Farmland Size Research Articles

Factors Influencing Farmers’ Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture Practices in the Case of Ilu Aba Bora Zone, South West Ethiopia

To overcome the challenges of climate change, this study was intended to identify factors that affect the farmers’ adoption of CSA in the Ilu Aba Bora Zone of Southwest Ethiopia across varying agro-ecological zones. A mixed research design was used for this study. During this study, representative districts (Bure, Hurumu, and Nono Sale) were selected purposely based on their differences in agro-ecology, while rural kebeles and respondents were selected randomly from the districts to minimize the biases of the data. Data collection tools employed were a questionnaire, KKI, FGD, and field observations. A binomial logistic regression model was used to identify the interaction of response and explanatory variables and to draw a conclusion. The findings of this study revealed the majority (63.1%) of farmers did not have an understanding of the meaning, function, and goals of CSA practices. Existing CSA options in the study area were conservation agriculture, crop diversification, agro-forestry, early warning system, livelihood diversification, and improved livestock feed, which were practiced at different levels and by a few households. In particular, the early warning system and improved livestock feed were the least implemented CSA options, whereas livelihood diversification, conservation agriculture, and agro-forestry were the highly adopted practices in the area. Independent variables including on-farm income, farming experience, weather information, agro-ecology, farm land size, age, extension service, marital status, and off-farm income were the factors significantly affecting the adoption of CSA practices in the study area. Experts, governments, and nongovernmental organizations should improve farmers’ awareness of the benefits of CSA practices in ensuring food security, climate mitigation and adaptation through training and capacity building. The result of this study will show the direction for farmers, policy makers, planners, and other stakeholders to set up a solution in order to promote CSA practices and technologies based on agro-ecology.

Sustainable paddy farming in rural Japan: Leveraging farmer integration and agricultural UAVs for synergistic solutions

For sustainable rice farming, IoT-based smart agricultural technologies are attracting worldwide attention. In particular, agricultural UAVs, which are expected to be utilized in various seasonal processes of rice farming, are a facility that is expected to spread in the future. In Japan, however, the smooth spread of UAVs has not progressed because of uncertainty about the effectiveness of their introduction. In this study, we clarify the effect of the introduction and its limitations by simulating the synergy effect between customary management improvement methods by farmers' integration and the efficiency improvement of agricultural work using UAVs, using a mountainous area in Japan as an example. The visualization of the expected increase in labor productivity provides a strong basis for future policies to promote smart agricultural technologies. The simulation model was built on the theoretical basis of the optimal route search based on the traveling salesman problem, in which the farmer's behavior of visiting farmland is considered a traveling salesman problem, and the effect of introducing UAVs was predicted using annual working hours as an evaluation index. The results showed that the introduction of UAVs could achieve a greater reduction in labor hours than the case where farmer integration alone was used to improve labor productivity without the introduction of UAVs. In other words, the combination of farmer integration and UAVs is expected to synergize. However, even when assuming reasonable UAVs performance, labor productivity improved by about 20%, and even when using high-performance UAVs assuming drastic technological innovation, labor productivity improved by only about 30%. Furthermore, as the number of farmlands to be managed increased, the effect of UAVs was expected to reach a ceiling. In other words, the results suggest an appropriate size of farmland to manage by introducing UAVs. This result is expected to be convincing material to promote the introduction of UAVs to farmers in the future and to make a practical contribution to their management plans.

Factors Influencing Farmers’ Willingness to Pay for NPK Fertilizer in Specialty Coffee: Insights from Pagar Alam, Indonesia

Robusta coffee cultivation in Pagar Alam City has not been carried out optimally because most farmers do not practice precision farming patterns in the use of production inputs to increase coffee plant productivity, including the use of unsubsidised coffee-specific fertilisers. In order to be accepted by farmers, fertiliser companies must pay attention to the willingness to pay of farmers for these fertilisers. For this reason, the study aims to: (1) determine farmer perceptions of nutrient content, ease of use and quality of fertiliser, (2) determine the value of farmers’ willingness to pay for unsubsidised NPK fertiliser for coffee in Pagar Alam City, and (3) determine the effect of nutrient content, ease of use and quality of fertiliser and other factors on farmers' WTP in Pagar Alam City. The research location was determined purposively with the consideration that Pagar Alam City is one of the highest coffee producing areas in Indonesia. A total of 100 coffee farmers were used as samples and interviewed using a prepared questionnaire. Data on farmers' willingness to pay was obtained by using the contingent valuation method (CVM). Descriptive analysis was used to determine the level of farmers' perception of nutrient content, ease of use and quality of fertiliser. Multiple linear regression methods was used to analyze the effect of nutrient content, ease of use and fertiliser quality and other factors on farmers' WTP. The results showed that the average value of farmers' WTP for unsubsidised NPK fertiliser for coffee was IDR 11,160 per kg which is lower than the price of unsubsidised NPK fertiliser commonly paid by coffee farmers. The study found that fertiliser quality, ease of fertiliser uses and fertiliser nutrient content, farm income level, land size, age, farming experience, household size and farmer membership status in farmer groups significantly affect the farmers’ WTP.

A Novel Approach for Farmland Size Estimation in Small-Scale Agriculture Using Edge Counting and Remote Sensing

Accurate and timely information on farmland size is crucial for agricultural development, resource management, and other related fields. However, there is currently no mature method for estimating farmland size in smallholder farming areas. This is due to the small size of farmland plots in these areas, which have unclear boundaries in medium and high-resolution satellite imagery, and irregular shapes that make it difficult to extract complete boundaries using morphological rules. Automatic farmland mapping algorithms using remote sensing data also perform poorly in small-scale farming areas. To address this issue, this study proposes a farmland size evaluation index based on edge frequency (ECR). The algorithm utilizes the high temporal resolution of Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to compensate for its spatial resolution limitations. First, all Sentinel-2 images from one year are used to calculate edge frequencies, which can divide farmland areas into low-value farmland interior regions, medium-value non-permanent edges, and high-value permanent edges (PE). Next, the Otsu’s thresholding algorithm is iteratively applied twice to the edge frequencies to first extract edges and then permanent edges. The ratio of PE to cropland (ECR) is then calculated. Using the North China Plain and Northeast China Plain as study areas, and comparing with existing farmland size datasets, the appropriate estimation radius for ECR was determined to be 1600 m. The study found that the peak ECR value for the Northeast China Plain was 0.085, and the peak value for the North China Plain was 0.105. The overall distribution was consistent with the reference dataset.

Pathways towards low-carbon sustainable agriculture: how farmland size affects net carbon emissions

ABSTRACT Understanding the impact of farmland size adjustment on net crop carbon emissions (NCEs) is crucial for both effective farmland management and sustainable development, which are essential topics in agri-environmental science. However, studies exploring the relationship between farmland size and NCEs remain limited, particularly in developing countries with scarce farmland, such as China. To fill this gap, this paper discusses farmland size’s impact on NCEs using a threshold model combining endogenous switching regression (ESR) and two-stage least squares (2SLS) with survey data from 2600 Chinese farmers. The results show that increasing farmland size curbs the scale and intensity of NCEs. However, their relationship follows a triple threshold effect, where substantial NCEs mitigation occurs only when the per-household farmland size exceeds specific thresholds of 5.1, 15.2, and 46.7 ha. Expanding farmland size can also indirectly reduce NCEs by promoting green agricultural technologies (GAT) adoption. Moreover, lowering farmers’ time preferences and enhancing technical training can increase the positive effect of farmland size expansion on GAT adoption and reduce NCEs further. However, the emission reduction effects vary by GAT type. Soil testing and fertilization technology, pest control technology, and water-saving irrigation technology reduce NCEs, while the other GAT have insignificant effects. Overall, our study sheds light on the intricate relationships between farmland size, GAT adoption, and NCEs, and provides valuable insights for low-carbon, sustainable agriculture policies. We suggest that policymakers can reduce NCEs and facilitate agriculture’s low-carbon transition by promoting moderate farmland size expansion and locally adapted GAT.

Assessment of farmland fragmentation and the role of the legal regulations for the prevention of farmland fragmentation in Türki̇ye

This research delves into the urgent issue of farmland fragmentation in Türkiye, highlighting the necessity for farmland consolidation and the crucial role of legal regulation in preventing farmland fragmentation. Despite official data revealing an average farmland size of 7.0 parcels per household in 2016, small-scale farms persist. This issue, a significant obstacle for the agricultural sector, requires immediate attention. Given the uneven land distribution, the study employed mixed methods using primary and secondary data, revealing the need to increase the average farm size. The findings underscore the urgent nature of land fragmentation, exacerbated by population growth and lack of motivation in agricultural employment opportunities. Addressing these issues is not straightforward, as they involve legal complexities. However, the research proposes that land consolidation projects and regulations authorising land transfers based on farm size, revenue, and economic integrity could significantly alleviate arable land fragmentation due to inheritance and sales. The study also highlights the potential positive impact of these new regulations on land tenure, land management, local land markets and land resources sustainability. These findings are pivotal for comprehending the current state of land fragmentation and its implications for the agricultural sector in Türkiye.

Hubungan Karakteristik Petani dengan Tingkat Adopsi Inovasi OPIP Padi 400 di Kecamatan Bendosari Kabupaten Sukoharjo

<p><em>The implementation of the Optimization of Rice Land Index Improvement 400 (commonly called OPIP Padi 400) in Bendosari Sub-district has yet to be fully realized. </em><em>Some of farmers still unsure, are in the process of implementing, or have not and not implemented the program. This is because the rate of innovation adoption is influenced by the characteristics of the adoptees. This study aimed to determine factors forming characteristic of farmers, farmer adoption rate in the program, examines relationships between farmer characteristics with their adoption Rate, the difference in OPIP Padi 400 adoption rate between farmers on paddy fields and dry land. Quantitative research design was used. In this research Mulur, Mojorejo, Cabeyan, and Puhgogor Villages of Bendosari Sub-district were purposively selected. Disproportionate random sampling was used to sample 68 farmers. Quantitative data were analyzed using rank spearman and Mann Whitney with IBM SPSS Statistics 25 program. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between farmer characteristics with adoption rate of OPIP Padi 400 innovations, such as age, non-formal education, land ownership, farmer group membership, and farming experience. Formal education, number of household members, and farmland size are not significantly related. A comparison of the adoption rate of OPIP Padi 400 between farmers in paddy fields and dry land obtained Asymp.Sig (2-tailed) of 0.058, which means that there is no significant difference at the 95% confidence level (α = 0.05).</em></p>

SPATIAL EVOLUTION OF ORGANIC FARMLAND IN POLAND

The main aim of the study was to determine changes in the concentration degree of organic farmland at the regional level in Poland. Spatial aspects were considered using absolute shares determining the interregional distribution of the analysed features and the location quotient (LQ) measuring the degree of regional specialization against the national background. The study utilized secondary source material from the Inspection of Commercial Quality of Agricultural and Food Products and Statistics Poland. It was found that the area of organic farmland undergoes continuous evolution, both at the national and regional levels. Considering the size of organic farmland, it was noted that there was a systematic increase from 2004 to 2013, followed by a decrease until 2018. Similar trends, although with varying intensities, were observed at the regional level. The leaders in terms of organic farmland area in both 2014 and 2021 were Zachodniopomorskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeships. In analyses concerning the area of farmland allocated for selected organic crops, these voivodeships dominated in all types except for orchard and berry crops, which were most prevalent in Mazowieckie, Lubelskie, and Podkarpackie voivodeships. Based on the calculation using the location quotient, it was found that the highest spatial concentration of organic farmland was in the Lubuskie, Podlaskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, and Zachodniopomorskie voivodeships, and no significant changes occurred in this regard from 2014 to 2020.

Adoption of community-based land rehabilitation programs (CBLRP) and its effect on livelihoods in Offa district, south Ethiopia

Land degradation is a major issue in Ethiopia and has a significant impact on agriculture and subsistence. Community-based land restoration projects are essential to address this issue. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of a community-based land restoration programs and its impact on livelihoods in the Offa District of south Ethiopia. Four Kebeles were randomly selected for the study and 133 household heads (52 program participants and 81 non-participants) were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data was collected by using an interview schedule, focus-group discussions, and key informant interviews. Data were analyzed using a binary logistic regression model, propensity score matching, participation index (PI), t-test, and chi-square test. The results showed that the implemented land rehabilitation measures had higher crop production and farm income for most adopter households compared to their counterparts. The logistic regression model revealed that the slope of farmland, gender of household heads, family size, perception of rehabilitation, access to training, and farm experience positively influenced household participation in the community-based land rehabilitation programme (CBLRP) in the study area. However, the age of the respondents, access to education, size of farmland, frequency of extension contact positively and ownership of livestock negatively influenced household participation. Propensity score matching revealed that CBLRP resulted in higher crop output and farm revenue for most participating families than counterparts. Based on these findings, it is recommended that agricultural and rural development offices, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders should consider the factors that influence household participation in rehabilitation programs in the study area to effectively address the issue of the households’ participation at various levels of rehabilitation programs.

ANALYSIS OF MAIN CHARACTERISTICS AND UTILIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN SERBIA AND BULGARIA

Land is the most important resource for the sustainable development of agriculture. Optimal use of land for the production of a sufficient amount of food, while simultaneously preserving biodiversity and its quality, is very important within the policy of preserving resources for future generations. Safety in food production represent one of the most important goals of sustainable development consist in actual the 2030 Agenda. We face numerous problems related to land. Degradation due to excessive use of modern agrotechnical means in food production, deforestation, erosion, excessive urbanization, floods are just some of the most common problems in land policy. An important problem is the abandonment of land use for agricultural production and its underutilization. Serbia and Bulgaria have significant areas of agricultural land. The subject of research in this paper is the share of agricultural and arable land in the total land area in Serbia and Bulgaria. The focus of the analysis is the average size of farm land, the percentage of irrigated land, and the production structure on farms, as well as the contribution of agriculture to the realization of added value in the creation of GDP. Agriculture and the food industry play a significant role in creating GDP, employment and exports and reducing the foreign deficit. Bearing in mind that the Republic of Serbia is in the process of joining the European Union, it is necessary to reform the agricultural policy and adapt it to the Common Agricultural Policy. This is one of the most important and demanding reforms in the integration policy process. The entire European model of agricultural development is based on the concept of sustainable development. Agricultural land policy in this process is of great importance and the experiences of EU member countries are important. The results of the research should indicate different experiences and recommendations that can be useful in agricultural land management policy. Land policy measures are aimed at creating optimal conditions for agricultural production while achieving the goals of all dimensions of sustainable development. Strategic approach in land management policy in Bulgaria provides guidelines and an example of good practice for taking measures and activities in the direction of its improvement in the Republic of Serbia. These results are also the basis for examining the causes of insufficient utilization of available natural resources and the balanced development that ensures the production of sufficient quantities of food and the preservation of the environment. Keywords: agricultural land, arable land, sustainable development JEL codes: Q15, Q18, Q24

How does financial literacy affect farmers’ agricultural investments? A study from the perspectives of risk preferences and time preferences

ABSTRACT The growth of the agricultural economy is inseparable from agricultural investments among farmers. Sadly, Chinese farmers are generally under-invested, and the factors affecting agricultural investments need to be identified. Using data from the China Land Economic Survey (CLES) in 2021, this study examines the effects of farmers’ financial literacy on two types of agricultural investments. The results are as follows: (1) Financial literacy has positive effects on both liquid investments and fixed investments. (2) The effects of financial literacy on liquid investments and fixed investments vary among farmers due to differences in farmland size and insurance purchase. (3) Risk preferences mediate the effects of financial literacy on liquid investments and fixed investments. By contrast, time preferences only play a mediating role in the effect of financial literacy on fixed investments. Therefore, it is necessary to improve financial education in rural areas, notice the investment willingness of different farmer groups, improve their risk resistance and time tolerance, and thus promote agricultural investments.

Factors affecting smallholder farmers’ local knowledge-based adaption to build resilience in Wolaita zone, Ethiopia

This study aims to identify factors affecting local adaptation strategies smallholder farmers are practising to adapt multiple stresses. Primary data were collected from 400 randomly sampled households from six districts of Wolaita zone by face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Survey data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. A binary logit model was employed to identify factors affecting smallholder farmers’ local adaptation strategies. A total of 15 explanatory variables, identified from relevant empirical literature, was included in the binary logit model to assess their relationship to the dependent variable – households’ decision to employ various local adaptations. The study found that eight of the explanatory variables such as age, farmland size, livestock owned, income, distance to market, extension agent visist, participation in the local organizations, and agro-ecology significantly influenced local adaption strategies. Additionally, qualitative data from focus group discussions and key informant interviews showed that the role and use of local adaptation have been ignored and marginalized. This study suggests the government should recognize the importance of local knowledge, multiple stakeholders should participate to enhance smallholders’ adaptabilities, interdisciplinary research is required, and communities should be supported to share their knowledge to build synergies between different knowledge systems.

Investigating Ramifications of Climate Change on Farming Practices and Sustainable Livelihood Preferences for Farmers in Tropical Regions

The continuity of farmers in farming under the impacts of climate change (CC), especially in developing nations, is still less investigated in literature. A survey was conducted among 220 farmers in selected rural communities in Ondo, Nigeria. The data were subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The results showed that male gender formed 90% of the respondents, 68% of the respondents cultivate up to 15 acres of farmland while 61% had experienced a decrease in their farmland sizes between 2000 and 2023 of which 47% (103 out of 220) claimed was due to erratic rainfall. Factor analysis identified and extracted three significant options for the sustainability of farmers’ living in the CC era, namely, (i) adoption of soil and water conservation option (35.007%); (ii) abandonment of farming for another means of livelihood (15.052%) and (iii) reduction in the farmland size (11.774%). However, in view of the combined weights of options (i) and (iii) ([74.57% of the absolute value]) which explained farmers’ preference to remain in farming, it, thus, implied that farmers will rather take options that will keep them in framing despite the impact of CC rather than abandoning it. The results are indications of the prevalence of CC and the policies that will enhance farming in CC era to be put in place to sustain the livelihood of farmers. Further studies are suggested on enhancing farmers’ livelihood to keep them in agriculture in the CC era.

Understanding drought risk management in vulnerable communities in dryland farming systems: Evidence from northwest Ghana

Drought intensity and associated risks are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with dire implications for sustainable livelihood. Yet, there is a limited comprehensive understanding of the severity of drought risks in dryland farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa including Ghana, where climate change has multiple effects on farming operations. Monitoring episodic droughts is particularly important for developing local-based adaptive interventions to sustainably improve livelihood and food systems. Drawing evidence from Northwest Ghana, this study used a Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) to understand drought indices and risks of 40 years (1981–2020), and assess prioritized coping measures and determinants in rural farming communities. The study revealed that farmers in Northwest Ghana have been experiencing severe intermittent drought risks in the last four decades, with extreme episodes observed in 1983 and 1984. Results show that northern Ghanaian households are coping with drought risks using several strategies such as picking edible wild fruit, migration for labour work, remittances from family members and friends, livestock rearing and sale, petty trading, and basket weaving as the key coping measures by households to counteract drought risk. The BLR estimates show that socio-economic variables such as marital status, household size, market access, and farmland size are significant factors that can predict farmers’ coping interventions. The sale of livestock as a buffer to support households rebound from a climate disaster is critical. We suggest that decision-makers and policy-makers mainstream access to social safety schemes in drought-affected locations to sustain local food systems, agricultural biodiversity and livelihoods.

Assessing the status of household food security and its determinants in Ethiopia: Lesson from Debre Berhan town

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of industrialization on human food security in Debre Berhan city, Ethiopia. The research design used to conduct the study was descriptive, with mixed data-gathering approaches and analytical methods. Both primary and secondary data sources were used to collect the required data through laboratory tests, questionnaires, interviews, and FGDs. 227 farming households and 328 factory employees were selected systematically from and around sample industries for the sample survey. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as percentages, means, and standard deviations. In addition, the study used inferential statistical techniques, including a logistic regression model to identify relationships and patterns within the data. Whereas thematic analysis was used to assess the qualitative data. The findings of the study revealed that 52% and 53% of households and 47% and 49% of factory workers failed to achieve the minimum quantity and quality of food, respectively. Whereas, based on a proxy measure of the percentage of budgets devoted to food purchases, 83% of employees and 77% of farming households were classified as food insecure. The findings of the binary logistic regression analysis also indicated that food insecurity had a significant relationship with family size (β = 0.441, p = 0.007), livestock number (β = −0.221, p = 0.001), farmland size (β = −1.292, p = 0.061), distance from factories (β = −0.691, p = 0.005), off-farm employment (β = −2.789, p = 0.014), compensation for lost asset (β = −3.037, p = 0.002) and access to training (β = −3.037, p = 0.000). The study indicates that households with larger families, fewer livestock, smaller agricultural lands, lack of off-farm income, proximity to industries, insufficient compensation, and inadequate training experience food insecurity. The study concludes that industrial expansion negatively and significantly affected the food security of the farming and employed households. The study recommends that fair compensation, create off-farm income, prioritize community well-being, and foster sustainable development amidst industrial expansion.

Farmers’ resilience to climate change through the circular economy and sustainable agriculture: a review from developed and developing countries

Abstract Farmers struggle to combat uncertain climate issues while encountering pressure on conventional farming practices that lead to carbon emissions, water and soil pollution, and other environmental harms. A growing body of literature investigated circular economy and sustainable practices to support environmental-friendly agriculture activities while providing opportunities for farmers to improve their farm income. Therefore, a study synthesizing previous literature while identifying actual policy to boost farmers’ implementation of sustainable agriculture is worthwhile. Using the Systematic Literature Review analysis, this paper aims to identify farmers’ views on climate change adaptation and mitigation, challenges in implementing circular economy and sustainable practices, and policies to support farmers’ transition toward sustainable agriculture in developed and developing countries. We found that (1) farmers’ awareness of climate change, knowledge and skills are prominent for adapting and mitigating climate change in both types of countries, (2) farmland size, risks of income loss, and training and extension services influenced farmers’ adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change in developing countries, (3) farmers in both types of countries experienced uncertainty in economic profits and legislative issues when adopting sustainable practices, while farmers in developing countries issued significant up-front expenses to acquire technology to adopt sustainable practices, (4) financial access and incentives through policy can be valuable to develop sustainable livelihoods, especially for farm households.

Farmers’ choices and factors driving adoption of climate change adaptation strategies in saline coastal area of Bangladesh

Growing climate change adaptation issues are driving the demand for efficient solutions in the agriculture sector, which will improve farmers’ livelihoods and economic situations. This study examined the perceptions of major climate risks and factors driving adoption of climate adaptation strategies in saline coastal areas of Bangladesh. Survey data were collected from 100 farmers producing Rabi crops by using a semi-structured questionnaire. A binary logistic model was used to identify the driving factors of the adoption of adaptation strategies. Results revealed that farmers’ group membership and perception of a decrease in rain frequency influenced adoption of intercropping, while experience in farming, owned farmland size and perception of increase in soil salinity influenced adoption of mulching. In addition, age, group membership and perception of a decrease in rain frequency had a positive influence on adoption of use of mini pond. Furthermore, household size and access to training influenced adoption of changing sowing time, while farming experience had a positive influence on change in cropping pattern. These findings suggest an opportunity for institution-led support for providing farmers with hands-on training. Developing collaboration with research institutes, the ministry of agriculture, extension, development partners and civic leaders for enhancing farmers’ group membership capacity would be of benefit on increasing the adaptive capacity of farmers.

Dietary diversity, nutritional status, and agricultural commercialization: evidence from adult men of rural farm households.

Access to healthy and affordable diet hinged on the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 2, higher productivity and, economic prosperity while it is difficult for a poorly nourished people to achieve optimum production of goods and services. This study assessed whether dietary diversity (DD) and nutritional status of adult men are associated with crop commercialization index (CCI) levels of agricultural households in two states of Southwestern Nigeria. This research utilized 352 farm households, comprising 277 adult male members. The individual version of dietary diversity score (DDS) of 9 food groups was used to calculate adult men's DDS over a 24-h recall. Anthropometric data was obtained using body mass index (BMI) while CCI levels was estimated for each agricultural household. Logistic regression and ordered logit models were used to examine the determinants of adult men's dietary diversity and nutritional status respectively. Hundred percent of adult men consumed starchy staples, with 11.2% consuming egg, 5.8% milk and milk products and 0.4% consuming organ meat over 24-h recall. Adult men of CCI 2 and CCI 4 agricultural households recorded overweight prevalence of >20% in Ogun state while the association between DDS and CCI was statistically insignificant suggesting that being a member of any of the CCI households may not guarantee the consumption of healthy diets among adult men. From Logit regression analysis, it is more likely for adult men with higher farm size to attain the minimum DDS of 4 food groups than those with smaller size of farmland (OR = 4.78; 95% CI: 1.94, 11.76; p = 0.001). The age, farm experience, and cassava marketing experience were positively related to the likelihood of obtaining the minimum DDS. For adult men to achieve a healthy diet, their diet pattern must incorporate a more diversified intake of food from different food groups capable of improving their nutritional status. This study emphasized the need for relevant stakeholders to provide adequate nutrition knowledge intervention programmes capable of improving the diets and nutrition of adult men and other members of farm households.

Farmers’ Willingness to Purchase Weather Index Crop Insurance: Evidence from Battambang, Cambodia

The weather index crop insurance (WICI) scheme was introduced under a pilot project for rice in Cambodia in 2021. The adoption rate was low and the loss ratio was higher than 200%. The increase in farmers’ participation would help reduce the loss ratio, which can sustain the WICI scheme. This study, therefore, examines Cambodian rice farmers’ willingness to purchase WICI in Cambodia. The hypothesis is that the low adoption rate is due to a lack of awareness, lack of understanding of WICI, lack of trust in weather stations, and the problem of basis risk. This study would like to test the influence of those factors on the willingness to purchase in Cambodia. Battambang Province was chosen as the study area as it is the largest area for rice production and has the largest take-up rate of farmers buying WICI. Detailed interviews of 232 farmers were conducted in the districts of Bavel and Moung Ruessei. The probit regression model was used to identify factors that significantly impact farmers’ willingness to purchase WICI. The results indicate that land size, level of trust in weather stations, level of farmers’ understanding of WICI, and joining the WICI awareness program have positive effects on the probability of farmers’ willingness to buy WICI, whereas the number of household laborers and expectation of floods have negative influences. The probability of willingness to purchase by farmers who attended the awareness program on WICI was 38% higher than those who did not. The size of farmland, level of trust in weather stations, and level of understanding of WICI increase in one unit affecting the probability of willingness to purchase WICI by 4%, 16%, and 25%, respectively. On the other hand, the increase in the number of household laborers in the rice field by one person and the increase in the probability of expected flood increase by 0.1 drag back the probability of farmers’ willingness to purchase by 16% and 5%, respectively. The results suggest the government to raise the insurance awareness and understanding of WICI. Development of weather station infrastructure, as well as maintenance of weather stations, is needed to guarantee the accuracy of data generated from the weather station.

Transforming food insecure farmers from climate variability and land degradation susceptibility to resilient livelihoods

This study sought to evaluate the food security status of climate variability and land degradation-susceptible farmers, and measures used to transform to resilient livelihood. A Mixed approach was used to sample respondents and discussants. In the study, 342 household heads were interviewed for quantitative data whereas 12 focused group discussions and 20 key informant interviewees were made to collect qualitative data. While semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data, guiding questions were employed to gather qualitative data. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the binary logit model, whereas qualitative data were presented using thematic procedures. The results show that farmers have demonstrated experience with the changing patterns of climate change-persuaded episodes and its impacts on their food production. In the study area, according to the respondents, low yield (98 %), land degradation (97 %), food shortage (96 %), reduced income (95 %), food insecurity (95 %), and prevalence of disease and pest (85 %) were the major direct and indirect impacts posed by climate change. Besides, based on the calorie intake, 73 % of the households were found food insecure with an average of 1,790 kca, which is below from country and global minimum average that is 2200 and 2100, respectively. To improve food security and the impacts of climatic extremes and increase the ability to either cope or adapt to climate-related problems, farmers were employing strategies including sowing time adjustment, and soil and water conservation. The results of the binary logit regression model showed that repeated drought, farmland size, credit access, the unpredictability of rain, fertilizers usage, amount of rainfall, and social assistance significantly (P < 0.05) affect the food security status of the households. Strengthening integrated land rehabilitation to improve yield could transform the food insecure and land degradation-susceptible households to climate-resilient means of livelihood in semi-arid northern Ethiopia. Policymakers and development planners should emphasis on how to widen the practice of organic and inorganic fertilizers, soil and water conservation, tree planting, income diversification, access to credit services, and water harvesting to transform and sustain the livelihood of food insecure and vulnerable farmers towards resilient status.