notarized association of farmers using water will result in legal certainty for farmers in improving irrigation management independently, efficiently, and effectively.

Coastal livelihood resilience to abrupt environmental change: the role of social capital in a Peruvian bay

Abrupt environmental change, such as sudden shifts in temperature or salinity, can severely alter the functioning of marine ecosystems and cause dramatic impacts on the associated social systems. Resource users, who rely on ecosystem services provided by the ocean, are particularly vulnerable to such drastic events. Functioning social relationships (social capital) have recently been suggested as a key driver for recovery after disaster. Here, we study how small-scale fishers who conduct sea-ranching of the Peruvian bay scallop Argopecten purpuratus in Northern Peru dealt with the literal wipe-out of their target resources caused by the Coastal El Niño (CEN) of 2017 that heavily impacted the entire region. Adopting an ego-network approach complemented by qualitative information from expert interviews, we investigated how resource users drew on their social networks to cope with the disaster. Results suggested a significant positive correlation between more desirable post-disaster trajectories and the number of helpful social links of scallop farmer associations. Disentangling the temporal aspect of this pattern, we found that social capital established before the disaster was driving this correlation. Importantly, both economic and non-economic links were contributing to the observed patterns. This study emphasizes the importance of social capital for dealing with the effects of disasters following natural events. Having extensive social networks increases the capacity to mobilize resources and information when needed and is associated with more efficient recovery after abrupt environmental change. Mechanisms to foster and enhance social capital are key for preventive management actions aiming to build resilience within vulnerable communities facing accelerating global change.

Assessment of Factors that Affect Market Orientation of Cassava Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria

The study examined market orientation and market information sources for cassava farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select one hundred and twenty (120) respondents. With the use of structured questionnaire, data were collected on socioeconomic characteristics, sources of market information, specific market information available to cassava farmers, market orientation and entrepreneurial competence. Descriptive statistical tools (frequency counts, percentages, mean) and inferential statistical tool [Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC)] were used for data analysis. Results revealed that majority (73.3%) were male with mean age of 46.48 years, and 73.3% had formal education. Most (62.5%) of the farmers had high market orientation and most sought information was on post-harvest technologies. However, the cassava farmers used less of marketing websites (17.5%), extension services (27.5%), email (29.2) and social media (35.8%) as sources of market information, and sought less of agricultural extension service information (34.2%). The study concluded that selected socio-economic characteristics and entrepreneurial competences were insignificant toward market orientation in cassava production. The study recommended that market orientation efforts should be geared toward cassava producers regardless of socio-economic status and entrepreneurial competence. Also, cassava farmers association should be willing to collaborate with extension services to build Market Information System that will be suitable to fill their specific needs at becoming market-oriented in cassava production.

Untangling the role of social relationships for overcoming challenges in local food systems: a case study of farmers in Québec, Canada.

Advocates for re-localizing food systems often encourage consumers to support local farmers and strengthen local food economies. Yet, local food systems hinge not only on consumers’ willingness to buy local food but also on whether farmers have the social support networks to address diverse challenges during food production and distribution. This study characterizes the challenges and support systems of farmers selling to local markets in Québec, Canada, across multiple growing seasons using a mixed-methods research design. We sent an online questionnaire to 1046 farmers and conducted follow-up interviews with 15 of the 133 respondents. Our findings show that farmers relied on an average of four support actor groups, particularly employees, customers, and other farmers. Actors played distinct roles in terms of the importance, frequency, and formality of interactions, providing immediate and long-term support through formal and informal relationships across multiple spatial scales (farm, local community, and regional/international). Our thematic analysis showed that support actors helped farmers in four key domains: (1) Knowledge sharing and emotional support; (2) Labour and workforce; (3) Material and financial aid; and (4) Consumer education and business promotion. Farmer associations provided resources to tackle various challenges, acting as bridges across multiple support actor groups. Yet, our results suggest that political desires to encourage local food systems are in some cases poorly matched with resources to address specific types of challenges farmers face. Specifically, overlooking the role of diverse social support actors in helping farmers build food production and distribution capacity could undermine efforts to foster localization.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10460-022-10343-0.

Drivers of adoption intensity of pond aquaculture: The case of Ghana

Ponds contribute just about 7% to Ghana’s total aquaculture production. This is partly attributable to low rate of adoption, small holdings and low adoption intensity. Thus, this study generates empirical data on determinants of pond aquaculture adoption intensity among farmers in the study area. A total of 356 respondents were selected from five regions of Ghana using multi-stage sampling. A Two-Stage Heckman regression revealed that adoption and intensity of adoption are positively influenced by gender, extension service, membership of farmer-based group, knowledge of pond aquaculture, fish price and freehold land while the transition ecological zone of Ghana showed a negative relationship with both adoption and intensity (farm size). A Poisson regression showed that adoption intensity (by number of management innovations) is significantly and positively influenced by education, income, extension service, membership of a farmer group, labour and total pond area but negatively correlated with household size and distance from farm to nearest commercial town. The average adoption level of management innovations is 50% with water quality management innovations being the least adopted. We recommend policy interventions to facilitate: increased extension contacts (especially in the transition zone of Ghana); promotion of pond farmers associations; adoption of more management innovations; institutional support in the areas of awareness, capacity building, financing (e.g. “smart subsidies”), and easy access to suitable land and inputs to accelerate the participation of more women and the youth in pond aquaculture.