Impact of the adoption of vegetative soil conservation measures on farm profit, revenue and variable cost in Darjeeling district, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 529-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandan Singha
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Selection Bias ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Spatial Model ◽  
Variable Cost ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Conservation Measures ◽  
Farm Profit ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Soil Conservation Measures

AbstractThis study evaluates the effects of vegetative soil conservation practices (afforestation and/or bamboo planting) on farm profit and its components, revenue and variable cost. Since farmers self-select themselves as adopters of conservation measures, there could be a problem of selection bias in evaluating their soil conservation practices. We address the selection bias by using propensity score matching. We also check if there exists spatial spillover in adoption of vegetative conservation measures and how it affects matching. We use primary survey data from the Darjeeling district of the Eastern Himalayan region for the year 2013. Our results suggest strong spatial correlation. We find that the propensity score estimated from the spatial model provides better matches than the non-spatial model. While the results show that vegetative soil conservation can lead to significant gains in revenue, it also increases costs so that no significant gains in profit accrue to farmers.

Farm level implementation of soil conservation measures: farmers’ beliefs and intentions

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 524-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Werner ◽  
Erwin Wauters ◽  
Jo Bijttebier ◽  
Horst-Henning Steinmann ◽  
Greet Ruysschaert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Motivating Factors ◽  
Farm Level ◽  
On Farm Conservation ◽  
Subjective Beliefs ◽  
Cover Cropping ◽  
Conservation Measures ◽  
Barriers To Implementation ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Soil Conservation Measures

AbstractUnderstanding motivating factors for taking soil conservation measures is seen as key to improving on-farm implementation. However, to date only few on-farm conservation measures have been investigated. The objective of this paper is to investigate the influence of farmers’ subjective beliefs on their intention to apply and actual implementation of cover cropping, with the region of Brandenburg (Germany) as a case. An additional objective was to investigate how these insights can contribute to increase farm level implementation of soil conservation measures. Theory of planned behavior provides an approach to understand human behavior by analyzing farmers’ subjective beliefs. Our results, based on a survey of 96 farmers, show that attitudes (ATTs) and perceived difficulty significantly explain variations in intention to apply cover cropping, with ATTs being generally very positive. We discuss that, in this case, the most effective way to increase on-farm implementation is to decrease the farmers’ perception of difficulty. This can be achieved by providing information to farmers on how to overcome barriers to implementation of conservation measures. In-depth insights into belief structures reveal what kind of information is most useful in the case of cover cropping.

scholarly journals Adoption of Soil Conservation Measures

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-117
Author(s):  
Dayakar Peddi ◽  
Kavi Kumar KS
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Logistic Model ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Conservation Measures ◽  
The Government ◽  
Agricultural Areas ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Soil Conservation Measures

Land degradation resulting from soil erosion is a major problem in rain-fed agricultural areas in India. This study analyses the key determinants of farmers’ decisions to adopt on-farm soil and water conservation (SWC) measures in the rain-fed watershed areas of Siddipet district in Telangana. Here, SWC measures have been undertaken by the government and NGOs at the sub-watershed/community level and by individual farmers at the farm level. The study is based on a primary survey of over 400 farmers conducted in January–March 2018. In addition to estimating the influence of biophysical and market access variables on farmers’ decisions to undertake SWC practices, the study includes a logistic model that found a complementarity between community and individual plot-level interventions to improve soil health. The findings also highlight the influence of conservation measures practised in the neighbourhood on farmers’ decisions to implement SWC measures.

scholarly journals Effects of land use changes and conservation measures on land degradation under a Mediterranean climate

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Mohawesh ◽  
A. Taimeh ◽  
F. Ziadat
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Conservation Measures ◽  
Stone Walls ◽  
Effects Of Land Use ◽  
Soil Conservation Measures

Abstract. Land degradation resulting from improper land use and management is a major cause of declined productivity in the arid environment. The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of a sequence of land use changes, soil conservation measures, and the time since their implementation on the degradation of selected soil properties. The climate for the selected 105 km2 watershed varies from semi-arid sub-tropical to Mediterranean sub-humid. Land use changes were detected using aerial photographs acquired in 1953, 1978, and 2008. A total of 218 samples were collected from 40 sites in three different rainfall zones to represent different land use changes and different lengths of time since the construction of stone walls. Analyses of variance were used to test the differences between the sequences of land use changes (interchangeable sequences of forest, orchards, field crops, and range), the time since the implementation of soil conservation measures, and rainfall on the thickness of the A-horizon, soil organic carbon content, and texture. Soil organic carbon reacts actively with different combinations and sequences of land use changes. The time since stone walls were constructed showed significant impacts on soil organic carbon and the thickness of the surface horizon. The effects of changing the land use and whether the changes were associated with the construction of stone walls, varied according to the annual rainfall. The results help in understanding the effects of land use changes on land degradation processes and carbon sequestration potential and in formulating sound soil conservation plans.

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