Farmer's Choice Research Articles

Reflections on Social Justice in the Promotion of Biotechnology Crops and Institutionalisation of Food Values among Smallholder Farmers in Central Uganda

The academic discourse of agricultural biotechnology carries a lot of information on how biotechnology crops are crucial in realizing food security once they are fully adopted by farmers. Biotechnology crops are seen as the solution to ameliorate the Malthusian catastrophe of population increase threatening food security. While studies on agricultural biotechnology are increasing, they mainly focus on how the new agriculture science produces crops with desirable traits in supporting food production interventions. Few studies have concerned themselves with the social justice implications among smallholder farmers, posed by institutionalised agricultural biotechnology knowledge with its sophistication. This paper addresses itself to the above lacuna. The data collection used an embedded mixed method design with focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and questionnaire survey methods. The paper shows that mechanisms that are used to promote biotechnology crops are highly institutionalized. The institutions not only develop the biotechnology crops but also engage in mechanisms that encourage smallholder farmers to adopt these crops. The major social justice concerns addressed by this study are plant diversity, equity and commercialization of biotechnology-generated seeds/crops, participation, and farming choices

Machine learning and analytic hierarchy process integration for selecting a sustainable tractor.

Selecting the appropriate tractor for small-scale farms is a complex process due to the multitude of technical, environmental, and economic criteria that must be evaluated. This study addresses this challenge by integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with machine learning (ML) to reduce the number of criteria and simplify the decision-making process. The research aims to determine the most relevant criteria aligned with sustainable development goals for selecting the right tractor, focusing on small farms in the Egyptian Delta. Four tractors, with horsepower ranging from 55 to 95, were evaluated based on inputs from forty-two governmental service providers in the study area. Initially, nine criteria were identified, encompassing key technical, environmental, and economic factors. These criteria were reduced to three-price, power, and maintenance costs by weights 0.142, 0.334, and 0.525, respectively-using Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering with Euclidean distance. This reduction streamlined the selection process, making it more practical for farmers. Results show that the second tractor (T2), with a priority score of 0.326 and a normalized value of 33.4%, emerged as the optimal choice for small-scale farmers, outperforming the first tractor (T1) (28.7%) and third tractor (T3) (21%). Integrating AHP and ML simplifies tractor selection, ensuring sustainability, cost-efficiency, and operational effectiveness.

The dynamics of organic farming conversion in groundwater management

Abstract This article analyses the endogenous choice of farmers to be organic or conventional in a groundwater evolutionary model when a tax on fertiliser on conventional farmers is implemented by a regulatory agency. The analysis of the model shows that the coexistence of both type of farmers only occurs when the decrease in productivity due to organic production is relatively low and the price premium for organic products is relatively high. However, even if conversion is welfare improving, our results show that this conversion may be done at the expense of the water resource with a lower water table. An application to the Western la Mancha aquifer (Spain) illustrates the main results.

Disaster risk reduction measures and farmers choices: a discrete choice experiment in Uganda

ABSTRACT Climate change induces high and erratic rainfall which triggers landslides and floods. With the increasing population and food needs, households in mountainous, densely populated areas turn fragile ecosystems into farms. This exacerbates landslide and flood risks requiring Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures. Tree planting and diversion channels are among the recommended measures for farmers but their adoption remains low. Current studies assessing barriers to adoption ignore farmers’ opinions regarding the kind of trees or diversion channels preferred. We apply a Discrete Choice Experiment to evaluate how information delivered through videos impacts preferences for the DRR measures. Plot-level data were collected from 319 farmers from Kasese, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi and Buhweju in Uganda – districts prone to landslides and floods. The mixed logit model reveals a general preference for risk-reducing attributes of DRR measures. Using the conditional logit model to analyze split samples reveals that information influences preferences for tree planting, while preferences for diversion channels were hardly changed. Plot characteristics did not strongly explain the differences in preferences. Our study indicates that information specific to DRR measures in extension programmes would increase the adoption of such measures.

Research on the recycling decision of WEEE in rural China under dual supervision

Against the backdrop of promoting green, low-carbon, and high-quality development, this paper aims to promote efficient recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in rural China. In this paper, considering the integrated development of urban and rural areas and the standardization of industrial recycling system, under the joint action of the extension of producer responsibility and “dual regulation” of supply and marketing cooperatives, the evolutionary game model and system dynamics model of three-level recycling network of farmers, supply and marketing cooperatives and retailers are established. The mechanism of the participants to promote the recycling of WEEE in rural areas is discussed and the strategic choices and interactive relationships of various entities in the evolutionary process were used to analyze through the evolutionary game method. Meanwhile, using the theory of system dynamics, the main influencing factors of different evolution stages and the dynamic change process of the system are analyzed. The results show that: (1) supply and marketing cooperatives, retailers, and farmers can initially tend to participate in and supervise the recycling of WEEE; however, (2) they can finally achieve strong supervision, actively undertake and participate in the recycling and stabilization stable strategy of rural WEEE depends on their benefits and cost of expenditure expenditures are reasonable. (3) The strategic choice of supply and marketing cooperatives has the most significant impact on the strategic choice of retailers and the strategic choice of retailers has the most significant impact on the strategic choice of farmers.

Gene expression changes in Maconellicoccus hirsutus in response to sublethal dose of Buprofezin

The pink or hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus, is a serious pest of grapes, jute, and mesta, causing severe yield losses in India and other countries. Chemical control remains the foremost choice for farmers to manage this pest. As insecticides break down over time due to biotic and abiotic factors, insects are exposed to varying levels of these exogenous compounds. Several studies have reported that sublethal doses affect insect physiology, but only a few have examined the changes in gene expression at the molecular level. Therefore, studies were conducted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms in M. hirsutus exposed to sublethal doses of buprofezin 25 SC. Life table analysis revealed increased fecundity in M. hirsutus exposed to the sublethal dose. A total of 1,744 differentially expressed genes were identified between the buprofezin-treated and untreated samples using transcriptome analysis. These genes were primarily associated with ribosomal proteins, proteases, cuticular proteins, and cytoskeletal structures. Ribosomes and phagosomes were the most highly enriched pathways. Interestingly, most of the DEGs were involved in restoring homeostasis rather than detoxification. To validate our RNA-sequencing results, qRT-PCR validation was performed on ten randomly selected genes. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into intermittent changes in stress-coping genes, apart from detoxification genes.

Analisis Faktor-Faktor Yang Memengaruhi Keputusan Pembelian Pupuk Anorganik (Kasus : Desa Srimulyo Dan Sukodono, Kecamatan Dampit)

Inorganic fertilizers are currently still widely used and are the main choice for farmers because they can increase crop productivity. Companies need to pay attention to consumer orientation, which is related to how to find the target market, needs and convince consumers to make a purchase. This study aims to analyze the influence of brand image, price, review, ecology, and credibility on the decision to purchase inorganic fertilizers by coffee farmers. The locations taken are Srimulyo and Sukodono villages, Dampit District, considering that the village is the largest coffee-producing village in Malang. Purposive sampling was used for sampling as many as 35 coffee farmers with the provision of using and purchasing inorganic fertilizers. The data used in the study is primary data collected through surveys with observations, interviews, questionnaires and documentation. The research uses SEM (Structural Equation Modelling) data analysis with the PLS (Partial Least Square) approach, and conducts data analysis with the help of SmartPLS 4.0 software. The results of the analysis of respondent characteristics showed that most coffee farmers were dominated by men and the level of education of farmers varied from elementary to bachelor's degree. Most of the respondents' farming experience was from 1 to 50 years with a maximum land area of 2 ha. Testing the inner model obtained a determination coefficient (R-Square) of 60.1% brand image, price, reviews, ecology, and credibility were able to explain the influence on the decision to purchase inorganic fertilizers by farmers. The results of bootstrapping data showed that brand image and ecological had a significant negative effect and reviews had a significant positive effect on the decision to purchase inorganic fertilizers. Factors that do not affect the decision to buy inorganic fertilizers are price and credibility

MULTIVARIATE PROBIT MODELING OF CLIMATE-SMART ADAPTATION CHOICES AMONG FARMERS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: GHANAIAN STUDY OF COCOA FARMERS

Climate change and variability pose significant challenges to cocoa production in many sub-Saharan African countries, and Ghana is no exception. Therefore, knowledge of how farmers react to climate change and its variability effects is crucial in developing policies and programs to guide the design and implementation of effective climate-smart adaptation strategies at the farm level in Africa. This study aims to examine climate-smart adaptation choices cocoa farmers make as coping strategies for climate change and variability in Ghana using a multivariate probit modeling approach. Following a multistage sampling procedure, primary data was collected from 720 cocoa farmers across the major cocoa-growing regions in Ghana. The study found major adaptation choices for cocoa farmers to include improved and resistant varieties, optimal fertilizer application, optimal pesticide application, adjusting planting/harvesting dates, shade tree management, crop diversification, non-crop diversification, and off-farm economic diversification. We further observed that farmers’ adaptation choices were significantly influenced by climate change and adaptation-related variables such as rainfall variability index, temperature variability index, climate change impact perception index, and CSA awareness as well as agroclimatic zone effects. Concerning the influence of farmer and farm-specific variables, the study identifies that sex, age, education, farm size, quality of extension services delivery, access to credit, and membership in farmer groups were significant predictors of farmers’ CSA decision choices. This study offers beneficial insights for policymakers and stakeholders on how to promote climate-smart adaptation methods among cocoa farmers in Ghana.

Socio-economic analysis of oil palm farmers in Kuantan Singingi District, Riau

Abstract Oil Palm is one of the most important sources of vegetable oil today. It has become more critical when utilised as a renewable energy source. These advantages make it a commodity of choice for both farmers and corporations. Despite controversies such as deforestation, oil palm expansion is unstoppable because more and more people invest and convert their agricultural land into oil palm plantations. One of the cases happened in Kuantan Singingi District, where many farmers have converted their agricultural land into oil palm plantations. This study explains the factors influencing farmers to convert their plantation land into oil palm plantations. This study also demonstrates the impact of the conversion on improving their economy. The expectation of high profits in oil palm yields influences the diversion of the land. However, the conversion to oil palm is not always paralleled with improving farmers’ welfare. Through a qualitative approach using FGDs and interviews with oil palm farmers in two villages in Kuantan Singingi District, Land conversion to oil palm plantations carried out by Kuantan Singingi farmers is predominantly influenced by technical factors, market access and prices. The transformation that occurred has not been able to improve their economy. Some indications of this failure are a lack of business capital, limited land ownership, and limited knowledge of oil palm cultivation.

Design and Fabrication of a Bicycle Sprayer

The bicycle sprayer designed for crop spraying is a pragmatic and environmentally friendly choice for small-scale farmers, providing both effectiveness and long-term viability. Engineered to be attached on a regular bicycle, this device enables farmers to easily traverse fields and agricultural area with minimal physical effort. The sprayer features a 20-liter tank, suitable for small-scale farms, equipped with a slide-crank pumping system and a precision nozzle assembly to ensure efficient spraying. Made from lightweight and sturdy materials, it is both cost-efficient and highly portable. The rear wheel's rotation is converted into translation motion of the rod and pump by the use of a slider-crank reciprocating mechanism. The bicycle sprayer doubles as a mode of transportation for farmers or users traveling to and from the farm, enhancing its utility. The bicycle sprayer provides an environmentally-friendly option for small-scale farmers, enhancing crop productivity and minimizing the risks associated with liquid chemicals for farmers or operators. Based on the performance outcome, the recently created sprayer is capable of covering an area of one hectare in one hour. It demonstrates improved spray consistency and achieves a 75% efficiency rate, as confirmed through a sequence of tests conducted on specific farms.

A method to account for diversity of practices in Conservation Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is actively promoted as an alternative farming system that combines environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Three pillars define CA: (i) minimum mechanical soil disturbance, (ii) permanent soil organic cover, and (iii) species diversification. The local context, constraints, and needs of the farmers influence the translation of the pillars into practices. Currently, there is no method for categorizing this diversity of CA practices, which hampers impact assessment, understanding of farmer choices and pathways, stakeholder communication, and policymaking. This paper presents a systematic method to identify and categorize the diversity of CA practices at the regional level, anchored in the three pillars and based on practices implemented by CA farmers. The classification method is grounded on the intersection of an archetypal analysis and a hierarchical clustering analysis. This method was used to study CA practices in Wallonia, Belgium, based on a survey of practices in a sample of 48 farmers. Combining the two clustering methods increases the proportion of classified farmers while allowing for the distinction between three CA-types with extreme and salient practices, and two intermediate CA-types comprising farmers whose practices fall between these references. The study reveals that three explanatory factors influence the implementation of CA practices in Wallonia: (i) the proportion of tillage-intensive crops and (ii) temporary grasslands in the crop sequence, and (iii) the organic certification. These factors lead to trade-offs that hinder the three pillars of CA from being fully implemented simultaneously. This new classification method can be replicated in other regions where CA is practiced, by adapting input variables according to context and local knowledge.

Marketing channel choice of vegetable farmers in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh

Marketing channel choice of vegetable farmers in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh

Exploring farmer choices in Southern Togo: Utilizing a strategy game to understand decision-making in agricultural practices

CONTEXTAgriculture plays a vital role in African countries, driving economic growth, employment, and non-agricultural sector improvements. However, persistent food insecurity and poverty among smallholder families raise concerns. Land fragmentation compounds these issues, limiting agricultural productivity and pushing farmers towards off-farm activities, despite Africa's potential agricultural markets. OBJECTIVEThe study's focus is Donomadé, a remote village in southern Togo. This study pursues a dual objective. Firstly, it investigates how household characteristics, including family size and resource availability, influence farmers' resource management decisions. Secondly, the research employs serious games to comprehend farmers' livelihood strategy choices within constrained real-world-like conditions. METHODSThe iterative and participatory Companion Modelling (ComMod) approach was utilized for the co-design and co-development of a serious game. This involved close collaboration with a local research team from the University of Lomé, a local NGO, and Donomadé village farmers. Various farming systems were characterized, and collective insights into Donomadé's agricultural dynamics were gathered through surveys, interviews, and workshops. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSRegardless of their in-game roles, farmers prioritize fulfilling basic family needs, such as food security and education instead of investing in agriculture. The study underscores the significance of household composition and resource availability when designing technology interventions or support mechanisms for farmers. Aligning interventions with farmers' overarching goals and challenges can enhance technology adoption. Furthermore, addressing food security remains crucial for sustainable development, as it not only improves human welfare and alleviates hunger but also forms the foundation for comprehensive solutions in the face of climate change, resource constraints, and population growth. SIGNIFICANCEThis research highlights that heavy investment in agriculture is not the priority for many farmers in southern Togo, despite it being their main source of sustenance and income. Addressing immediate family needs, especially food security, education, and housing, takes precedence over long-term agricultural investments. Given the persistent challenge of food security amidst global uncertainties, addressing these priorities is paramount to stimulate more significant interest in agricultural investment.

UTILIZAREA IMAGINILOR SATELITARE ÎN AGRICULTURĂ. STUDIU DE CAZ

All sizes of farms can benefit from satellite imagery, not only big producers. When paired with artificial intelligence (AI) and deep machine learning techniques, satellite photography becomes an effective tool for monitoring agricultural conditions and anticipating issues in the field. As a result, using satellite photos to guide crop farming choices can help determine when to apply nutrients and irrigation. This paper focuses on monitoring through satellite sensors with an emphasis on the facilities offered by the European Copernicus Program through Sentinel-2 satellites the crops from a farm from Calarasi County, Borcea commune.

Perceived Organizational Support, Inter-Temporal Choice, and Farmer Conservation Tillage Adoption

To solve the problem of the insufficient driving force and low adoption rate of conservation tillage adoption and to enhance the effect of industrial organization in influencing technology diffusion, this paper explored the relationship and the mechanism of perceived organizational support and inter-temporal choice in the adoption of conservation tillage by using micro-research data from 725 melon farmers in the Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces in China and by applying the experimental economics method to obtain the inter-temporal choices of the farmers. This paper also analyzed farmers’ risk preferences’ moderating effect on the relationship between inter-temporal choice and conservation tillage. Additionally, it examined the impact of perceived organizational support on the differentiation of different conservation tillage technologies. The study found that perceived organizational support significantly contributes to adopting zero tillage and minimum tillage, and water-saving irrigation. Perceived organizational support was not conducive to farmers’ adoption of furrow and ridge tillage. The impact of perceived organizational support on technology adoption is heterogeneous, depending on the differences in the size of the family’s cultivated land. The inter-temporal choice of farmers significantly impedes the adoption of conservation tillage. The increase in risk preference helps alleviate the hindering effect of inter-temporal choice on farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage. Perceived organizational support can promote the adoption of conservation tillage by reducing farmers’ inter-temporal choices. Inter-temporal choice is an essential mechanism by which perceived organizational support affects the adoption of conservation tillage. Compared with the existing studies, this paper incorporates the technology-attribute-induced inter-temporal choice of farmers into the impact analysis framework and considers the relationship between perceived organizational support, inter-temporal choice, and the adoption of conservation tillage and the mechanism of its action. The findings of the study provide a theoretical basis for the enrichment of incentive mechanisms for the adoption of conservation tillage, which is of great significance for the improvement of the tool for the integration of small farmers in developing countries into the industrial activities of the new agricultural business central bodies and for promoting the diffusion of conservation tillage in agriculture.

Impact of COVID-19 on production decisions of marginal, small and medium farmers: empirical evidence from South India

PurposeThis study analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural production in South India by evaluating the influence of market channels and socioeconomic conditions on the production decisions of farmers during two key cropping seasons. We base our analysis on primary data from 200 marginal, small and medium farmers, primarily focusing on the key seasonal crops, namely paddy and black gram.Design/methodology/approachWe studied the downstream supply chains of paddy and black gram crops in the district of Villupuram, situated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Using a Bi-Probit model, we analyzed the production decisions of marginal, small and medium farmers engaged in paddy and black gram cultivation. Various factors are considered, including farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics, gender, market channels accessed and the coping strategies employed.FindingsAfter the easing of lockdown measures in June 2020, our research revealed substantial disruptions in agricultural production during the critical Kharif and Rabi seasons. Most farmers refrained from returning to their fields during the Kharif season; those who did produced millet as the main crop. Factors such as choice of market channels in previous seasons, economic status, access to all-weather roads, labor availability, gender and coping strategies played an important role in the return to production in the subsequent Kharif and Rabi seasons.Research limitations/implicationsOur data revealed several interesting threads related to price volatility, irrigation and access to markets and their impact on food security. The role of intermediaries and market channels in providing liquidity emerges as an important aspect of farmers' choice of markets. The pandemic impacted all these factors, but a detailed analysis was beyond the scope of this study.Social implicationsWe also find that resilience to economic shocks varies not only by economic status but also by gender and social groups. Farmers with female members are more likely to be resilient, and marginal and small farmers primarily belong to social groups that are economically less developed.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on factors influencing farmer choice and decision-making and provides nuances to discussions by analyzing crop-specific supply chains, highlighting the critical role of socioeconomic factors. It also highlights the role of demographics and infrastructural factors like access to all-weather roads and access to markets that influence farmers’ production decisions.

Comparison of nutritional value of snakehead fish from Guangdong and Deqing varieties.

Environmental pollution and overfishing of wild fish resources have led to a significant decrease in snakehead fish, thus leading to the increased demand for breeding the snakehead fish. Guangdong and Deqing snakehead fish are two common consumed varieties. However, their nutritional value was unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional value of snakehead fish from Guangdong and Deqing varieties feeding with different fodders by analyzing and comparing the proximate composition, fatty acids and amino acids. Results showed that the contents of carbohydrate, energy and fat contents in Guangdong variety were lower than that in Deqing variety feeding commercial fodder or offal. Besides, Guangdong variety contained the highest contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (27.99 ± 1.99%) and EPA + DHA (2.70 ± 0.04%), as well as total essential amino acid content (2550.29), compared to Deqing variety feeding commercial fodder or offal. Overall, snakehead fish from Guangdong variety displayed the highest nutritional value, and thus was a reasonable choice for farmers and consumers. The findings of this study would help farmers to choose the suitable feeding variety and patterns of snakehead fish from the perspective of fish nutritional value, which is beneficial to the sustainable fish farming.

Crop residue burning increased during the COVID-19 lockdown: A case study of rural India

The customary practice of crop residue burning (CRB) is a major policy concern across several developing economies because of the associated increase in air pollution and reduction in soil quality. CRB poses a hazard to public health and sustainable farmland management. We collected original survey data from a panel of 400 wheat farmers on CRB choices during April–May of 2019 and 2020 – with the latter coinciding with India's COVID-19 nationwide lockdown. This timeline of events facilitated a unique identification of changes in CRB that are attributable to the lockdown. Several studies find that lockdowns during 2020 had beneficial effects on the environment owing to reduced economic activity. However, our findings indicate that CRB may have unintentionally increased during the lockdown. A binary variable regression framework analyzes the determinants of CRB choices of farmers over two years. We control for farmers' opinions on various socioeconomic aspects of the pandemic lockdown to examine its effects on their CRB decisions. The lockdown significantly increased the likelihood of CRB by up to 12%. Furthermore, farmers who lost agricultural income and those compelled to sell assets during the lockdown were 22% and 19% more inclined, respectively, to choose CRB. Labor mobility ceased during the lockdown and increased the cost of environmentally friendly farmland management; this increased the likelihood of CRB by 6%. This study contributes to a growing literature on the unintentional consequences of pandemic lockdowns.

Kajian Empirik Pilihan Rasional dan Jaringan Nelayan Tani Di Kawasan Danau Tempe

This study aims to assess the rationality and social networks formed among fishermen farmers who live and run farms in tidal areas in the Tempe Lake area. The study was conducted in Tempe Lake area, covering Salo Menraleng and Laelo villages, Tempe sub-district, Wajo district from April to May 2016. The assessment method used was the Rapid Rural Appraisal method. Interviews were conducted repeatedly with 2-3 people from the community who work as farmers-fishermen, heads of farmer groups, community leaders and local agricultural extension workers. The interview was considered complete when it had reached a saturation point, i.e. there were no more things to ask. The process of forming rational choices of fishermen farmers who live and run farms in tidal areas in the Tempe Lake area is the existence of actors in this case are fishermen farmers and resources (land) where the relationship between the two is power and interests. The power here means that the landowner fishermen farmers have the right to work on anything in the natural conditions that occur in the Tempe Lake area to fulfill their interests or goals. The goal is to fulfill food needs and a source of family income. This is the reason and background they make decisions or actions in the form of farming methods, cropping patterns, selection of rice varieties and switching from secondary crops to rice. The social network formed among fishermen farmers is a sense of knowing each other, informing each other, reminding and helping in carrying out or overcoming something. Social networks will not materialize without being based on norms and mutual trust. The network of farmer group formation can be used as a means to learn to increase the productivity of their rice farming land.

A pound for information or a penny for cure: Farmers' economic decisions on testing and treatment of livestock diseases

AbstractLivestock productivity and profitability are threatened by livestock diseases. In this study, we examine farmers' revealed preferences for testing and treating gastrointestinal parasites in sheep in Sweden, taking into account the sequential structure of these decisions. We control for preventive measures, as well as the potential impact of wildlife–livestock disease transmission on farmers' decisions. A zero‐inflated ordered probit model is used to estimate the determinants of farmers' decisions, and we cross‐validate the robustness of the results to alternative model assumptions. Results from the regressions are used to calculate the consequences of these choices for farmers' profits. The results show that treatment decisions are informed by faecal testing, while both testing and treatment are influenced by the grazing practices, the size of the operation and access to information. Contrary to expectations from the conceptual framework, preventive management practices are positively correlated with treatment. Farmers take multiple risk factors into account when deciding on testing, but we do not find that the same factors affect the outcome of treatment. The economic impacts are small and suggest that treatment without prior testing is more profitable for the farmer than informed treatment. If widespread treatment increases drug resistance, this could motivate policies that encourage testing.