Improved Extension Services Research Articles

Entrepreneurial Potentials of Insect Farming in Nigeria

Insects provide a wild variety of uses and benefits ranging from Agriculture to medicine, industries and research. They have been reared for food, feed, silk production and dye making. Recently, a lot attention has been drawn worldwide to the usefulness of insect in the food and feed industry because of their high nutrition contents and environmental sustainability. For these reasons, a lot of insect based entrepreneurs have sprung up in Africa in response to this development, but in Nigeria only few entrepreneurs are interested in engaging in insect farming due to information gap. This research aims to bridge the gap by identifying species of insects that can be farmed, for what purpose they are farmed, potentials embedded in insect product development, and factors affecting edible insect entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Data were sourced by querying many research databases outlets such as science direct, researchgates, google scholar, Ajol and so on. This research identifies palm weevil, crickets, grasshopper and pallid emperor moth as insect that can be farmed with high demand as food in Nigeria. The maggot of housefly and Black soldier fly are recommended for animal feed and silk warm for textile industry. The review recommends that the government should encourage insect entrepreneurs in Nigeria through training and improve extension services. Keywords : Agribusiness; Entomophagy; Insects farming systems; Insect value chain. DOI : 10.7176/JNSR/9-9-07 Publication date :May 31 st 2019

Management strategies for banana Xanthomonas wilt in Rwanda include mixing indigenous and improved cultivars

Xanthomonas wilt is a major constraint to banana production in the East and Central Africa. The disease can cause up to 100% yield losses if proper management strategies are not well implemented. Understanding of disease status, driving factors and farmers’ knowledge provide insights towards a sustainable management approach. A total of 120 and 150 banana farms from eight and ten districts of Rwanda were surveyed for disease occurrence in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The owners of the farms were interviewed about disease knowledge, management practices, and source of information in these aspects. The results show that Xanthomonas wilt was present in all surveyed districts with high incidence (above 45% in both 2015 and 2016) in major banana growing areas, highlighting the risk of increasing yield losses. High Xanthomonas wilt incidence and severity was associated with Impara and Eastern plateau agro-ecological zones, intercropping systems, brewing bananas, dense spacing, and homogenous cultivars. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the gravity of Xanthomonas wilt in major banana growing areas of Rwanda. This agrees with the finding that proper implementation of management practices by the farmers remains limited. Disease management difficulties could be attributed to inaccessibility to the right information since some information sources may be unreliable. We also report for the first time that fields with a mixture of indigenous and improved cultivars are likely to have low Xanthomonas wilt disease severity (p < 0.005), and this could be considered in banana Xanthomonas wilt management package. Our findings are essential to understand the urgency of improving extension services with updated practices and reinforcing disease monitoring efforts in order to stop new infections and further spread of the Xanthomonas wilt disease, a threat to sustainable banana production in Rwanda.

Perception of Climate Change and the Adaptation Strategies and Capacities of the Rice Farmers in Kedah, Malaysia

This article attempts to understand the perception of the rice-growing farmers on the issue of climate change (CC) and identify their adaptive capacity (AC). A survey was conducted through structured questionnaires to understand farmers’ perception and adaptation strategies in response to changing climate and variability. The findings indicate that farmers are moderately adaptive to CC in the study area. The result also revealed that the main barriers are lack of funds and government support available information to CC. Farmers with higher AC can produce greater amount of rice. Rice producers should be enabled through improved extension services, government aid, such as grants, training for better level of adaptability, to help them achieve higher rice production.

Institutional Determinants to Climate Variability Adaptation by Smallholder Irish Potato Farmers in Rubanda District, South Western Uganda

Climate variability and change pose greater challenge not only to human life but to the environment at large. This study sought to evaluate the significance of institutional factors in climate variability adaptation of smallholder Irish potato farmers in Rubanda District, South Western Uganda with the objective of assessing the adaptation measures adopted by smallholder Irish potato farmers, determining the institutional factors that influence adoption of climate variability adaptation measures; and evaluating the institutional challenges that affect the adapting Irish potato farmers. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to collect data from 197 systematically sampled smallholder farmers from two purposively selected sub counties (Muko and Bubaare) in Rubanda District, using structured questionnaires; whilst key informant interviews were used to elicit data from purposively selected personnel from the local government as well as private and civil society organizations. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the relative influence of selected variables on adaptation measures against climate variability. Results indicate that smallholder Irish potato farmers are adapting to climate variability through agronomic measures such as terracing, mulching, contour ploughing, changing planting dates, early planting, crop-rotation, and technology related measures such as rain water harvesting technologies, adaptive varieties and fertilizers among others. Results from multiple linear regression analysis show that several institutional factors are influencing adoption of climate variability adaptive measures with the most significant ones being access to agricultural extension services, cultivated area and size of land owned. Despite the interventions undertaken, adaptation to climate variability is constrained by the limited access to financial/credit resources and inadequate technical capacity as well as limited access to information and irregularity of extension services. The study recommends that public and private institutions and personnel, both technical and political, at the various levels of local government, work together to improve extension services, communication as well as enhancing access to credit facilities among smallholder farmers, who will also need to further strengthen existing social groups to enhance their bargaining power.

Accounting for rainfall and the length of growing season in technical efficiency analysis

The physical environment of farming systems is rarely considered when conducting farm level efficiency analysis, which is likely to lead to bias of performance measurements based on benchmarking methods such as Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We incorporate variations of the physical environment (rainfall and length of growing season) through the specifications of the linear programming in DEA to investigate performance measurement bias. The derived technical efficiency estimates are obtained using a sub-vector DEA which ensures farms are compared in a homogenous environment (i.e. accounting for differences in rainfall levels amongst distinct farm units). We use the Farm Business Survey to analyse a representative sample of 245 cereal farms in the East Anglia region between 2009 and 2010. Efficiency rankings obtained from a standard DEA model and a non-discretionary DEA model that incorporates the variations in the physical environment. We show that incorporating rainfall and the length of the growing season as non-discretionary inputs into the production function had significantly altered the farm efficiency ranking between the two models. Hence, to improve extension services to farmers and to reduce biased estimates of farm technical efficiency, variations in environmental conditions need to be integral to the analysis of efficiency.

Agroforestry of Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia: Practices and Benefits

This study investigates an under-rated and not widely recognized traditional agroforestry practice carried out by smallholders in the highlands of Ethiopia. The purposeful retaining of indigenous trees on farmers’ croplands is recognized as separate from other agroforestry practices. Farmers cultivate indigenous trees for a variety of benefits, including livelihoods, ecosystem services and the existence of scenic and economically valued birds. The adoption of farmland agroforestry has been driven by similar household-level variables that explain the adoption of many other agroforestry practices. However, in contrast to other agroforestry practices farmland agroforestry is not a management priority for farmers, an observation that appears due to a lack of appreciation of naturally occurring trees. Because agroforestry on farmland is declining, interventions are required that improve extension services, availability of indigenous tree seedlings and credit, support reliable legal frameworks and land titles, and foster the processing and value adding of tree products suitable for higher value uses.

Impacts of improved extension services on awareness, knowledge, adoption rates and perceived benefits of smallholder dairy farmers in Pakistan

The provision of effective extension services to smallholder farmers across both developing and developed countries remains a challenge worldwide. The objective of the study is to demonstrate the impacts of improved extension services on awareness, knowledge, adoption rates and perceived benefits of smallholder dairy farmers in Pakistan. An extension program was developed and implemented in five districts of Punjab (Okara, Pakpattan, Jhelum, Kasur and Bhakkar) and two districts of Sindh (Thatta and Badin) provinces. The extension program involved the provision of research-based information on a monthly basis to smallholder farming families (FF = 523) over a 4-year period. The extension program was primarily a knowledge transfer-based system, but also relied on farmer engagement and feedback to help drive research and topics for discussion. No financial incentives were provided to the farmers for their participation. A ‘whole-family approach’ was used in the extension program, where comprehensive interdisciplinary training on the whole dairy-farming system was provided to the males, females and children of the farming household. To encourage greater participation and support different learning strategies, several information transfer media were used (including group discussions, one-on-one visits, practical demonstrations, problem-based learning techniques and videos). To assess the impact of this extension program on farms involved, data on farmer awareness, knowledge, adoption and their perceived benefits were collected using a mixed-method approach from three different groups of farmers; registered (IMPreg = 179) farmers directly involved in the extension program, non-registered (IMPnon-reg = 116) farmers indirectly benefiting from the program and traditional (IMPtrad = 104) farmers not associated with any project activities. Overall awareness, knowledge and adoption rates relating to seven different recommendations in the extension program were significantly (P &amp;lt; 0.05) higher in the registered farmers than in the non-registered and traditional farmers. The perceived benefits of the adopted recommendations varied between the different extension messages, but farmers described that they observed increases in milk production, improvements in animal health (body condition and morbidity) and labour efficiency (time savings). These results suggest that adopting improved extension services using a whole-family approach we can significantly achieve higher adoption rates, leading to on-farm benefits to smallholder dairy farmers and their families.

Impact of aquaculture feed technology on fish income and poverty in Kenya

ABSTRACTThe impacts of improved agricultural technologies on smallholder households in Africa are well documented in the literature. However, the literature on the welfare impacts of aquaculture technologies, especially in the context of smallholder households, is very scanty. This paper applies the propensity score matching technique to household survey data to examine the impact of improved feed technology on fish income and poverty in Kenya. After controlling for observable household characteristics, the results indicate that improved feed technology increases aquaculture income and reduces poverty among fish farming households. Specifically, the income effect of the technology is 23–37%, with resultant poverty reduction effect of 19–23% points. Evidence from the study indicates that the likelihood of adopting improved feed in Kenya will surge with improved extension service delivery, access to government subsidized feed, and easy market access for purchasing improved feed and sale of mature fish.

DETERMINANTS OF INCOME DIVERSIFICATION AMONG MAIZE FARM HOUSEHOLDS IN THE GARU-TEMPANE DISTRICT, GHANA

This study explores the determinants of income diversification using a sample of 200 farm-level data collected from households in the Garu-Tampane district, Ghana. The Simpson Index of Diversification was used to determine the extent of income diversification while Fractional Response Model, particularly Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was employed to identify the determinants of income diversification. Results from the Simpson Index of Diversification showed that the average income diversification index was 0.65 with the minimum and maximum of 0.13 and 0.83, respectively. No farm household was found to depend solely on a single source of income for its survival. The results from the Generalized Linear Model revealed that extension services, attendance to demonstration fields, membership of Farmer-based Organizations (FBOs), farmer accessibility to credit, the number of days spent on on-farm activities per month and the number of years in maize farming significantly influence income diversification. The study, therefore, concludes that farm-level policies geared towards alternative sources of income for the rural farm household should focus on improving extension services, the formation of farmer-based organizations, use of demonstration fields as well as ensuring farmers’ accessibility to credit.

Analysis of Existing Dairy Value Chains and Its Strands to Construct Viable Strategies for Upgrading: The Case of Urban and Peri-urban Area of Southern Tigray

The aim of this research was to analyze the existing dairy value chain and its strands to construct viable strategies for upgrading in the southern zone of Tigray with specific objectives of to explore the drivers, trends, and factors affecting dairy value chain upgrading and to construct viable strategies. Primary data were collected from multiple sources including a total of 120 producers [60 crossbred owners (urban dairy producers) and 60 local breed owners (peri-urban dairy producers)], value chain actors: 24 traders, 20 consumers, and 8 service providers in Edamehoni and Alamata districts. The collected data was analyzed using application of appropriate statistical tools and simple descriptive statistics. The result of the study showed that the trend of milk production has shown a slight increase from 2011 to 2015 in the study areas. Marketing channels or sale outlets in both urban and peri-urban areas for milk and milk products were individuals, restaurants, and cafeteria. The major constraints of dairy value chains in the studied areas are a shortage of improved feed, the high cost of feeds, inadequate extension services, and poor market access and absence of dairy producers-led-cooperatives. Generally, dairy value chains in the study area seem to be ineffective and weak. The major viable strategies for the upgrading of the dairy value chain are input supply, institution and capacity building interventions. Thus aforementioned dairy upgrading interventions should be aimed at addressing both dairy production techniques gaps and marketing challenges. The study further suggested establishing of dairy producers-led-cooperatives to solve input/output supply services, improving extension services, improves access services and associating the linkage among dairy value chain actors should receive due to attention in order to improve dairy production and marketing.

Collective market participation for improved income among smallholder farming households: a case of Balaka Innovation Platform in Malawi

Collective market participation can reduce transaction costs and information asymmetries, which can build up market power. The objective of this study was to evaluate decisions to participate in collective marketing and its effect on household income among smallholder farmers in an Innovation Platform (IP). This study targeted the Balaka IP in Malawi. Collective marketing identified as critical for improving households’ incomes, is one of the activities that Balaka Innovation Platform has been addressing since its formation in 2009. The study involved a sample of 115 randomly selected households from Balaka Innovation Platform. The odds of participating in collective marketing by smallholder farm households in Balaka was significantly influenced by gender, education level, access to social capital through membership in farmer groups that form the Innovation Platform, farming experience, adoption/practice of conservation agriculture and possession of assets e.g. cellphone and bicycle. Moreover, results indicate that functions of IPs such as organising farmers to market collectively, promoting crop diversification, improved extension service, credit access through linkages to microfinance, communication and market linkages, positively influence income. Thus participation in multi-stakeholder IP activities highly influences collective marketing, which in turn impacts positively on smallholder farming households’ income. Keywords: Cellphone, collective marketing, linkages, multi-stakeholder

Supporting transition toward conservation agriculture: a framework to analyze the learning processes of farmers

Conservation agriculture (CA) is based on 3 principles, namely reduced soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and more complex and legume-rich rotations; and multiple studies have shown its positive impacts. Because CA relies on a variety of ecological processes, it is more deeply rooted in a specific ecological context than conventional agriculture. The complexity of these processes makes it difficult to elaborate general recipes to be applied by farmers, who therefore need to learn to make their own choices adapted to their own agroecosystem. Consequently, helping farmers to move toward CA requires supporting them in learning to develop their own practices. Farmers’ learning remains poorly investigated at the individual level, with in particular very little work focusing on learning in CA. We hypothesize that the processes involved in learning to practice CA may differ from those involved in conventional agriculture: for instance, the current lack of detailed reference documents may induce farmers to experiment more. Against this background, we here aimed at describing how farmers experienced in CA learn, by qualifying their learning mechanisms and processes. To do so, we conducted five comprehensive interviews with farmers experienced in CA, and then inductively analyzed the data to explore the diversity of learning mechanisms involved, i.e. the elementary actions or cognitive activities which, organized together, constitute a learning process. We, thus, propose a descriptive framework of non-ordered and non-obligatory learning mechanisms that appear to be mobilized by farmersexperienced in conservation agriculture, as a first step toward a deeper analysis of their learning processes. We further emphasize the often unintentional aspect of learning, as well as the importance, for farmers who wish to implement CA practices, of developing new standards of comparison. A better understanding of these learning processes would help improving extension services and training for farmers.

Irrigation and crop diversification in the 25 de Setembro irrigation scheme, Mozambique

Crop diversification is one way of improving the profitability of small-scale irrigation schemes. The 25 de Setembro scheme is an ideal site to analyze diversification, as it is influenced by the markets in Maputo and South Africa. This study uses information gathered from observations, discussions with irrigators and an irrigator survey. Results identified seven irrigator types with different crop diversification strategies predominantly influenced by resource constraints. Most irrigators produce traditional crops, although there are opportunities for growing crops that are more profitable. Improved extension services, to identify cropping strategies that better align with market demand, would improve profitability.

Changes in Perceptions and Practices of Farmers and Pesticide Retailers on Safer Pesticide Use and Alternatives: Impacts of a Community Intervention in Chitwan, Nepal.

Unsafe use of hazardous pesticides is a neglected public health problem in developing countries. This survey evaluates the effects of a training program to increase awareness on harmful effects of pesticides and to enhance capacity for safe handling involving 57 trained farmers, 98 neighboring farmers, 94 control farmers, and 23 pesticide retailers from villages in Chitwan, Nepal. Knowledge and attitude–related variables improved in all 3 farmer groups, with a significant trend of better knowledge and attitude from trained to neighboring to control farmers (in 14/16 [87.5%] variables). In practice, there were significant differences among the groups with a trend from trained to neighboring to control farmers (in 10/26 [38.5%] variables).The pesticide retailers also improved on knowledge and practice. In conclusion, training farmers and pesticide retailers improved their knowledge and practice, with possible positive effect on neighboring farmers and control villages as well. An improved extension service to farmers is recommended.

Assessment of Fisherfolk Information Seeking Behaviour with Mobile Phone for Improve Extension and Advisory Services

&lt;p&gt;The study assessed information seeking behaviour of fisherfolk with mobile phone in fishing communities around Kainji Lake basin, Nigeria. Primary data was generated through interview schedule from 165 respondents and analysed with descriptive and factor analysis. Result revealed that mobile phone improved information seeking behaviour of fisherfolk with associates in the fishing communities than with outsiders in government establishment. Kinds of information sought with mobile phone cut across economic, social and health issues in fish market, social gathering, fish catch/gear, health, weather and security related matters. Pattern of information seeking revealed regular use of close associates than extension workers. Close associates mostly contacted with mobile phone for information were fellow fisherfolk (64.2%), family members (64.8%) and community members (55.8%) but weak with fisheries institute (4.8%) and extension agents (0.6%). Fisherfolk rated voice call as the most effective medium in information seeking over flashing, SMS, voice message, video and pictures. Result of factor analysis categorised the challenges into poor financial status, inadequate knowledge and skill, poor network services and lack of energy to recharge mobile phone batteries. It is recommended that extension providers should use the established effective medium and pattern of information behaviour to package and disseminate messages to meet needs of fisherfolk in the lake basin. Interim measure is to provide tool free mobile lines to improve contact and trust to strengthen rapport. Also, mobile network operators should reduce tariff, improve quality of services as well as incorporate training in their social responsibility and promotion strategies for fishing communities to benefit.&lt;/p&gt;

Participation and output effect of a Block Farm Credit Programme in selected districts of Northern Ghana

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) Block Farm Credit Programme (BFCP) participation on crop output in four districts in the Northern region of Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 240 beneficiary and non-beneficiary farmers of BFCP. The treatment effect model that accounts for selectivity bias was employed to examine the socioeconomic determinants of farmers’ decision to participate in the BFCP and the effect of BFCP participation on crop output. Findings Even though the BFCP participation increases output, inadequacy and late delivery of BFCP inputs, low publicity about the programme and difficulty in accessing the inputs from the districts agricultural officers are factors that prevent the full realization of the benefits of the programme. Improving extension services to create more awareness and a re-introduction of the BFCP to make inputs available and affordable to farmers can help boost farm productivity. Practical implications The positive effect of the BFCP means that the provision of low-cost production credit has the potential to increase productivity and improve incomes. Hence, MoFA should endeavour up scaling and properly managing the scheme. Originality/value This study is the first to evaluate the BFCP in Northern region of Ghana, particularly in relation to its contribution to crop value. The findings are very useful to advise policy by taking account of the programme deficiencies and enhance effectiveness.

Factors influencing smallholder commercial tree planting in Isabel Province, the Solomon Islands

Small-scale forestry systems provide subsistence products and income generation for smallholders, and a range of environmental services. However, smallholders often face constraints to the adoption of small-scale forestry. In the Solomon Islands, family-based plantations of commercial timber species, in particular teak, have been promoted over the last 10 years. After initially high uptake, rates of new plantings have slowed, and management of existing plantations is perceived to limit timber quality. This study assesses the factors that influence household adoption of small-scale forestry through a case study of Isabel Province, the Solomon Islands. These factors were investigated in five tree-planting villages using a mixed methods approach, in which a household survey of tree planters and non-tree planters was complemented with qualitative methods. Descriptive statistics, probit and multiple regression models, and qualitative analysis were used to generate results. The study finds that a market for existing planted timber resources, improved extension services and, in the longer-term, more livelihood-appropriate small-scale (agro)forestry systems are critical to facilitate the ongoing adoption and maintenance of small-scale plantations in Isabel Province of the Solomon Islands.

Assessment of sweetpotato farming systems, production constraints and breeding priorities in eastern Tanzania

Sweetpotato is an important food security crop in Tanzania. The crop is grown under diverse farming systems with very low yields. The objective of this study was to assess the present sweetpotato farming systems, farmers’ preferences, production constraints and breeding priorities in eastern Tanzania. Participatory rural appraisal was conducted in the Gairo, Kilosa and Kilombero districts of the Morogoro region and Mkuranga district of the Coast region of Tanzania. Primary and secondary data were collected using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and field observations. The study showed that more than 94% of the respondents depended on farming for their livelihoods. Main sweetpotato production constraints were Sweetpotato virus disease (SPVD) and pests, drought, unavailability of markets and lack of transport, low prices, inadequate extension services and postharvest losses. Preferred sweetpotato attributes included high yield, high dry matter content, tolerance to diseases and early maturity. Farmers expressed their persuasive needs towards improved extension service delivery, SPVD-tolerant cultivars, and reliable and coordinated market systems for sweetpotatoes.

Soybean economy of India : Performance, problems and prospects

Soybean crop has witnessed a phenomenal growth in production in the country during the last four decades but growth has been driven majorly by area expansion. During the last two decades, area expansion drove about 80 per cent of the increased production while yield contributed about 20 per cent to the increase in soybean production. One of the most important changes observed in the soybean acreage and production over the last three decades has been a declining share of Madhya Pradesh in area and production and increasing share of Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The demand for soybean is increasing rapidly due to higher demand from poultry feed industry and soybean based products such as soybean oil, soymilk, soy flour and soy protein. However, soybean producers face a variety of biotic, abiotic,socio-economic and policy-related constraintsthat affectsoybean production. Economic constraints were the most important constraintsfaced by soybean producers, followed by technological constraints, agro-climatic factors, institutional and post-harvest management and marketing related problems. The findings show that there exist huge yield gaps in case of soybean in the country. It was estimated that soybean productivity can be increased by about 47 per cent and production from current level of 11.64 million tonnes to about 18.6 million tonnes by bridging the gap between improved technology at farmers' field and actual farm yield in the country through improving extension services. Therefore, concerted efforts are needed to bridge soybean yield gapsthrough strengthening institutional factors including better extension services, timely availability of quality inputs and services and improved post-harvest management and marketing facilities.

Assessment of Risks and Uncertainties in Poultry Farming in Kwara State, Nigeria

This study was designed to assess the risks and uncertainties encountered by poultry farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study describes the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, identify the risks and uncertainties encountered by the farmers, determines the level of severity of the risks and uncertainties, and identifies the coping strategies employed by the farmers. Primary data obtained from 99 registered poultry farmers selected through multistage sampling technique were used for the study. These were complemented with data from published and grey literature. Descriptive statistics and 3-point Likert scale were used to analyze the data. The study shows that poultry farming in the study area is practiced mainly by young, small-scale farmers, who are married, with high level of formal education but had little access to extension services. The major sources of risks encountered by the farmers were severe weather fluctuation, lack of veterinary services, disease outbreak, transportation problems, parasites and severe price fluctuation of birds. The study further revealed that the severe risks encountered by the farmers were disease outbreak, poor parent stock, accumulation of dung, severe weather fluctuation, lack of veterinary services and transportation problems. The study therefore calls for improved extension services, good transportation facilities, adequate veterinary services, market information by government and relevant stakeholders as well as formation of cooperative socities by the farmers.