Influencing Smallholder Farmers Research Articles

Opportunities and challenges for seasonal climate forecasts to more effectively assist smallholder farming decisions

The ability of smallholder farmers to utilise seasonal climate forecast (SCF) information in farm planning to reflect anticipated climate is a precursor to improved farm management. However, the integration of SCF by smallholder farmers into farm planning has been poor, partly because of the lack of forecast skill, lack of communication and inability to see the relevance of the SCFs for specific farming decisions. The relevance of seasonal climate forecasting in farming decisions can be enhanced through improved understanding of SCF from the smallholder farmers’ perspective. Studies that have been done of how smallholder farmers understand SCF and how the available SCFs influence smallholder farmers’ decisions are limited. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to review how smallholder farmers make decisions on farming practices based on SCFs and the challenges and opportunities thereof. The review shows that the majority of smallholder farmers in Africa make use of either scientific or indigenous knowledge climate forecasts and, in some cases, a combination of both. There are mixed results in the area of evaluating benefits of SCFs in decision-making and farm production. In some cases, the outcomes are positive, whereas in others they are difficult to quantify. Thus, the integration of SCFs into smallholder farmers’ decision-making is still a challenge. We recommend that significant work must be done to improve climate forecasts in terms of format, and spatial and temporal context in order for them to be more useful in influencing decision-making by smallholder farmers.
 Significance:
 
 At the farm level, making the right decisions at the right time is rendered even more difficult in light of the increasing frequency of extreme weather patterns.
 The threat of climate change makes accurate seasonal climate forecasting essential for African smallholder farmers.
 Technological, social and interdisciplinary issues, communication and scale are some key challenges which impact the utility and uptake of SCFs in rural smallholder farms.
 The integration of both scientific and indigenous knowledge forecasts is an opportunity for further exploration.

Factors influencing the adoption of conservation agriculture practices among smallholder farmers in Mozambique

This study aimed to identify the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ decisions to adopt four different conservation agriculture (CA) practices (i.e. minimum tillage, intercropping, cover cropping and crop rotation) in Mozambique. A non-probability sampling approach, incorporating both purposive and accidental sampling types, was followed. Three agro-ecological regions, followed by four provinces, were purposely selected. In addition, Accidental sampling was used to select 616 smallholder farmers from 38 communities in the three agro-ecological regions where CA projects were historically implemented by several NGO institutions. A questionnaire was administered to the 616 selected smallholder farmers. A descriptive logit model was applied in STATA to determine the probability of respondents adopting CA practices. The findings show that 44.6% of smallholder farmers adopted one or more of the CA practices, and 55.4% did not. It was also clear that most farmers did not adopt all components CA. Results obtained revealed that household size, animal ownership, communication assets (such as television, radio, and cell phone) and group membership had a positive influence on CA adoption. Interestingly, female-headed households were more likely to adopt CA. Awareness of soil health decline is an important factor determining adoption. The study concluded that the reasons for adoption are site-specific and a ‘blanket approach’ to promote adoption of CA is unlikely to be successful.

Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers Participation in Collective Marketing and the Extent of Participation in Improved Indigenous Chicken Markets in Baringo, Kenya

Smallholder farmer collective action not only provides a solution to farmer’s constraints such as lack of market accessibility and inability to take advantage of available market opportunities but also holds the potential to diversify their incomes and increase agricultural productivity translating to enhanced food security and poverty eradication. This research aimed at investigating the role of farmer marketing groups in smallholder market participation using a sample of 198 farmers, sampled from a population of 395 smallholder improved indigenous chicken farmers in Baringo, Kenya, using Probit and Tobit models. The study findings established that farmers' involvement in collective action is predominantly determined by; Education level, household size, distance to extension, cost of transport, and the price per chicken. The extent of participation in improved indigenous chicken markets was positively related to; education level of the household head and farm size while negatively and significantly influenced by off-farm income and the cost of farming. The results of this study provide evidence that farmer collective action has the potential of strengthening market participation among smallholder farmers.

Determinants of the Adoption of Improved Sorghum and Sesame Seeds; the Case of West Gondar Zone, Ethiopia

Improved Seed is a key input for increasing crop production and productivity. Improving the quality of seeds can increase the yield potential of the crop by significant folds. However, due to the growing demands of the farmers in the study area for improved agricultural inputs, the supply sector could not satisfy the needs of the farmers. This indicates that there are different factors directly or indirectly influencing the input supply system. Hence, this study focuses on the Determinants of the adoption of improved Sorghum and Sesame seeds in West Gondar Zone. The research adopts a cross sectional survey design that combines both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. To conduct this study a multi stage purposive and simple random sampling technique was applied. A total of 150 sample household heads was selected from the two kebeles proportionally to their population size by using systematic random sampling technique. The data were collected from both primary and secondary sources of data. Data analysis was done by using descriptive statistics like frequency, mean, and standard deviation. Moreover, inferential statistics like Chi-square T-test was used to test whether there is a significant difference among the dummy/categorical and continuous variables respectively. The binary logit model was also used. The results of the study indicated that for both the technologies 83 (36.4%) of the sampled farm households were found to be adopters, whereas the remaining 145 (63.6%) were non-adopters. The maximum likelihood estimates of the logistic regression model show that livestock holding in TLU (LSTOCKHO), farming experience (FARMEXP), fertilizer use (FERUSE) and total income (TOTALINCOME) were important and significant factors influencing smallholder farmers’ adoption improved sesame seed variety in the study area. The government has to give a great emphasis on the technology dissemination and awareness about the adoption of improved seeds.

The role of savings mobilization on access to credit: a case study of smallholder farmers in Ghana

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of savings mobilization on access to credit among smallholder farmers’ in the Birim central municipality of Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional primary data set was used to estimate the factors influencing smallholder farmers’ access to credit and size of loan to be borrowed using the IV-Probit and IV-Tobit model. Findings The results of the study revealed that savings mobilization has a positive significant impact on access to credit and the total amount of credit one can borrow as well. Other control variables such as transaction cost and farm size depicted a negative significant impact on access to credit. Land ownership, member of an association, household size, years of farming experience and education also showed a positive significant impact on access to credit. Research limitations/implications The paper only examined the savings effect on credit accessibility among smallholder farmers in one of the municipality’s in the Eastern region of Ghana. Future research should consider all or many municipality for an informed generalization of findings. Practical implications This paper provides evidence that smallholder farmers knowledge on the financial market is poor and it would require the policymakers or NGOs to organize financial management training programs so that the farmers high ignorance of the financial market will significantly reduce. Originality/value Although existing studies have examined smallholder farmers’ access to credit, the unique contribution of this paper is the analysis of the impact of saving mobilization on credit accessibility in Ghana, a major access to credit determinant in the financial market. In addition, those researchers who factored in savings as an access to credit determinant did not also consider the casual relationship between these two variables, thus, the present of endogeneity of which this paper does.

Determinants of Participation Decision in Cassava Marketing by Smallholder Farmers in Taita-Taveta and Kilifi Counties, Kenya

Cassava is an important food crop with high production potential in different agroecological zones across the world. Cassava is also a drought tolerant crop performing well in arid and semi-arid areas. Cassava has a great potential as both a food security and industrial crop. In addition, as a drought tolerant crop, it is fits very well as a climate smart crop in the face of climate change. However, the cassava industry and value chain in Kenya is still underdeveloped and therefore there are many cassava marketing opportunities that are yet to be exploited. This study analyses factors that influence smallholder farmers’ decision to participate in cassava marketing in Taita-Taveta and Kilifi Counties in Kenya. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires from a sample of 250 smallholder cassava farmers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the socio-economic characteristics of respondents while a binary Probit model was used to analyse the socio-economic factors that influence farmers’ participation decision in cassava marketing. The results of the binary Probit model show that, sex of the head of a household, access to extension services, price of cassava products and quantity harvested had a positive and significant influence on market participation decision while years of schooling, household size and farm size had a negative and significant influence on the market participation decision. Therefore, based on the findings, the study recommended policy interventions targeting organization and coordination of the cassava marketing system and provision of appropriate incentives to farmers to enhance market participation.

Drivers and responses to climate variability by agro-pastoralists in Kenya: the case of Laikipia County

This paper examines factors influencing the choice of response strategies and the actual strategies smallholder farmers use to respond to the effects of climate variability in transitional climatic zones of Africa, specifically Laikipia West Sub-County in Kenya. Data for this study were collected from 392 randomly selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire. The study used principal component analysis to group together related strategies that farmers used to respond to the effects of climate variability, which resulted into seven groups of responses. Majority of farmers at 97.5%, 85% and 74.1%, respectively, used cultural practices, diversification practices and risk reduction practices. Intensification practices followed by 69.3% while terraces crop and herd management and new breeds were the least adopted at 27%, 13.2% and 9%, respectively. Multivariate probit model was then used to examine the factors influencing smallholder farmers’ choice of response strategies to effects of climate change. The results indicated that access to weather information had a strong effect on use of risk management strategies at 74% and intensification strategies at 49%. Increase in level of education and exclusive dependence on agriculture increased the probability of introducing new breeds by 30% and 53%, respectively, while access to extension services increased use of terraces by 42%. Strong local institutions that facilitate access to information and credit are likely to initiate changes in key household characteristics, which positively affect response to effects of climate variability. Policies should aim to strengthen local institutions that enhance access to information and credit services. There is need for investment in the provision of affordable and quality education, relevant demand-driven extension services that provide localized response solutions.

Determinants of Access to Credit Among Small Scale Irrigation User Farmers in Dangla Woreda, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia

The main objective of this study is to determine factors affecting access to credit among small scale irrigation user farmers. The study used both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected through structured interview questionnaire from 329 irrigation user farmers from two kebeles. The sample households selected by using multistage random sampling method. Logistic regression method is applied to examine factors that affect access to credit. Based on the econometrics estimation result, cost of irrigation technology, households attitude towards risk (risk), income from irrigation, lending procedures, repayment period, age of the household (age) and livestock ownership were important factors influencing smallholder farmers access to formal credit in the study area. Keywords : Credit access, Small-scale irrigation, Agriculture finance DOI : 10.7176/JESD/10-5-08 Publication date :March 31 st 2019

Marketing outlets choice modelling for commercialisation analysis of smallholder rice producers in Ghana

The study determined the factors that influence smallholder farmers' probability of participating in the rice market, as well as those that influence the extent of rice commercialisation. Data used for this study was culled from the 6th Round of Ghana Living Standard Survey - GLSS 6. Descriptive statistics, analyses of variance, logit, censored and truncated regressions were employed for data analyses. The extent of commercialisation was estimated to be 57% for smallholder rice farmers. However, those who sold their harvested rice through market trader outlets reported a higher extent of commercialisation (58%) compared to farmers who sold through non-market trader outlets (50%). Farmer characteristics, household characteristics, farm characteristics and institutional or policy factors significantly influenced the probability of marketparticipation and degree of commercialisation behaviour in Ghana. It is recommended that rice commercialisation policies should focus on creating the environment to improve the buying activities of market traders.

What are the Drivers Influencing Smallholder Farmers Access to Formal Credit System? Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh

The smallholder farmers of Bangladesh are confronting numerous production, marketing and financial limitations, including access to inputs and output markets and new technology. Agricultural credit can play a significant role in overcoming these constraints. However, access to formal agricultural credit by smallholder farmers is still limited. This study employs the Logit model to examine the factors influencing smallholder farmers’ access to formal credit through survey data. Results reveal that more than half of the respondents have no access to formal credit which allows money lenders to function effectively in the rural economy. Econometric analysis shows that household head education level, land size, collateral requirement, lengthy application processes and the non-cooperation of staff in lending institutions are significant factors influencing smallholder farmers’ access to credit. Enabling credit policies along with proper implementation of policies that enable smallholder farmers’ to access credit are important in order to boost agricultural production and living standards.

Socio-economic factors influencing smallholder farmers’ decision to participate in agro-processing industry in Gauteng province, South Africa

Smallholder farmers in South Africa have not been linked successfully to sustainable agro-processing value chains. This study aimed to identify factors influencing smallholder farmers’ decision to participate in the agro-processing industry, as well as the extent of their participation in the Gauteng Province. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire that was administered face-to-face to respondents in a randomly purposive selected sample of 102 smallholder farmers. A double-hurdle model was used to analyse factors influencing the decision to participate and the level of participation in agro-processing. The results show that very few (19%) smallholder farmers participate in the agro-processing industry of the Gauteng Province. The results also revealed that factors such as educational level, land tenure, agro-processing training and information have a positive influence on the decision to participate. Distance to market and off-farm income negatively influence the decision to participate. The level of participation is influenced by socio-economic factors such as age, household size, level of education, grain and livestock producers, farm size and access to training. The study recommends that smallholder agro-processing policy instruments be adjusted to facilitate effective participation in the agro-processing industry and participation in other high market value chains. There is a need to build up local agro-processing plants as a strategy of lowering the costs of transportation and storage when farmers take their farm produce to distant manufacturers or processors.

Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers Adoption of Eucalyptus Woodlot in Wogera District, North Gondar Zone, Amhara Regional State of Ethiopia

Eucalyptus is familiar specious in various weather conditions of the world. Eucalyptus woodlot planation in wogera district become increased since 1970. The study was to examine the determinant factors for the adoption of eucalyptus woodlots by smallholder farmers in Wogera district. Three stage sampling procedure was used to select 118 sample respondent farmers from three purposively selected Kebeles of the district. Household survey was used to collect quantitative data. Econometric model (binary logit model) was employed to analyze the quantitative data. Adoption of eucalyptus woodlot was affected negatively by family size and fertility of land, and positively affected by farm size, access to market, and farmers’ perception towards eucalyptus woodlot production. It is concluded that adoption of eucalyptus woodlot plantation was affected mainly by socio-economic and institutional factors. Therefore, attention should be given to manage the identified factors and change smallholder farmer’s attitude towards eucalyptus woodlot plantation.

Can Social Capital influence Smallholder Farmers’ Climate-Change Adaptation Decisions? Evidence from Three Semi-Arid Communities in Burkina Faso, West Africa

This study examines the influence of farmers’ social capital on their decisions to deal with climate change and climate variability in Burkina Faso. The study is based on a household survey conducted among 450 households, randomly selected from three communities in Burkina Faso. Two indexes were constructed to capture farmers’ structural and cognitive social capital; and using generalized Poisson regression (GPR) and a multivariate probit model, the study probes the effect of farmers’ social capital on their choice of adaptation alternatives, the number of adaptation practices used, and the extent to which adaptation measures were applied. The results indicated that the effect of social capital depends on the type of indicator used and on the type of adaptation strategies necessary. Farmers’ cognitive social capital was significantly and positively related to their choice of soil and water conservation techniques (SWCT), and techniques such as agroforestry and irrigation. Structural social capital, on the other hand, was positively associated with the adoption of new varieties and conservation tillage strategies and negatively associated with the use of a crop-diversification strategy. The results also highlighted that socio-economic, institutional and agro-ecological variables determine farmers’ decisions to adapt to climate change.

Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers' Adaptation to Climate Variability in Kitui County, Kenya

Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers' Adaptation to Climate Variability in Kitui County, Kenya

Connecting smallholder farmers to local markets: Drivers of collective action, land tenure and food security in East Chad

The paper deals with the drivers influencing smallholder farmers’ access to local markets in developing countries, assuming that collective actions along with food security and land tenure are related and interconnected aspects that could facilitate market access.Data were collected in 26 Chadian villages in the Sila region; 98 questionnaires were submitted to peanut and sesame farmers belonging to associations. An ordered logistic regression was adopted to estimate our model where the dependent variable, access to market, is operationalized in terms of perceived improvement to market access.Our research contributes to the present understanding of the determinants of market access and its links with collective actions, land and food security through a comprehensive view of association support activities, structural features and household assets.Our main findings highlight that the role of secure land tenure is crucial in order to achieve a better access to local markets, confirming that strong relationships within local value chain stakeholders have positive effects on the capability to sell products, whereas the role of food security is circular: the more food secure a farmer is, the more he or she has access to markets but on the other side access to markets guarantees a higher food security.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ADOPTION OF INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY AND WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES BY SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN THE SEMI-ARID AREAS OF EASTERN KENYA

<p>In arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), low adoption of integrated soil fertility and water management (ISFWM) technologies has contributed to food and nutrition insecurity. A study was conducted to assess factors influencing smallholder farmers’ adoption decision of ISFWM technologies in Mwala and Yatta Sub-Counties. A questionnaire was administered to 248 respondents in the study region. Selection of household heads was done in ‘Farmer-led adoption approach’ sites otherwise known as Primary and Secondary Participatory Technology Evaluations (PPATEs and SPPATEs) and Non-PPATEs/SPATEs sites in both Sub-Counties. Relationships between different variables were determined by the Tobit model. The results revealed that group membership (P<0.016), inaccessible credit services (P<0.017), gender (P<0.025), age and access to agricultural extension services (P<0.027) influenced adoption of ISFWM technology significantly. Cost of inputs and access to radio information (P<0.01), access to appropriate farm machines (p<0.001), cost of labor and farmers’ perception on seasons’ reliability (P<0.004) and out-put markets (P<0.006) were reported to affect adoption of ISFWM practices highly significantly. Descriptive statistic results indicated that majority of the respondents (93.9%) in the project areas were adopting a combination of tied ridges, organic fertilizer and improved seed compared to only 6.1% in the non-project area. There was also significantly (P<0.01) higher adoption (76.5%) of a combination of tied ridges, both fertilizer and improved seed in the project area in contrast to merely 23.5% in non-project area, as well as those adopting (80%) a combination of zai pit, both fertilizer and improved seed compared to only 20% in non-project area. Policy makers should focus on availability of affordable credit facilities and farm machines, ease access to information, labor and input-output markets for enhanced farm productivity and livelihoods of the smallholder farmers in ASALs.</p>

Factors influencing smallholder farmers' behavioural intention towards adaptation to climate change in transitional climatic zones: A case study of Hwedza District in Zimbabwe

This paper examines factors influencing behavioural change among smallholder farmers towards adaptation to climate change in transitional climatic zones of Africa, specifically, Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly-selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The study used an ordered logit model to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers' behavioural intention towards adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that the gender of the household head, access to extension services on crop and livestock production, access to climate information, membership to social groups and experiencing a drought have a positive influence on farmers' attitude towards adaptation to climate change and variability. The study concluded that although the majority of smallholder farmers perceive that the climate is changing, they continue to habour negative attitudes towards prescribed climate change adaptation techniques. This study recommends more education on climate change, as well as adaptation strategies for both agricultural extension workers and farmers. This can be complemented by disseminating timely climate information through extension officers and farmers’ groups.

Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers in Supplying Organic Fruits and Vegetables to Supermarket Supply Chains in Karnataka, India

Organic farmers are facing problems in finding the right buyers, resulting in high transaction costs (TCs). This study considers the integration of smallholder organic farmers in vertically coordinated supply chains and factors influencing them. The article draws transaction costs economics (TCE) to develop a model explaining potential TC attributes influencing farmer’s decision to participate in supermarket supply chains (SMSC) compared to spot market (SM) in Karnataka, India. This article uses data collected from 127 smallholder organic farmers through face-to-face interviews to identify factors that significantly influence the farmer’s decision. A binary logistic regression model was employed within the TC framework. Seven TC attributes were evaluated on farmer’s decision. The results revealed that farmers have a strong marketing preference towards SMSC. Attributes such as pre-arranging price, quantity, frequency, and access to market information and finance have significant positive influence on farmer’s decision to participate in SMSC. However, attribute payment mechanism has a negative influence. Furthermore, there are significant differences between SMSC and SM supplying groups with reference to variables distance to the market, the general state of the road and age. The results have a policy and managerial implication towards the development of organic food market in the Karnataka state, India.

Smallholder farmer’s perceived effects of climate change on crop production and household livelihoods in rural Limpopo province, South Africa

AbstractThis study investigated the perceived effects of climate change on crop production and household livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Mopani and Vhembe district, South Africa. Data was collected through a questionnaire administered to 150 smallholder farmers. The questionnaires were complemented by 8 focus group discussions and secondary data. Multinomial logit regression model was used to analyse the factors influencing smallholder farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies. The study findings revealed that subsistence farmers perceived prolonged droughts (56.4%) as the main shock stressing crop production. Droughts often lead to low crop yield and high crop failure (73.3%). In response to the prevailing climatic conditions different gender adopted different strategies, 41% of female farmers adapted by changing planting dates, while male farmers employed crop variety and diversification (35%) and mixed cropping (15%). The smallholder farmers were vulnerable with limited adaptive capacity to withstand climate change due to compromised social, human, physical, natural and financial assets. The results showed that smallholder farmers tend to adapt better when they have access to extension officers (P<0.01). Therefore, it is important for the government to strengthen the relationship between smallholder farmers and extension officers for better climate change adaptation.

Willingness to pay for watershed conservation: are we applying the right paradigm?

The values of watershed services from watersheds has for many years been neglected, underestimated and not factored in land use decisions for sustainable management. Sustainable management of watersheds and environmental friendly economic activities are vital for sustained water flow, steady supply of ecosystem services for societal needs and enhancement of aquatic vegetation and animal species. The problem of the failure to capture actual values of ecosystem services from watersheds and incorporate them in the national income accounting is profound in developing countries which are characterized with constrained budget for financing conservation programs. To resolve this problem attention has moved to market based instruments such as payment for watershed services (PWS). However, the approach to elicit the necessary information for PWS to kick off is still lacking. Furthermore, Ecohydrology, defined as an integrative sustainability science using the interactions between hydrology, biota and natural processes as management tools to reinforce ecosystem services on a broad range of landscapes (Zalewski, 2015) is a basis for the development and application of market-based approaches in watershed conservation. This study investigated small holder farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for watershed services in Pangani River Basin. A contingent valuation method was employed to elicit the willingness to pay for watershed conservation. A probit model was used to determine respondents’ response to WTP and factors conditioning the maximum amount they are WTP. Findings indicates that majority of respondents are willing to pay for watershed services. Similarly, result reveals that marital status, household size and distance from the water source positively influence smallholder farmers’ WTP and the maximum amount to be paid. Equally important occupation, household size, income from irrigation, and amount paid for irrigation were found to negatively influencing smallholder farmers’ WTP. The result also revealed that education level, total land size and yield from irrigated farm plot positively influence smallholder farmers’ WTP. These results therefore, indicate that establishment of PWS is feasible.