Farming Systems in Tanzania: Empirical Evidence of Changes in Livelihood Patterns and Poverty Among Smallholder Farmers

2014 ◽  
pp. 555-571
Author(s):  
Ntengua S. Y. Mdoe ◽  
Gilead I. Mlay ◽  
Michael L. Kadigi
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farming Systems

Impacts of socio-psychological factors on smallholder farmers’ risk attitudes: empirical evidence and implications

Agrekon ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Woldegebrial Zeweld ◽  
Guido Van Huylenbroeck ◽  
Girmay Tesfay ◽  
Stijn Speelman
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Risk Attitudes

scholarly journals Can Enhancing Efficiency Promote the Economic Viability of Smallholder Farmers? A Case of Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4235
Author(s):  
Silvia Saravia-Matus ◽  
T. S. Amjath-Babu ◽  
Sreejith Aravindakshan ◽  
Stefan Sieber ◽  
Jimmy A. Saravia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Economic Viability ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Smallholder Farming

By developing meta-frontier efficiency and structural equation models, the paper examines whether farm economic viability is positively associated with technical efficiency in a highly food insecure context, such as that of rural Sierra Leone. The findings show that technical efficiency can be a sufficient but not necessary condition in determining economic viability of smallholder farming. It is possible to breach reproductive thresholds at the cost of reduced technical efficiency, when the crop diversification strategy of smallholders includes market-oriented high-value crops. This calls for a dual policy approach that addresses farmers’ internal needs for self-consumption (increasing efficiency of food crop production) while encouraging market-oriented cash crop production (diversification assisted through the reduction of associated transaction costs and the establishment of accessible commercialization channels of export related crops and/or high-value crops). The work also calls out for a move-up or move-out strategy for small holders to create viable farming systems in developing world.

scholarly journals SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ RESOURCE ALLOCATION DECISIONS IN A MAIZE-FARMING SYSTEM UNDER CLIMATE RISKS IN MALAWI

AGROFOR ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth MAGRETA ◽  
Henderson NG’ONG’OLA ◽  
Julius MANGISONI ◽  
Kennedy MACHILA ◽  
Sika GBEGBELEGBE
Keyword(s):  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
The Body ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Climatic Data ◽  
Climatic Risk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Allocation Decisions ◽  
Resource Allocation Decisions

Using household data from Lilongwe districts, along with crop phenology, agronomic management and climatic data from Chitedze Research Station, the Target-MOTAD and DSSAT-CSM models examined the resource allocation decisions of smallholder farmers in maize farming systems under climate risk in Malawi. Specific aims were to evaluate the ability of DSSAT to predict and collate DTM and non-DTM yields under climatic risk and to use a bio-economic procedure developed using DSSAT and Target-MOTAD to explore the impact of climatic risk on allocation of resources to DTM and non-DTM production. The paper argues that higher average yields observed from DTM varieties make it the most optimal maize production plan, in maximizing household incomes, food security, and minimizing deviations from the mean while meeting the set target incomes of farmers compared to non-DTM varieties. The multidisciplinary nature of this paper has contributed to the body of research by providing a powerful analytical procedure of modelling farmers’ resource allocation decisions in maize based farming systems in Malawi. This study necessitates the use of a combination of biophysical and economic procedures when evaluating promising lines prior to variety release in order to identify the high yielding variety that will continuously bring sustained profits to the farmers amidst climate change.

Climate-Smart and Agro-ecological Farming Systems of Smallholder Farmers

2021 ◽  
pp. 31-72
Author(s):  
Nyong Princely Awazi ◽  
Martin Ngankam Tchamba ◽  
Lucie Felicite Temgoua ◽  
Marie-Louise Tientcheu Avana ◽  
Abubakar Ali Shidiki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Ecological Farming

scholarly journals Adoption and the Role of Fertilizer Trees and Shrubs as a Climate Smart Agriculture Practice: The Case of Salima District in Malawi

Environments ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Frank Musa ◽  
Judith Kamoto ◽  
Charles Jumbe ◽  
Leo Zulu
Keyword(s):  
Land Tenure ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Tobit Model ◽  
Degraded Soil ◽  
Smart Agriculture ◽  
Trees And Shrubs ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Fertilizer trees and shrubs can improve degraded soil and avert the impacts of climate change on smallholder farmers in Malawi. This paper analyses the roles of fertilizer trees and shrubs and factors that determine adoption, as well as the intensity of use of fertilizer on trees and shrubs in maize-based farming systems using the Tobit model. A household survey involving 250 smallholder farmers was conducted in Salima district, Malawi. The analysis shows that adopters of fertilizer trees and shrubs considered fertility improvement, shade, source of food and erosion control as main roles of fertilizer trees and shrubs. The Tobit model shows that households with relatively more land are more likely to adopt fertilizer trees and shrubs than those with small land sizes. Adoption is higher among farmers who had been exposed to fertilizer trees and shrubs for longer periods than others had. Land tenure, education and availability of labor also influence the adoption of fertilizer trees and shrubs. Results further show that household and farm characteristics and availability of extension services explain the current adoption rates of tree-fertilizer technologies. Our findings can guide effective targeting of farmers to ensure higher adoption and sustainability of fertilizer-tree and shrub technology for climate-smart agriculture among the smallholder farmers.

scholarly journals ASSESSING LIVESTOCK WATER PRODUCTIVITY IN MIXED FARMING SYSTEMS OF GUMARA WATERSHED, ETHIOPIA

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 684-698
Author(s):  
MENGISTU ALEMAYEHU ◽  
TILAHUN AMEDE ◽  
DON PEDEN ◽  
TESFAYE KUMSA ◽  
MICHAEL H. BÖHME ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Lower Altitude ◽  
Mixed Farming ◽  
Natural Pasture ◽  
Gumara Watershed

SUMMARYA monitoring study was carried out in Gumara watershed, upper Blue Nile basin, with the objective of evaluating livestock water productivity (LWP) using a life cycle assessment method. Sixty two smallholder farmers were selected for the study implemented between November 2006 and February 2008. Data on crop and livestock production were collected to allow assessment of livestock water productivity. Study sites were situated in three different rainfed mixed crop/livestock farming systems; barley/potato based system (BPS), tef/finger-millet based system (TMS), and rice/noug based system (RNS). LWP was found to be significantly lower (p < 0.01) in RNS (0.057 USD m−3 water) than in TMS (0.066 USD m−3 water) or in BPS (0.066 USD m−3 water). Notably, water requirement per kg live weight of cattle increased towards the lower altitude area (in RNS) mainly because of increased evapo-transpiration. As a result, 20% more water was required per kg live weight of cattle in the low ground RNS compared to BPS situated in the upstream parts of the study area. Cattle herd management that involved early offtake increased LWP by 28% over the practice of late offtake. Crop water productivity expressed in monetary units (0.39 USD m−3 water) was higher than LWP (0.063 USD m−3 water) across the mixed farming systems of Gumara watershed. Strategies for improving LWP, from its present low level, could include keeping only the more productive animals, increasing pasture productivity and linking production to marketing. These strategies would also ease the imbalance between the existing high livestock population and the declining carrying capacity of natural pasture.

scholarly journals Platform, Participation, and Power: How Dominant and Minority Stakeholders Shape Agricultural Innovation

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen M. Eidt ◽  
Laxmi P. Pant ◽  
Gordon M. Hickey
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Innovation Systems ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Power Dynamics ◽  
Agricultural Innovation ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
Access And Quality ◽  
Agricultural Innovation Systems

Within agricultural innovation systems (AIS), various stakeholder groups inevitably interpret ‘innovation’ from their own vantage point of privilege and power. In rural developing areas where small-scale and subsistence farming systems support livelihoods, dominant policy actors often focus heavily on participatory modernization and commercialization initiatives to enhance productivity, access, and quality. However, existing social hierarchies may undermine the potential of such initiatives to promote inclusive and sustainable farmer-driven innovation. Focusing on the chronically food insecure smallholder agricultural systems operating in Yatta Sub-county, Eastern Kenya, this paper explores how power dynamics between stakeholders can influence, and can be influenced by, participatory agricultural innovation initiatives. Findings suggest that there are often significant disparities in access to, and control over, platform resources between smallholder farmers and other stakeholder groups, resulting in large asymmetries. We discuss how these power dynamics may increase the risk of agricultural intervention, further marginalizing already disempowered groups and reinforcing power hierarchies to the detriment of smallholders. This study highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the institutional contexts that facilitate and maintain relationships of power within agricultural innovation systems, as well as the complexities associated with promoting transformational agricultural innovation.

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