Influencing Smallholder Farmers Research Articles

Smallholder farmers’ awareness of biofuel crops in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

In this study, 157 smallholder farmers from the OR Tambo and Chris Hani district municipality in South Africa were purposively sampled to participate in a survey. The objective was to identify the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ awareness of biofuel crops. Using a binary logistic model, it was found that the variables: gender, household income, membership in association, land utilization and qualification were statistically significant in influencing farmers’ awareness of biofuel crops. Therefore, it is recommended that the South African government should identify the smallholder farmers targeted for the biofuel program by their social status, as pointed in this study. Keywords: awareness, binary model, biofuel industrial policy, energy, shared growth initiative, smallholder farmers. JEL Classification: Q1, Q2, Q4, Q5

Compliance with GLOBALGAP standards among smallholder pineapple farmers in Akuapem-South, Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the adherence, constraints and key factors associated with smallholder pineapple farmers’ compliance with Global working group for Good Agricultural Practice (GLOBALGAP) standards in the Akuapem-South Municipal area, Ghana. It utilizes the modeling of socio-economic, farm, market and institutional factors influencing smallholder farmers’ compliance with GLOBALGAP standards. This paper aims to enhance smallholder farmers’ compliance with food safety standards in particular GLOBALGAP so they can continue to participate in international food trade. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses mainly primary data solicited from 150 randomly selected smallholder farmers. Descriptive statistics are employed in estimating compliant farmers’ rate of adherence with standards requirements and identifying constraints of farmers while a probit regression model is used to determine the factors influencing GLOBALGAP compliance decision of farmers. Findings – Findings of the study show that compliant farmers’ rate of adherence with the standard is about 90 percent and this is below the minor musts compliance criteria of 95 percent. The results also indicate that lack of access to farm credits, high cost of farm inputs and high cost of labor are the major constraints to GLOBALGAP compliance. Factors found to positively influence farmers’ compliance decision are number of pineapple farms, access to off-farm income, access to market information and extension services. However, compliance is negatively influenced by age. Research limitations/implications – Majority of Ghanaian smallholder pineapple farmers are not GLOBALGAP certified. The study was limited to Akuapem-South because most farmers produce pineapple for the export market and are certified under the Option II GLOBALGAP group certification. Originality/value – This paper brings to bear issues confronting food safety standards compliance among smallholder farmers in developing countries, particularly Ghana.

Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers’ Climate Change Perceptions: A Study from Farmers in Ethiopia

Factors influencing climate change perceptions have vital roles in designing strategies to enrich climate change understanding. Despite this, factors that influence smallholder farmers' climate change perceptions have not yet been adequately studied. As many of the smallholder farmers live in regions where climate change is predicted to have the most negative impact, their climate change perception is of particular interest. In this study, based on data collected from Ethiopian smallholder farmers, we assessed farmers' perceptions and anticipations of past and future climate change. Furthermore, the factors influencing farmers' climate change perceptions and the relation between farmers' perceptions and available public climate information were assessed. Our findings revealed that a majority of respondents perceive warming temperatures and decreasing rainfall trends that correspond with the local meteorological record. Farmers' perceptions about the past climate did not always reflect their anticipations about the future. A substantial number of farmers' anticipations of future climate were less consistent with climate model projections. The recursive bivariate probit models employed to explore factors affecting different categories of climate change perceptions illustrate statistical significance for explanatory variables including location, gender, age, education, soil fertility status, climate change information, and access to credit services. The findings contribute to the literature by providing evidence not just on farmers' past climate perceptions but also on future climate anticipations. The identified factors help policy makers to provide targeted extension and advisory services to enrich climate change understanding and support appropriate farm-level climate change adaptations.

Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers Participation in IFAD-Community Based Agricultural and Rural Development Project in Katsina State

This study assessed smallholder farmers’ participation in IFAD-Community Based Agricultural and Rural Development Project in Katsina State. Data for the study were obtained by the use of structured questionnaire. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select the 698 respondents. In the first stage, a purposive sampling technique was used to select one village area that had the highest participating farmers out of the three village areas in each LGA. The second stage involved the use of systematic random sampling technique to select 12% of the population. This gave a total of three hundred and fourty nine (349) participating farmers from the twelve participating village areas. Also, 349 non-participating farmers were selected from neighbouring communities using systematic random sampling. Descriptive statistics and logit regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The result shows that 23% of the participating farmers were between the ages of 46-50 years and 91% were males. The result also shows that level of education with coefficient value of (-0.309), household size (-0.041), farm size (0.801), membership of cooperative (0.547) and extension contact (-0.283) were the factors influencing smallholder farmers participation in the project. The result further shows that inadequate capital, inadequate agricultural credits and inadequate storage facilities were the major constraints to participation in the programme. The study recommends that extension workers should assist farmers to form viable co-operatives associations and where they are in existence, efforts should be made to strengthen them for easy access to credit, farm inputs and markets for their agricultural products.

English

Output markets are key prerequisite for enhancing agriculture-based economic growth and increasing rural incomes. However majority of smallholder farmers rarely access output markets. The study determined factors influencing smallholder farmers in Yatta district to access output market based on data collected from 160 households. The data was disaggregated in terms of gender and age and analyzed using SPSS and STATA version 10. Descriptive results revealed a gender and age disparity in accessing output market. Tobit model result indicated that households with access to extension, credit, land, own means of transport, and are group members are more likely to access output market. The study recommends policy makers to formulate policies that promote group membership, improve physical infrastructure, and facilitate access to credit (for example free interest loan) as well as extension services especially to women and youths.   Key words: Output market, gender, diversification, age-group, disaggregation.

Market participation decision of smallholder farmers and its determinants in Bangladesh

This paper explores the market participation decision of smallholder farmers in Bangladesh and tries to sort out the most important factors that influence smallholder farmers' decision to participate in the output market to sell their produce in Bangladesh. To examine the relationship between the smallholder farmers' decision to participate in the market and the factors that affect these farmers' decision, a Probit regression model is employed. For this purpose this study uses primary data collected from 100 smallholder farmers of Durgapur Upazila under Rajshahi District. Main findings of this study indicate that there is moderate level of market participation by the households who decide to participate in the market with 57% sales of their produced crops. It is found that farm size, household labour, income from livestock and farm income might be the main factors that affect the smallholder farmers' decision to participate in the output market. These findings also suggest that the smallholder farmers would participate more and more in the output market, if farm size, household labour and farm income are increased in one hand and income from livestock is decreased on the other hand. The originality of this paper is that it examines the phenomenon of smallholder farmers' commercialization in Bangladesh from the perspectives of market participation, which may create an opportunity for further constructive debate. Finally, development market infrastructure, provision of marketing incentives to smallholder farmers and development of an institutionalized marketing information service are recommended to enhance commercialization of agriculture in Bangladesh.

Smallholder Farmer Perceptions on Climate Change and Variability: A Predisposition for their Subsequent Adaptation Strategies

Smallholder farmers are facing several climate-related challenges. Projected changes in climate are expected to aggravate the existing challenges. This study was conducted in Chiredzi district, Masvingo, Zimbabwe. The study objective was to examine farmer perceptions on climate variability, current adaptive strategies and establish factors influencing smallholder farmers’ adaptation to climate change. A survey was conducted with 100 randomly selected respondents from four wards. Additionally, data was collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The results showed that farmers perceived that there has been a decrease in annual rainfall and an increase in average temperatures. A linear trend analysis of rainfall and temperature data from 1980 to 2011 corroborated the farmers’ perceptions. Farmers’ adaptation options included adjusting planting dates and crop diversification. Off-farm income has reduced the dependence of the farmers on agriculture. A multinomial regression analysis showed that socioeconomic factors such as gender, age, number of cattle owned, land size and average crop yields influenced farmer adaptation strategies. The study concludes that although farmers are diverse in their socio-economic attributes, they exhibit homogeneous perceptions on changes in climate, which are consistent with observations of empirical climate data. These perceptions help to shape smallholder farmer coping and adaptation strategies.

Smallholder Farmers’ Decision and Level of Participation in the Potato Market in Uganda

Smallholder potato farmers in Uganda face many production and marketing challenges including limited access to markets and low surpluses for sale into the market. This study sought to underscore the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ decision to participate in the potato market and level of participation in such markets. Data were collected from 200 smallholder potato farmers in Kabale and Mbale districts. Descriptive statistics and a two-stage Heckman model were used to analyse the data. Results indicated that proximity to a village market positively and significantly (p ≤ 0.05) influenced decision to participate in the potato market. Results of the second stage of the model indicated that non-farm income earned negatively and significantly (p ≤ 0.01) affected the potato farmer’s level of market participation.

Socio-economic constraints to adoption of yield improving tea farming technologies: A study of small holder tea farmers affiliated to estates in Nandi Hills, Kenya

Tea farming technical packages tailored to improve productivity have been developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya and availed to farmers for adoption where the estate subsector has demonstrated that these packages can double the current small holder tea production of 1,800 kg made tea per hectare. Despite this potential, there exists an alarmingly low uptake of these technologies by small holder tea farmers which points to significant gaps in the current tea sector policies and technology transfer worth exploring in the small holder tea sector. Lack of knowledge on socio-economic factors that constrain the adoption of these packages by smallholder tea farmers could be the cause of the wide gap that exist on the rate of adoption within the estate and small holder tea sub sectors. This is clearly demonstrated by low productivity in the latter over the years. Understanding these factors may provide explanations to the low adoption rates, which in turn could be used to formulate policies and offer research recommendations. This study is aimed at estimating how socio economic factors influence smallholder farmers’ decision to adopt the available tea farming technologies. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were employed with socio-economic factors as independent variables being regressed against the dependent variable of recommended yield improving tea farming technology in the Logistic Regression Model. The study was carried out among smallholder tea farmers affiliated to estates in the Nandi hills tea growing zone in Kenya. A questionnaire was randomly administered to 190 smallholder tea farmers who supplied green leaf to estate factories. The results generally showed that although, 99% of small holders grow potentially high yielding TN14/3 and C12 tea varieties, they do not apply the recommended practices needed to maximize the potential of these varieties. Only 45.8% of the small holder farmers were found to use the technologies. The logistic model analysis of the survey data showed that head gender, benefits awareness, costs awareness, and extension services significantly affected adoption. The implied significance on extension contact could be explained by lack of information on these packages among smallholder farmers who may be willing to adopt the technology. Policies that focus on transfer of information and reduction in cost of production based on these packages to smallholder farmers may help to boost the adoption. The evidence from the study also suggests that management skills seem to be lacking among the tea farmers in Nandi hills and calls for its inclusion in the training package. An organization to specifically represent the interests of estate smallholders would also be welcomed and useful.

Smallholder farmers’ perceptions on Bt maize and their relative influence towards its adoption: The case of Mqanduli communal area, South Africa

Lack of knowledge on the influence of perception based socio-economic factors capable of influencing smallholder farmers to adopt biotechnology has often been cited as a crucial policy gap. This scenario has been attributed to the retardation of the advancement of technology to smallholder farmers. Effectively, a widening gap seems to exist between large and smallholder farmers on the adoption rate of biotechnology, to the disadvantage of the latter. Low adoption rate of Bt maize by smallholder farmers amid multiple benefits from this technology presents a significant gap in literature and policy worth exploring. Understanding smallholder farmers’ perceptions on biotechnology and the relative influence of these perceptions towards adoption of Bt maize may be necessary in providing answers to the slow adoption rate, which could be used to model corrective policy prescriptions. Using a Binary Logistic Regression Model, fourteen predictor independent variables were regressed against the dichotomous dependent variable of Bt maize adoption status of households. The goal was to estimate the manipulative power of smallholder perception based factors that may influence households’ decision to adopt Bt maize. Results suggests that, the elimination of problems encountered in conventional agriculture, easy farm management, reduction in agricultural chemicals, improvement in overall quality and nutritional values of products possible with Bt maize, labelling of Genetically Modified foods and availability of information, were significant perceptions shared by farmers, capable of positively influencing adoption of Bt maize by smallholder farmers. Moreover, the feared technological fees, yearly purchase cost of Bt maize seed and restriction on saving Bt maize seed as returned seed, seem to be insignificant to send a disincentive signal to hinder adoption of Bt maize by smallholder farmers. Effectively, results further suggest that benefits attached may far outweigh the intrinsic costs associated. The implied message centres on lack of information on biotechnology among smallholder farmers who have shown that they may adopt the technology. Hence, policy prescriptions that focus on strategic dissemination of biotechnology information to smallholder farmers may help in the advancement of biotechnology to smallholder farmers. Key words: Smallholder perceptions, biotechnology adoption Bt maize, binary logistic regression.

Valuation of cow attributes by conjoint analysis: A case study of Western Kenya

Better dairy production could reduce poverty and improve nutrition in western Kenya, but the requisite technologies have not been widely adopted. This study collected dairy cow attributes from 630 households to evaluate what factors influence smallholder farmers to adopt technologies. Conjoint analysis was used to compute the marginal rate of substitution between attributes, marginal willingness to pay, and marginal willingness to accept. Two ethnic groups had the highest willingness to pay for cattle with a high milk yield and low feed requirement. The highest marginal rate of substitution for cattle with a high disease resistance and a low feed requirement was from households with off-farm income, from areas with a good agro-climate, and from areas where cattle had cultural functions. The results suggest that farmers are more likely to choose cross-bred than high grade cows, and that extension services have little effect on their adoption of dairy technology. Kenya’s breed policy and infrastructure may need to be revised to reflect farmers’ needs.

Use of wealth ranking to analyse factors influencing smallholder farmers' market participation in northern Mozambique

This study analysed factors influencing smallholders' market participation, using wealth-ranking factors. Two hypotheses were tested: that (1) wealth status and (2) wealth-ranking factors are positively related to market participation. Significant and positive relationships were found between wealth-ranking factors (labour, number of livestock, implements, bicycles, food availability, area of land cultivated and crops sold) and wealth status. Wealth status and wealth-ranking factors were positively and significantly correlated with the number of different kinds of cash crops sold. However, household characteristics not indicated as wealth-ranking factors, such as age, gender and literacy level, related insignificantly to market participation. Labour was the most important wealth-ranking factor explaining market participation. This analytical tool can be used to assess the wealth-ranking factors that influence market participation. It can help identify strategies for improving this participation and may also be used to assess the way a cash crop development project affects a household's wealth status. 1Respectively, Professor and Head of Discipline of Community Resources, School of Agricultural Sciences and Agribusiness, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg; Agricultural Manager, World Relief International; Lecturer, Rural Resource Management; and Professor, Applied Plant Sciences, School of Agricultural Sciences and Agribusiness, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. The authors gratefully acknowledge the co-operation of the farmers, the João Ferreira dos Santos Company, German Agro Action, OXFAM and Acção Cristã Interdenominacianal da Saúde. The authors also express gratitude to World Relief International and the Swedish International Development Agency in Mozambique for making available the WR-SempreVerde facilities to collect the data used in this study.

A stall‐feeding management for improved cattle in semiarid central Tanzania: factors influencing adoption

AbstractThis study's objectives were to determine factors influencing smallholder farmers' adoption of a stall‐feeding management system for improved dairy cattle in semiarid Tanzania and other related technology packages, Heckman's two‐stage procedure was used to determine factors influencing participation in the project and the adoption of recommended management practices. Stall‐feeding technology is Jocularly attractive to those households with fewer resources particularly those that are female headed. Wealthier farmers, as measured by area of land cultivated, are less likely to adopt the stall‐feeding technology. Household labour is found to be important in determining the degree to Which the technology and associated management practices were adopted. Age of the household head has a positive impact on the size of the Intensive feed gardens. Different measures of extension‐related contact are significant in influencing the potential lor adopting stall‐fed technology, the number of stall‐fed cattle kept, the probability of growing water melons, and the size of intensive feed gardens. The implications are that research and extension messages with reference to the stall‐feeding management system need to be targeted to specific types of households (e.g., female farmers, those with children to provide labor, and limited resource farms). This supports the notion that technology development and dissemination need to be sensitive not only to the characteristics of the biophysical environment but also to the socioeconomic environment, which is often neglected. The study also demonstrates that in the poorer parts of the world where land is very limited, a strategy for improving ecological sustainability can be linked closely to one for increasing agricultural productivity.

A stall-feeding management for improved cattle in semiarid central Tanzania: factors influencing adoption

Abstract This study's objectives were to determine factors influencing smallholder farmers' adoption of a stall-feeding management system for improved dairy cattle in semiarid Tanzania and other related technology packages. Heckman's two-stage procedure was used to determine factors influencing participation in the project and the adoption of recommended management practices. Stall-feeding technology is particularly attractive to those households with fewer resources particularly those that are female headed. Wealthier farmers, as measured by area of land cultivated, are less likely to adopt the stall-feeding technology. Household labour is found to be important in determining the degree to which the technology and associated management practices were adopted. Age of the household head has a positive impact on the size of the intensive feed gardens. Different measures of extension-related contact are significant in influencing the potential for adopting stall-fed technology, the number of stall-fed cattle kept, the probability of growing water melons, and the size of intensive feed gardens. The implications are that research and extension messages with reference to the stall-feeding management system need to be targeted to specific types of households (e.g., female farmers, those with children to provide labor, and limited resource farms). This supports the notion that technology development and dissemination need to be sensitive not only to the characteristics of the biophysical environment but also to the socioeconomic environment, which is often neglected. The study also demonstrates that in the poorer parts of the world where land is very limited, a strategy for improving ecological sustainability can be linked closely to one for increasing agricultural productivity.

Irrational Behavior and Economic Theory

Irrational Behavior and Economic Theory