Bio-economic analysis of soil conservation technologies in the mid-hill region of Nepal

2012 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. 38-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romy Das ◽  
Siegfried Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Hill Region ◽  
Conservation Technologies

scholarly journals Socio-Economic Factors Assessment Affecting the Adoption of Soil Conservation Technologies on Rwenzori Mountain

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Nabalegwa Wambede Muhamud
Keyword(s):  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Socio Economic Factors ◽  
Conservation Technologies

This study analysed the role of socio-economic factors in influencing farmers’ adoption to soil conservation technologies in Bugoye Sub-county, Rwenzori Mountain. A cross sectional household survey design was used in this study, using systematic sampling to obtain 150 household samples. Qualitative analysis and chi-square tests were used to analyze these data. Results indicated that only 54% of the sampled households have adopted soil conservation, and revealed that eight of the nine factors significantly influenced farmers’ adoption, which are slope, farm size, farm distance from home, education level, family income, training, membership to NGOs, and credit accessibility. Only family size was insignificant. Other constraints are labour demands, cost of conservation work, land fragmentation, crop pests, and the limited agricultural extension services. It is recommended to perform training for farmers on designing soil conservation structures. Policies for empowering farmers with extra income are crucial to increase the adoption of soil conservation efforts.

Multiple equilibria, soil conservation investments, and the resilience of agricultural systems

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN M. ANTLE ◽  
JETSE J. STOORVOGEL ◽  
ROBERTO O. VALDIVIA
Keyword(s):  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Multiple Equilibria ◽  
Threshold Level ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Agricultural Areas ◽  
Conservation Investment ◽  
Positive Return ◽  
Conservation Technologies

This paper provides a new explanation for the persistent land degradation in some parts of the world, despite the availability of seemingly effective soil conservation technologies. We demonstrate that soil conservation technologies may induce agricultural systems to exhibit equilibria characterized by both low and high levels of soil degradation. These two equilibria are separated by a threshold level of soil degradation beyond which a conservation investment will not yield a positive return. Once a parcel of land crosses this productivity threshold, soil degradation becomes economically irreversible (it is not profitable to invest in soil conservation) even though the degradation may be technically reversible. A case study of terracing investments in Peru is used to demonstrate the existence of multiple equilibria under conditions typical of many marginal agricultural areas. These findings help explain why attempts to encourage permanent adoption of soil conservation practices often fail, and how more successful policies could be designed.

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