Agricultural Interventions Research Articles

Gender and Legume Production in a Changing Climate Context: Experiences from Chipata, Eastern Zambia

This study explored legume production by female and men smallholder farmers in Chipata, in a changing climate context. The study objectives were to (i) find out how men and women smallholder legume farmers in Chipata understand climate variability, (ii) investigate how climate variability affects smallholder legume farmers and (iii) identify the different challenges faced by womenfemale and men legume farmers in Chipata. Interviews were conducted with 86 male and 86 female legume farmers selected using stratified random sampling. Purposive sampling was used to select nine key informants and focus group discussants. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis, while quantitative data were analysed through statistical tests. About half the men and women perceived that climate change in Chipata manifested through a shorter rainy season, late start of rainy season, intra-seasonal droughts and heavy downpours. Some men (34.9%) and women (23.3%) reported that heavy downpours caused common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) flowers to drop off. About 41% of the men farmers interviewed and 23.3% of the women reported witch weed (Striga asiaticapa) on their groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea) fields after periods of heavy rainfall. The men discussants complained that soya bean (Glycine max) fields became waterlogged after prolonged heavy rains, which delayed weeding. Women farmers had challenges accessing hybrid legume seed, inoculants and marketing legumes. Men’s challenges were low market prices for soya beans. The study recommends agricultural interventions should focus on climate-smart legume seed multiplication and certification among legume farmers and promotion of local seed-sharing networks to enhance seed diversity.

Effectiveness and upscaling potential of climate smart agriculture interventions: Farmers' participatory prioritization and livelihood indicators as its determinants

CONTEXTAdaptation to climate change is crucial to achieve food security and sustainable agricultural development. United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on climate action urges to combat climate change impacts that are more pronounced in developing countries and on marginal & small farmers. Climate smart agriculture (CSA) that jointly addresses food security and sustainable agriculture systems has been emphasized, still adoption of CSA practices is low demanding a framework for location specific identification, prioritization and upscaling of CSA interventions. OBJECTIVEPresent study is contemplated to prioritize and upscale climate smart agriculture interventions in climatically vulnerable coastal and non-coastal ecosystems based on perceived effectiveness and upscaling potential by farmers. It also attempts to delineate the livelihood indicators of farmers influencing perceived effectiveness of CSA and its upscaling potential. METHODSFarmers' participatory framework to prioritize CSA interventions in most climatically vulnerable coastal and non-coastal ecosystems of India, where National Innovations on Climate Resilience Agriculture (NICRA) programme of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has been implemented. Farmers have prioritized CSA interventions on the basis of four pillars of CSA giving maximum weightage to income followed by productivity, resilience, and mitigation in both coastal and non-coastal regions. While judging upscaling potential of CSA interventions, coastal district farmers have given highest weightage to technical feasibility followed by synergy with Govt. plans, cost of technology and gender inclusivity; contrastingly, highest weightage is given to cost of technology followed by gender inclusivity, technical feasibility and synergy with Govt. plans by the farmers of non-coastal district. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSMicro level stratifications of dominant livelihoods and their differential preferences for CSA interventions (like scientific technology, institutional innovations, indigenous technical knowledge and information & communication technologies interventions) are unraveled. Climate smart agricultural production technologies prioritized are mainly resistant crop varieties & livestock breeds, intercropping, water management and vaccination of livestock; farmers have also preferred adaptation through indigenous technical knowledge to build resilience. However, adequate institutional infrastructures and use of ICTs are less than sufficient which needs strengthening. The major determinants of CSA effectiveness and upscaling potential in terms of farm livelihood indicators are revealed through multiple regression and path analyses. SIGNIFICANCEThis approach would be helpful for future policy advocacy to prioritize and upscale location specific CSA interventions so as to insulate farmers better from the climatic adversities in similar ecosystems of other developing countries.

Factors influencing the sustainability of homestead vegetable production intervention in Rufiji, Tanzania: A cross-sectional mixed methods study.

There is growing evidence that home vegetable gardening interventions improve food security and nutrition outcomes at the family level. Sustainability of many of these community interventions remain a challenge. This study assessed factors influencing the sustainability of homestead vegetable production intervention in Rufiji district, Tanzania, one year after the cessation of external support. This was a community based cross-sectional study using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. A total of 247 randomly selected women from households who participated in the homestead vegetable intervention were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The study held four focus group discussions with women from households that participated in the intervention, and four In-Depth interviews with two extension workers, one community health worker, and one agriculture district officer. Multiple logistic regression for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data was conducted. About 20.24% (50/247) of households sustained homestead vegetable production for one year after the intervention phased out. Shortage of seeds (adjusted odds ratio = 0.65: CI = 0.46-0.93, p-value 0.018) and either manure or fertilizers (adjusted odds ratio = 1.62: CI = 1.04-2.46, p-value 0.031) were significant factors influencing the sustainability of homesteads vegetable production. In the Focus Group discussions (FGDs) and In-Depth Interview (IDIs), all participating women and extension workers reported high cost of water, destruction from free-grazing animals, agriculture pests and diseases, poor soil fertility, shortage of seeds, and lack of capital affected homestead vegetable production sustainability. Existing individual, community, and system challenges influence the sustainability of external-funded agriculture and nutrition interventions. The study findings underscore the importance of community authorities, scientists, and policymakers in having a well-thought sustainability plan in all promising external-funded interventions.

Socio-economic vulnerability assessment of shifting cultivators (Jhumias) amidst the changing climate in Mizoram, northeast India

This study utilizes household data to examine the Jhumias susceptibility to the changing climate by using the lens of socio-economic vulnerability framework. 150 households spread across 6 villages were surveyed to understand association between Jhumias and their physical and social surroundings. The data was comprehensively consolidated and scrutinized to assess the vulnerability. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) was used to select and group the indicators. Varimax rotation was executed on all selected indicators and factors with eigenvalue >1 was incorporated for weight assignment. Results revealed that Muallungthu was socio-economically the most vulnerable village while the least vulnerable village was Chhungte. Households which fall short to adopt any adaptation strategies to the impacts of climate change were most vulnerable. Exposure to natural hazards was the basic indicator of climate change in the region and the sole dependence on agriculture made the households highly sensitive to climate variability. With the aim to improve the economic status of Jhumias, Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) interventions were advocated for climate resilient approach in Jhum. The study calls for policy makers and development planners to invest in education and rural income diversification. Effort should be made to assess the effect of previous disasters and hazard events so as to come up with obligatory preventive measures and consequently emphasize in adopting new measures for households to make them less vulnerable henceforth.

Determinants of smallholder farmers' membership in co-operative societies: evidence from rural Kenya

PurposeDespite the potential for co-operatives to improve smallholder farmers' livelihoods, membership in the co-operatives is low. This study examines factors that influence smallholder farmers' decisions to join agricultural co-operatives.Design/methodology/approachThis study involved a survey of 1,274 smallholder chicken farmers. The data were analysed through a two-sample t-test of association, Pearson's Chi-square test and binary probit regression model.FindingsThe results suggest that farming as the main source of income, owning a chicken house, education attainment, attending training or accessing information, vaccination of goats and keeping a larger herd of goats are the key factors which significantly influence co-operative membership. However, gender, age, household size, distance to the nearest agrovet, vaccinating chicken and the number of chickens kept do not influence co-operative membership.Research limitations/implicationsThe survey did not capture data on some variables which have been shown to influence co-operative membership. Nevertheless, the results show key explanatory variables which influence membership in co-operatives.Practical implicationsThese findings have implications for development agencies that seek to use co-operatives for agricultural development and improvement of smallholder farmers' livelihoods. The agencies can use the results to initiate interventions relevant for different types of smallholder farmers through co-operatives.Originality/valueThis study highlights the influence of smallholder farmers' financial investments in farming and the extent of commercialisation on co-operative membership. Due to low membership in co-operatives, recognising the heterogeneity of smallholder farmers is the key in agricultural development interventions through co-operative membership.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-03-2022-0165.

Complex agricultural landscapes host more biodiversity than simple ones: A global meta-analysis

Managing agricultural landscapes to support biodiversity conservation requires profound structural changes worldwide. Often, discussions are centered on management at the field level. However, a wide and growing body of evidence calls for zooming out and targeting agricultural policies, research, and interventions at the landscape level to halt and reverse the decline in biodiversity, increase biodiversity-mediated ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes, and improve the resilience and adaptability of these ecosystems. We conducted the most comprehensive assessment to date on landscape complexity effects on nondomesticated terrestrial biodiversity through a meta-analysis of 1,134 effect sizes from 157 peer-reviewed articles. Increasing landscape complexity through changes in composition, configuration, or heterogeneity significatively and positively affects biodiversity. More complex landscapes host more biodiversity (richness, abundance, and evenness) with potential benefits to sustainable agricultural production and conservation, and effects are likely underestimated. The few articles that assessed the combined contribution of linear (e.g., hedgerows) and areal (e.g., woodlots) elements resulted in a near-doubling of the effect sizes (i.e., biodiversity level) compared to the dominant number of studies measuring these elements separately. Similarly, positive effects on biodiversity are stronger in articles monitoring biodiversity for at least 2 y compared to the dominant 1-y monitoring efforts. Besides, positive and stronger effects exist when monitoring occurs in nonoverlapping landscapes, highlighting the need for long-term and robustly designed monitoring efforts. Living in harmony with nature will require shifting paradigms toward valuing and promoting multifunctional agriculture at the farm and landscape levels with a research agenda that untangles complex agricultural landscapes' contributions to people and nature under current and future conditions.

Nutritional Parameters, Biomass Production, and Antioxidant Activity of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. Conditioned with Selenium Nanoparticles.

Festuca arundinacea Schreb. is a widely used type of forage due to its great ecological breadth and adaptability. An agricultural intervention that improves the selenium content in cultivated plants has been defined as bio-fortification, a complementary strategy to improve human and non-human animals’ nutrition. The advancement of science has led to an increased number of studies based on nanotechnologies, such as the development of nanoparticles (NPs) and their application in crop plants. Studies show that NPs have different physicochemical properties compared to bulk materials. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the behavior of F. arundinacea Schreb. plants cultivated with Se nanoparticles, (2) to identify the specific behavior of the agronomic and productive variables of the F. arundinacea Schreb. plants, and (3) to quantify the production and quality of the forage produced from the plant (the bioactive compounds’ concentrations, antioxidant activity, and the concentration of selenium). Three different treatments of SeNPs were established (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 mg/mL). The effects of a foliar fertilization with SeNPs on the morphological parameters such as the root size, plant height, and biomass production were recorded, as well as the effects on the physicochemical parameters such as the crude protein (CP), lipids (L), crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), carbohydrates (CH), the content of total phenols, total flavonoids, tannins, quantification of selenium and antioxidant activity 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between treatments in all the response variables. The best results were obtained with foliar application treatments with 3.0 and 4.5 mg/mL with respect to the root size (12.79 and 15.59 cm) and plant height (26.18 and 29.34 cm). The F. arundinacea Schreb. plants fertilized with 4.5 mg/L had selenium contents of 0.3215, 0.3191, and 0.3218 mg/Kg MS; total phenols of 249.56, 280.02, and 274 mg EAG/100 g DM; and total flavonoids of 63.56, 64.96, and 61.16 mg QE/100 g DM. The foliar biofortified treatment with a concentration of 4.5 mg/mL Se NPs had the highest antioxidant capacities (284.26, 278.35, and 289.96 mg/AAE/100 g).

Spatio-temporal rainfall variability and its linkage with large scale climate oscillations over the Republic of South Sudan

Climate change has distorted the rainfall spatio-temporal distribution. Therefore, understanding the spatio-temporal rainfall variation and its causes at meso and micro-level could provide insight for the water and agricultural development interventions. This article examines the spatio-temporal rainfall variability and driving factors in connection with large scale global oscillation. CHIRPS rainfall and NCEP/NCAR wind fields data from 1981 to 2019 were used. Rotaed Emperical Ortogonal Function (REOF) was employed to investigate spatio-temporal rainfall variability. Large scale moisture transport was studied using lower (1000–850 hPa), middle (600–500 hpa), and upper (300–100 hPa) level wind fields. The result reveals that in South Sudan rainfall dominant variance regions were not uniform across seasons. Northern, Southcentral, and Southeastern tip regions were the top three dominant variance regions which explain around 30 %, 25 % and 17 % of the total variation in REOF1, REOF2, and REOF3 during the spring season respectively. Likewise, during the summer season the dominant variance REOF1 (28 %), REOF2 (24 %), and REOF3 (9 %) was observed in South-east, West, and, North-west, whereas; the autumn dominant variance in North-west, North-east, and South-east explain about REOF1 (22.6 %), REOF2 (19.9 %), and REOF3 (16.7 %) of the total variation respectively. The alternative wet and dry years were causing drought and flooding in the study sites. Low-level southeasterly winds from India and over the equator from the Atlantic Ocean carry rain-bearing moisture to South Sudan. The winds converge and convection is triggered by African Easterly and Tropical Easterly jet favors convection during the summer and spring seasons. Sea Surface temperature shows a positive and negative correlation with rainfall variability. Rainfall spatio-temporal assessment is crucial for water resource management, agricultural productivity, and climate change mitigation.

Growing and Learning Together in Fostering Multisectoral Participation for Sustaining Interventions: Lessons from 3 Successive Integrated Multidisciplinary Interventions in Rural Ghana

ABSTRACTDespite the recognition of nutrition as a multisectoral development issue, institutional silos persist as barriers to addressing community nutrition challenges effectively and sustainably. Over the past 2 decades, 3 integrated agriculture, livelihood, nutrition, and health interventions have been implemented in rural communities across Ghana, aimed at nurturing multisectoral collaborations to enhance institutional capacity, women's empowerment, children's diets and nutritional status, and general household well-being. Using information from published articles on the interventions, workshop reports, informal institutional engagements, and field notes, insights are presented on the efforts to garner multisectoral participation to sustain these interventions. Challenges and opportunities encountered in the process of growing and learning together relative to overcoming institutional cultures, building trust, empathizing with partners’ institutional challenges, making collective decisions, and building common ownership and accountability are explored. Fostering effective multisectoral participation is a dynamic process of continuous learning.

The Association of Women's Participation in Farmer-Based Organizations with Female and Male Empowerment and its Implication for Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Interventions in Rural Ghana

ABSTRACTBackgroundFew studies have examined the influence of women's participation in farmer groups on female and male empowerment, which is considered essential to improving nutrition.ObjectivesThe study aimed to 1) assess the empowerment of Ghanaian women farmers, 1 adult male family decision-maker per household, and the household gender equality; and 2) investigate the relation of empowerment and household gender equality with women's participation in farmer-based organizations (FBOs), women's and men's nutritional status, and household food security.MethodsA cross-sectional study investigated secondary outcomes using baseline data from a nutrition-sensitive agriculture intervention implemented through FBOs in rural Ghana. Existing FBOs in 8 communities were selected based on 6 criteria (e.g., participation level, readiness to change). Female FBO (n = 166) and non-FBO (n = 164) members together with a male family member (n = 205) provided data on individual and household characteristics; empowerment was measured across 11 indicators with the project-level Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index. Generalized linear mixed models tested the associations of empowerment and household gender equality with FBO membership, nutritional status, and household food security.ResultsWomen's FBO membership was associated with an increased likelihood of women's empowerment [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.25; 95% CI: 1.97, 5.33] and household gender parity (aOR: 2.82; 95% CI: 1.39, 5.84) but not men's empowerment. Household food insecurity, but not nutritional status, was positively associated with women's FBO participation and individual empowerment indicators (financial services). Food insecurity was negatively associated with the women's empowerment indicator related to attitudes about domestic violence [adjusted β coefficient (aβ): −0.78; 95% CI: −1.35, −0.21] and men's overall empowerment (aβ: −0.79; 95% CI: −1.58, −0.01).ConclusionsUnderstanding the complexity in which FBO participation, empowerment, nutritional status, and food security are linked is critical in designing interventions that promote gender equality and improved nutrition.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03869853.

Improving Dietary Patterns to Combat Malnutrition in Rural Rwanda Using Small-Scale Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture: A Mixed-Methods Community Level Study

Describe how collaborative community-based nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions have the potential to increase household diet diversity, which may encourage sustained change in dietary patterns for nutritional adequacy.

Everything Stays the Same while Everything Changes

Everything Stays the Same while Everything Changes

Characterizing Agricultural Diversity with Policy-Relevant Farm Typologies in Mexico

The effective targeting of agricultural policy interventions across heterogenous agricultural landscapes requires an integrated understanding of farm diversity. One pathway to this understanding is through farm typologies—classification systems that synthesize farm complexity into a limited number of ‘types’. Farm typologies are typically constructed at local or regional levels and seldom demonstrate policy relevance through example. This study has two objectives: (1) to construct a policy-relevant farm typology that characterizes agricultural diversity in Mexico, and (2) to demonstrate, through case study example, how the typology could be used to target policy interventions. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster (HAC) analysis is used to group municipalities (n = 2455) based on farm characteristics (n = 10) and cropping patterns (n = 10). Two clustering solutions were chosen based on statistical goodness-of-fit measures and topical relevance. The first set of clusters (Typology A) grouped municipalities into one of three types: (A1) southern lowland farms, (A2) northern midland farms, and (A3) southern-central highland farms. The second (Typology B) grouped municipalities into 12 sub-types illustrating lower-order distinctions. Each typology was described, validated, and mapped at the national level. The typologies were then used to illustrate the targeting soil erosion interventions across Mexico. Here, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was used to examine relationships between the typologies and two priority targeting criteria. Farms of the southern lowland region (Type A1) and two of its subtypes (B1 and B12) were identified as priority areas for interventions. In sum, this study: (1) creates a series of new, typology-based conceptualizations of regional agricultural diversity in Mexico, and (2) demonstrates how such typologies can serve as actionable tools for agricultural policy.

Does Adoption of Biofortification Increase Return on Investment? Evidence from Wheat Farmers in China

Biofortification is a new agricultural intervention to alleviate hidden hunger in China and even the world. Exploring the impact of farmers′ adoption of biofortification on return on investment (ROI), which is calculated from farmers′ production net income and profitability, can provide empirical support for the development of sustainable agriculture. This paper examines the impact of the adoption of biofortification on ROI using cross-sectional data from a survey of farmers in China. An endogenous switching regression model that accounts for selection bias was used in the research. The empirical results revealed that the adoption of biofortification has a positive and statistically significant impact on ROI. A heterogeneity analysis also revealed that comparatively high annual income adopters and female adopters tend to benefit more from the adoption of biofortification than middle- and low-income adopters and male adopters.

Population status, habitat preference and distribution of Bristled Grassbird Chaetornis striata in Bangladesh

Summary The little-known Bristled Grassbird Chaetornis striata is thought to be declining due to the loss of grassland habitats throughout its range, and is currently classified as globally ‘Vulnerable’. In order to investigate the current status and possible causes of the presumed decline, we assessed population density of Bristled Grassbird in Padma and Jamuna river systems of Bangladesh. The study was conducted during the breeding seasons of the Bristled Grassbird in April and May in 2016–2019, using distance sampling and habitat suitability modelling. We also examined habitat preferences and responses to environmental changes based on vegetation structure and habitat modifications at point count locations. We detected a total of 39 birds with a mean group size of 1.44 individuals. We estimated 4.52 (95% CI: 2.65–7.73) individuals per km2 with an encounter rate of 1.48 detections per point count station and 341.15 birds within the study area. Our habitat suitability model projected a total of 167.41 km2 of suitable habitat and a total of 756.7 birds in floodplain grasslands of Padma and Jamuna river systems. The Bristled Grassbird was positively associated with grass height and grass density with 92.31% of 39 detections at Saccharum spontaneum dominated grasslands. We did not find a significant effect on Bristled Grassbird detections with increasing human activities, although the detection rate decreased linearly with increasing agricultural intervention and grass harvesting. These findings indicate that the Bristled Grassbird is more widely distributed throughout Bangladesh, and may be less vulnerable to grassland modifications, than previously thought.

Regional nitrogen resilience as distance-to-target approach in LCA of crop production systems

Agricultural production systems are highly dependent on nitrogen (N) inputs. According to assessments following the concept of Planetary Boundaries (PB), global limits for N cycles are already exceeded. However, regional thresholds and resiliencies may vary as N compounds have implications on different spatial scales, for instance, eutrophication or acidification on the regional level. Regional N management activities may influence these environmental impacts. Thus, regional N resiliencies must be considered when assessing agricultural systems with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This paper provides an approach for integrating regional N resilience as distance-to-target in assessing crop production systems. Therefore, regional carrying-capacity based normalisation references were developed integrating N-related thresholds for agricultural intervention based on the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) framework. In addition, regional background interventions of non-crop production sectors were taken into account to comprehensively assess the regional environmental performances of cropping systems. Moreover, regionalisation effects were assessed applying spatially differentiated characterisation factors. The approach is applied to a case study for two different NUTS-3 regions in Germany, including different N management scenarios. The results showed a high influence of the integrated background intervention and regional characterisation on the environmental performances of the cropping systems. N resiliencies were exceeded for all regions, when assuming high yield scenarios, for both eutrophication and acidification impacts. Finally, we present the first proof for application as additional decision support for regional stakeholders regarding N management strategies. For further development and improvement, future research should include investigations of different NUTS-3 regions, N management scenarios and emission reduction levels for background interventions.

Risk, uncertainty, crises management and public intervention in agriculture

Climate variability and extremes, socio-economic conditions, crisis and market shocks are among the main factors determining risk in the agricultural sector. Drought, heat stress, flood, market volatility among the others, have caused heavy losses in the recent past and both the occurrence and intensity of these extremes are expected to increase in the coming decades. Emerging and re-emerging diseases represent a serious concern for the future of agriculture. Here, we provide a synthetic overview of the theoretical framework that could lead public intervention in this specific field and discuss measures that have been taken to reduce economic losses for Italian farmers. We also tried to highlight the difference between risk and uncertainty that in a new global scenario will substantially characterize the reliability of empirical analyses in this complex research field.

Nanotechnological Interventions in Agriculture.

Agriculture is an important sector that plays an important role in providing food to both humans and animals. In addition, this sector plays an important role in the world economy. Changes in climatic conditions and biotic and abiotic stresses cause significant damage to agricultural production around the world. Therefore, the development of sustainable agricultural techniques is becoming increasingly important keeping in view the growing population and its demands. Nanotechnology provides important tools to different industrial sectors, and nowadays, the use of nanotechnology is focused on achieving a sustainable agricultural system. Great attention has been given to the development and optimization of nanomaterials and their application in the agriculture sector to improve plant growth and development, plant health and protection and overall performance in terms of morphological and physiological activities. The present communication provides up-to-date information on nanotechnological interventions in the agriculture sector. The present review deals with nanoparticles, their types and the role of nanotechnology in plant growth, development, pathogen detection and crop protection, its role in the delivery of genetic material, plant growth regulators and agrochemicals and its role in genetic engineering. Moreover, the role of nanotechnology in stress management is also discussed. Our aim in this review is to aid researchers to learn quickly how to use plant nanotechnology for improving agricultural production.

Maize Farmer Partnership Sustainability Study in the Post Arisa Project (Applied Research and Innovation System in Agriculture) in Kayangan District, North Lombok Regency

The University of Mataram is coordinating the ARISA Corn (Applied Research and Innovation System in Agriculture) Intervention Project, which includes partners such as Bank NTB Syariah, PT. Syngenta, the Department of Agriculture, Retailer of Subsidized Fertilizers, and buyers of produce have exceeded their target of increasing 30% in revenue. The purpose of this study consisted of a general objective, namely to analyze the sustainability of the ARISA partnership project in the village of Gumantar, Kayangan District, North Lombok Regency and a specific purpose to analyze the sustainability of the partnership of corn farmers who carried out the ARISA project in the village of Kayangan District, North Lombok Regency. This study uses descriptive methods and data collection techniques with survey techniques. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling (deliberately) with the consideration that only 1 of these villages participated in the ARISA project at the beginning of the project. The technique of determining respondents using proportional sampling was determined by 15 respondents because only the corn farmers participated in the ARISA project from the beginning to the end of the project. The data analysis used is qualitative descriptive analysis. The results show that the sustainability of the partnership in the ARISA project is still ongoing even though the program has ended in 2018. The partnership between farmers and Unram does not continue in terms of the application of technology. The partnership with Bank NTB Syariah through the application of people's business credit applications and purchasing inputs according to recommendations with new suppliers is still ongoing. Field agricultural extension staff manage and coordinate fertilizer distribution with RDKK and merchants. The collaboration with yield buyers continues with new purchasers.

Effectiveness of an integrated agriculture, nutrition-specific, and nutrition-sensitive program on child growth in Western Kenya: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACTBackgroundStunting rates remain unacceptably high in many regions, including sub-Saharan Africa. Agricultural programs have led to increased yields and household incomes but showed limited success in improving nutritional status.ObjectivesWe assessed whether linear growth could be improved through a potentially scalable, integrated program adding nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive components to an existing agricultural program.MethodsIn this cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Western Kenya, we randomized children aged 6–35 months from farming families to an agricultural intervention without (control group) or with a bundle of interventions (intervention group), including distribution of micronutrient powders (MNP), poultry to increase egg consumption, seeds of greens and onions, and soap and chlorine solution, as well as provision of monthly behavior change trainings. The primary outcome was the change in height-for-age z-score (HAZ) over 2 years of follow-up. We assessed safety through active morbidity and passive adverse event monitoring. We conducted an intention-to-treat analysis, followed by per-protocol and prespecified subgroup analyses.ResultsFrom March to April 2018, we enrolled 1927 children from 126 clusters (control, 942 children in 63 clusters; intervention, 985 children in 63 clusters). Data on HAZ were available for 1672 (86.6%) children after 2 years. Adherence was >80% for use of MNP, chlorine, and greens and receipt of soap, and ∼40% for egg and red onion consumption. The intention-to-treat analysis indicated a greater change in HAZ over 2 years in the intervention group (adjusted effect size, 0.11; 95% CI: 0.02–0.19). We found a slightly stronger effect in the per-protocol analysis (adjusted effect size, 0.15; 95% CI: 0.06–0.24). Dietary diversity and consumption of iron-rich foods were improved in the intervention group, and reported instances of fever, lower respiratory tract infections, and diarrheal episodes were lower in the intervention group.ConclusionsThis study found a modest improvement in linear growth, indicating the need for multiple, integrated interventions to achieve benefits. The trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03448484.