scholarly journals Insights into smallholder capacity for agricultural commercialisation: Evidence from four African contexts

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amrita Saha ◽  
Rachel Sabates-Wheeler ◽  
John Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Agricultural Economics ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Development Policies ◽  
Development Literature ◽  
Lower Capacity

AbstractOver the last 15 years, the agricultural economics and development literature has amply highlighted success stories of smallholder farmers in developing countries, illustrating their increased engagement and integration with markets, in other words, higher rates of commercialisation. Yet, this seeming ‘success’ should not detract from the large proportion of farmers who, through engaging in high-value market chains, face high risks that often limit the extent of their engagement. This study, across four African contexts in Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, strives to better understand smallholder participation in agricultural commercialisation. Using new detailed cross-sectional household-level data, from the Agricultural Policy Research in Africa (APRA) consortium, collected over 2017–2018, we analyse assets as a determining factor for localised patterns smallholder commercialisation. Applying asset-based thresholds, we capture commercialisation ‘capacity’—an indicator of the household’s commercialisation potential and ability to respond to risks. Despite the possibility to increase commercialisation as well as institutional arrangements that may reduce risk, such as contract farming, benefits from linkages with medium-scale farmers or returns from specific crop types, we find that households may yet be constrained by lower capacity. Hence, the need for targeted support for those at the margins and with limited assets; with the most pronounced and significant constraints for lower capacity households in study areas in Tanzania. These results can better inform development policies for agriculture where it is important to be able to specifically target households rather than a one size fits all approach.

scholarly journals Agricultural Information Need of Smallholder Farmers in Chitwan District, Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-97
Author(s):  
B.P. Mishra ◽  
S. Bhatta
Keyword(s):  
Pest Control ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Context Specific

Agricultural information is very essential for smallholder farmers to increase farm production and productivity. However, there is no proper access to accurate and adequate agricultural information to smallholder farmers. This paper attempts to identify the existing agricultural information source and the agricultural information need of the smallholder farmers along with usefulness of the provided agricultural information. Household level data were obtained from four wards of Bharatpur metropolitan of Chitwan district during 2019. The result showed agrovet shops as most common source of agricultural information for smallholder farmers. The most needed agricultural information was about input market and prices followed by disease and pest control. Moderately useful agricultural information was provided to smallholder farmers. Findings of this research suggest that context specific agricultural information should be provided through the existing channels to the smallholder farmers. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 9(2): 94-97.

scholarly journals Rural-urban disparities in the nutritional status of younger adolescents in Tanzania

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0261480
Author(s):  
Lorraine S. Cordeiro ◽  
Nicholas P. Otis ◽  
Lindiwe Sibeko ◽  
Jerusha Nelson-Peterman
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Reference Guide ◽  
Growth Faltering ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Rural Settings ◽  
Development Policies ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Age And Sex

Research on geographic differences in health focuses largely on children less than five years; little is known about adolescents—and even less regarding younger adolescents—a vulnerable group at a critical stage of the life course. Africa’s rapid population growth and urbanization rates, coupled with stagnant rates of undernutrition, further indicate the need for country-specific data on rural-urban health disparities to inform development policies. This study examined rural-urban disparities in body mass index-for-age-and-sex (BAZ) and height-for-age-and-sex z-scores (HAZ) among younger adolescents in Tanzania. Participants were randomly selected adolescents aged 10–14 years (N = 1,125) residing in Kilosa (rural) and Moshi (urban) districts of Tanzania. Individual and household-level data were collected using surveys and anthropometric data was collected on all adolescents. Age, sex, household living conditions, and assets were self-reported. BAZ and HAZ were calculated using the WHO reference guide. The prevalence of undernutrition was 10.9% among rural and 5.1% among urban adolescents (p<0.001). Similarly, stunting prevalence was greater in rural (64.5%) than urban (3.1%) adolescents (p<0.001). After adjusting for covariates, rural residence was significantly and inversely associated with BAZ (B = -0.29, 95% CI: -0.52, -0.70, p = 0.01), as well as with HAZ (B = -1.79, 95% CI: -2.03, -1.54, p<0.001). Self-identified males had lower BAZ (B = -0.23, 95% CI: -0.34, -0.11, p<0.001) and HAZ (B = -0.22, 95% CI: -0.35, -0.09, p = 0.001) than self-identified female adolescents. Rural-urban disparities in nutritional status were significant and gendered. Findings confirm place of residence as a key determinant of BAZ and HAZ among younger adolescents in Tanzania. Targeted gender-sensitive interventions are needed to limit growth faltering and improve health outcomes in rural settings.

scholarly journals Determinants of Farmers’ Level of Interaction with Agricultural Extension Agencies in Northwest Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3447
Author(s):  
Yemane Asmelash Gebremariam ◽  
Joost Dessein ◽  
Beneberu Assefa Wondimagegnhu ◽  
Mark Breusers ◽  
Lutgart Lenaerts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Probit Model ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Northwest Ethiopia ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Service Programs ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Household Heads ◽  
Extension Agencies

This research identifies critical determinants for interactions between farmers and extension agencies. Cross-sectional farm household-level data from three hundred household heads were collected between September 2019 and March 2020 and triangulated with data from workshops with farmers and extension agents. The data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance and the ordered probit model. Farmers’ socio-economic characteristics significantly affect their degree of interaction with extension agencies. Recognition of the determinants of the level of farmers’ interactions can inform policymakers about how to formulate and improve the effectiveness of extension programs, enhance information and knowledge dissemination and facilitate development in collaboration with local communities by focusing on a better interaction between farmers and extension agencies. The level of a farmer’s interactions is based on a systematic decision-making process. Although personal and demographic characteristics are important, farmers’ interaction levels require conducive institutional and household assets, groups/social capital and access to extension agents’ contexts. These contexts will differ by household, country and region. Therefore, extension agencies should create and design contextually appropriate strategies for substantial interactions with farmers for the dissemination of farm information. This research is original and valuable in identifying the factors associated with the level of farmers’ interactions with extension agencies in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. It also provides a new pathway for operationalizing farmer-oriented agricultural extension policies and strategies and to help agricultural policymakers formulate extension service programs.

scholarly journals Determinants of Maize Commercialization among Smallholder Farmers: The Case of Nunu Kumba District, East Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Western Ethiopia

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Mabiratu Dangia ◽  
Prem Kumar Dara ◽  
Gersam Daniel
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Institutional Arrangement ◽  
Ordered Logit ◽  
Market Participation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Infrastructure Strengthening

This study were aimed at analyzemaize producer’s household level of market participation, determinants of maize producer household’s degree of market participationand determinants of maize producer households level of commercialization in the study area. The study used a cross sectional data collected from 345 randomly selected households from four kebeles through semi-structured household questionnaires. Tobit model was used to analyze determinants of level of market participation of maize producers and ordered logit model was used to assess the factors affecting household maize commercialization.Based on Tobit result family size and distance from nearest market affected market participation of maize producers significantly and negatively, and land allocated for maize, access to improved seed, raw planting, amount of credit received and membership of cooperative affected market participation of maize producers significantly and positively. The result of ordered logit revealed that Marital status, Household size, distance from nearest market and age of household head significantly and negatively affected level of commercialization. Whereas, Household labor supply, access to improved seed, amount of fertilizer, credit amount, and household head education class positively and significantly affected level of commercialization. Policies that give more emphasis to family planning, improving and strengthening rural infrastructure, strengthening institutional arrangement like cooperatives have paramount implications to speed up the move from subsistence and semi commercial towards commercial oriented production.

scholarly journals Semi-parametric analysis of agricultural production under dichotomy of inputs

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (No. 8) ◽  
pp. 378-388
Author(s):  
Iqbal Naveed ◽  
Sial Maqbool Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Agricultural Economics ◽  
Farm Families ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Alternative Employment ◽  
Level Data ◽  
On Farm

Inputs used in agriculture play asymmetric roles during the production process. Growth inputs, i.e. water, nutrients, seed and soil environment, become a part of the biological growth of plants, whereas facilitating inputs, i.e. labour, capital and pesticides, help regulate the functions of growth inputs from outside of the plants. This insight about the asymmetric role of agricultural inputs has been incorporated into agricultural economics on the basis of agronomic principles of crop production. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of facilitating inputs on the technical efficiency of growth inputs. This analysis has been carried out semi-parametrically by employing the double bootstrap procedure on farm household level data from Pakistan. The results indicate that pesticides, capital and family labour scale up the technical efficiency of the growth inputs, whereas hired labour significantly scales down this efficiency. We recommend the creation of alternative employment opportunities for the rural labour force, provision of effective agricultural extension services to farm families, a minimisation of trade barriers to the import agricultural machinery and an enhancement of the extent of farm mechanisation.

scholarly journals Welfare and Productivity Impact of Adoption of Biofortified Cassava by Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
ADETOMIWA KOLAPO ◽  
Adeyera James Kolapo
Keyword(s):  
Instrumental Variable ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Stem Cuttings ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Instrumental Variable Regression ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Poverty Status ◽  
Cassava Stem ◽  
Distributional Impact

Abstract In the bid to improve the productivity, welfare and vitamin-A intake of SSA farmers, Biofortified cassava was bred. This study examined the welfare and productivity impact of adoption of biofortified cassava using a household-level data from smallholder farmers in Nigeria. We used instrumental variable regression to control for endogeneity. The results obtained from the study showed that adoption of biofortified cassava increased farm yield, farmers income and welfare outcomes of adopters of biofortified cassava. In addition, the distributional impact of the adoption of the biofortified cassava showed heterogeneity effect based on gender and farm size. Overall, the study suggests that since the largest proportion of the cassava farmers in Nigeria are mostly smallholder farmers, distribution and circulation of biofortified cassava stem cuttings should be targeted towards the smallholder farmers so as to improve their productivity, income and welfare and subsequently reduce their poverty status and ensure food security.

scholarly journals Sustainable Land Management Practices and Technical and Environmental Efficiency among Smallholder Farmers in Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gazali Issahaku ◽  
Awudu Abdulai
Keyword(s):  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Environmental Efficiency ◽  
Sustainable Land Management ◽  
Stochastic Production Frontier ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Level Data

AbstractThe study examines the effects of adoption of sustainable land management practices on farm households’ technical efficiency (TE) and environmental efficiency, using household-level data from Ghana. We employ selectivity biased-corrected stochastic production frontier to account for potential bias from both observed and unobserved factors. The empirical results show that adopters exhibit higher levels of TE and output, compared with the nonadopters. However, the results reveal that adopters are found to use excess herbicides that could have adverse environmental consequences. The results also reveal that extension services and access to credit positively and significantly correlate with TE.

Hasty Pudding Versus Tasty Bread: Regional Variations in Diet and Nutrition during the Industrial Revolution

2012 ◽  
pp. 9-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Horrell ◽  
Deborah Oxley
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Products ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Level Information ◽  
Local Supply ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Nutritional Score

Using parish-level information from Sir F.M. Eden's The state of the poor (1797) we can identify typical diets for the counties of England. These diets varied considerably and afforded very different standards of nutrition. We compute a nutritional score for this diet, paying attention to the presence of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients shown to be essential for health and growth in constructing this measure. Other information in the reports allows us to relate county-level nutrition to factors in the local economy. In particular we find nutrition was positively related to the availability of common land in the area and to women's remunerated work if conducted from home. Lack of common land and little local supply of dairy products also pushed households into buying white wheaten bread rather than baking their own wholemeal loaf. Replicating some of this analysis with household-level data confirms these results. Diet also maps onto stature: male convicts to Australia were significantly taller if they originated in a county with a more nutritious diet. This verifies the important impact of nutrition on stature and demonstrates the sensitivity of height as a measure of key aspects of welfare.

Middle and Below Living Standards: What Can We Learn from Beyond Income Measures of Economic Well-being?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marii Paskov ◽  
Joan E. Madia ◽  
Tim Goedemé
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Material Deprivation ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Household Level ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Household Incomes ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Economic Well Being

This chapter complements the income-based measures of living standards on which earlier chapters have focused by incorporating non-income dimensions of economic well-being into its analysis, including indicators of material deprivation, economic burdens, and financial stress. It analyses how working-age households around and below the middle of the income distribution fared in European countries in the years before, during, and after the Great Recession. Harmonized household-level data across the members of the EU are analysed to see whether the evolution of these various non-income measures present a similar or different picture to household incomes over time. To probe what lies behind the patterns this reveals, four quite different countries are then examined in greater depth. Finally, the chapter also explores the relationship between material deprivation for households around and below the middle and overall income inequality.

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