The impact of integrated agricultural research for development on food security among smallholder farmers of southern Africa

The increasing frequency and intensity of droughts and floods, coupled with increasing temperatures and declining rainfall totals, are exacerbating existing vulnerabilities in southern Africa. Agriculture is the most affected sector as 95% of cultivated area is rainfed. This review addressed trends in moisture stress and the impacts on crop production, highlighting adaptation possible strategies to ensure food security in southern Africa. Notable changes in rainfall patterns and deficiencies in soil moisture are estimated and discussed, as well as the impact of rainfall variability on crop production and proposed adaptation strategies in agriculture. Climate moisture index (CMI) was used to assess aridity levels. Southern Africa is described as a climate hotspot due to increasing aridity, low adaptive capacity, underdevelopment and marginalisation. Although crop yields have been increasing due to increases in irrigated area and use of improved seed varieties, they have not been able to meet the food requirements of a growing population, compromising regional food security targets. Most countries in the region depend on international aid to supplement yield deficits. The recurrence of droughts caused by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) continue devastating the region, affecting livelihoods, economies and the environment. An example is the 2015/16 ENSO drought that caused the region to call for international aid to feed about 40 million people. In spite of the water scarcity challenges, cereal production continues to increase steadily due to increased investment in irrigated agriculture and improved crop varieties. Given the current and future vulnerability of the agriculture sector in southern Africa, proactive adaptation interventions are important to help farming communities develop resilient systems to adapt to the changes and variability in climate and other stressors.

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Linking Smallholder Farmers to the Heilongjiang Province Crop Rotation Project: Assessing the Impact on Production and Well-Being

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su14010038 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 38

Author(s):

Zheng Cai ◽

Shengsheng Li ◽

Guoming Du ◽

Ruhao Xue

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Agricultural Development ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Well Being ◽

Pilot Project ◽

Farm Size ◽

Heilongjiang Province ◽

The Impact

Food security and environmental protection—led by sustainable agricultural development—are key development goals of Heilongjiang Province. One of the main challenges facing the Heilongjiang Province is improving soil and livelihood by integrating smallholder farmers into the pilot crop rotation project. This paper investigates a comprehensive project—the new crop rotation pilot project in Heilongjiang (NCRPPH)—which aims to improve the livelihood of the pilot participants by involving smallholder farmers in the pilot crop rotation program and connecting them with the food industry through farmers’ cooperatives. This paper analyzes the impact of the NCRPPH on farmers’ crop rotation, grain yield, multi-agent cooperation, food security, and education based on data collected in 2019 and other retrospective information. The instrumental variable method and three different estimation strategies are used to solve the endogenous problem. The results show that the project has a vast and positive impact on the gross and net value of grain production per hectare and the share of products sold to food manufacturers through cooperatives. Regardless of the farm size, farmers have equal opportunities from which they can benefit. In addition, our analysis shows that the NCRPPH improves the educational situation and food security without affecting crop rotation practices. Finally, our research proves the effectiveness of this project.

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Does contract farming improve rice farmers' food security? Empirical evidence from Ghana

World Journal of Science Technology and Sustainable Development ◽

10.1108/wjstsd-11-2020-0091 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Reuben Jagri Binpori ◽

Dadson Awunyo-Vitor ◽

Camillus Abawiera Wongnaa

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Market Access ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Contract Farming ◽

Data Set ◽

Content Type ◽

Rice Farmers ◽

Food Security Status ◽

The Impact

PurposeIn order to improve access to resources for smallholder farmers, efforts are being made to promote contract farming in Ghana. This is seen as a strategy to increase agricultural productivity of farmers, give better market access and guarantee adequate supply of raw materials to agro-based industries. However, the challenge is whether contract farming leads to improvement in food security status of farmers. The study therefore seeks to explore to what extent farmers' food security status is influenced by their participation in contract farming activities.Design/methodology/approachUsing Cragg's double-hurdle model to analyse participation in contract farming, the authors control for selection bias using propensity score matching applied to a data set of 336 observations to examine the impact of contract farming on the food security levels of rice farmers in Ghana.FindingsThe results of this study show that yield of paddy and the wealth of the farmer are the main factors that influence the quantity of paddy rice to be contracted in contract farming arrangements. This study also finds that participation in contract farming will increase food security by 109%. In conclusion, contract farming has a significant positive impact on the farmers' food security status.Originality/valueAgricultural policies and rural development initiatives supporting the promotion and expansion of contract farming should be pursued to persuade more farmers to produce under contract farming agreements.

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Impact of Participation in Contract Farming on Smallholder Farmers’ Income and Food Security in Rural Benin: PSM and LATE Parameter Combined

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12030901 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 901 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Odountan Ambaliou Olounlade ◽

Gu-Cheng Li ◽

Sènakpon E. Haroll Kokoye ◽

François Vihôdé Dossouhoui ◽

Kuassi Auxence Aristide Akpa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Large Scale ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Average Treatment Effect ◽

Farm Income ◽

Security Level ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Contract Farming ◽

The Impact

Investigated in this work is the impact of contract farming participation on smallholder farmers’ income and food security in rice crop production in Northern Benin using 400 randomly selected rice farmer households. Unlike previous studies, we corrected for both observed and unobserved biases by combining propensity score matching (PSM) and the local average treatment effect parameter (LATE). The results showed significant negative consequences of partaking in rice contract farming. We found evidence of significant negative effects on rice production income at a 1% level. The more the rice farmers join in contract farming, the lower the farm income became. Decreased food consumption was also a result of contract farming participation for potential participants by a score of 60.64, placing their households at the food security status level of poor food consumption because the quantity and nutritional quality of the food consumed were inadequate. Contract farming is, therefore, not a reasonable policy instrument that can help farmers increase their income and improve their food security level in the Alibori Department, Benin if farmers do not diversify their crops. The necessary resources and economic environment are not yet in place to allow contract farming to take full advantage of its potential benefits. To prevent the wasting of scarce public resources, expanding contract farming would not be appropriate in marginal areas with markets and other infrastructure. Additional measures are needed for contract farming to be profitable for contracting actors and to ensure sustainability and the large-scale participation of farmers.

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The Impact of Farm Forestry on Poverty alleviation and Food Security in Uganda

Journal of Sustainable Development ◽

10.5539/jsd.v9n1p150 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 150 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Isaac Kiyingi ◽

A. Edriss ◽

M. Phiri ◽

M. Buyinza ◽

H. Agaba

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Empirical Evidence ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Plantation Forestry ◽

Consumption Expenditure ◽

Switching Regression ◽

Carbon Forestry ◽

On Farm ◽

The Impact ◽

Improve Food Security

<p>To address the problem of high rural poverty and food insecurity, government and international donors have funded on-farm plantation forestry projects as one of the tools for improving the welfare of rural communities. In the wake of climate change, on-farm plantation forestry has evolved to include carbon forestry, with the dual purpose of sequestering carbon and improving rural livelihoods. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence regarding whether and under what conditions on-farm plantation forestry can deliver favorable livelihood outcomes.</p>Therefore, Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and endogenous switching regression models were used to estimate the average treatment effects of adopting eucalyptus and carbon forestry woodlots (under the planvivo system) on consumption expenditure per adult equivalent and daily calorie acquisition per adult equivalent. PSM and switching regression results consistently indicated that adoption of eucalyptus woodlots increased consumption expenditure by 32 and 28.3% respectively. PSM and switching regression results also indicated that adoption of eucalyptus woodlots increased calorie acquisition per adult equivalent by 36 and 13.1% respectively. Results also indicated that adoption of carbon forestry increased calorie acquisition per adult equivalent by between 22 and 26.9% but the impact on consumption expenditure per adult equivalent was mixed. The findings of this study provide empirical evidence that adoption of on-farm eucalyptus woodlots is an important pathway for smallholder farmers to escape poverty and improve food security. Similarly, adoption of carbon forestry woodlots under the planvivo system can improve food security. However, previous on-farm plantation forestry projects were not well targeted to the poor households.

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Does microcredit use helps farmers win battle against food insecurity: evidence from Jimma zone of Southwest Ethiopia

Agriculture & Food Security ◽

10.1186/s40066-021-00323-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Amanuel Berhanu ◽

Abayineh Amare ◽

Birki Gurmessa ◽

Yadeta Bekele ◽

Tamiru Chalchisa

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Propensity Score ◽

Propensity Score Matching ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Labour Force ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Farm Income ◽

Household Food ◽

Jimma Zone ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Lack of access to credit precludes smallholder farmers from making investment that generates greater level of income, consumption and wealth. To reverse this limit, Oromia Credit and Saving Share Company has been providing microcredit for rural households for the last two decades in the study area. Yet, there is limited knowledge on the impact of this microcredit service on rural household food security in Jimma zone. Therefore, this research aims at generating location-specific data on the impact of microcredit utilization on household food security in the study area. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 360 sample households. Data were generated through household survey, focus group discussion and key informant interview. Both descriptive and econometric data analysis techniques (binary logit model and Propensity score matching) were used. Results The results reveal that educational level, family size; land size and non/off-farm income of the households influenced microcredit utilization positively, whereas livestock ownership and farm income negatively influenced it. The analysis of food security status indicate that large proportion of households are food secure. The Propensity score matching result expose that microcredit utilization has generated a positive and significant impact on household food security. Conclusions Efforts towards scaling out services of microcredit institutions should target improving financial literacy of the rural poor and their current financial need on the basis of other resources such as land and livestock they owned with the ultimate goal of ensuring household food security. It is also imperative to realize the labour force capacity of the households in the process of expanding credit service.

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Status of Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease in Zambia

10.52855/kiad5607 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Doreen Chomba ◽

◽

Msiska K. K. ◽

Abass M. S. ◽

Mudenda M. ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Mosaic Virus ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus ◽

Maize Production ◽

Chlorotic Mottle Virus ◽

Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus ◽

Chlorotic Mottle ◽

The Status

Maize is a staple food in Zambia and contributes immensely to food security for smallholder farmers. Disease outbreaks such as Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND) can be a key constraint to maize production. This disease is caused by synergistic co-infection with Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus (MCMV) and any virus from the family Potyviridae, particularly, Sugarcane Mosaic Virus (SCMV), Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus (MDMV) or Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV). In 2011, an outbreak of MLND affecting almost all of the currently grown commercial varieties posed a challenge to maize production in Kenya and it has since been reported in DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda causing yield losses of up to 100%. Despite MLND having been reported in some neighboring countries, there is no information on the status of the disease in Zambia. Additionally, there is a lot of grain and seed trade between Zambia and other countries among which MLND has been reported. The aim of this study was to establish: (a) the status of MCMV; (b) agricultural practices used by farmers and (c) insect vectors associated with MLND. A survey was conducted in nine (9) provinces of Zambia during 2014/2015 and 2015/ 2016 cropping seasons. Farmers’ maize fields were sampled at every five to ten-kilometer interval and tested using rapid diagnostic kits capable of detecting MCMV. Four hundred and nineteen samples collected all tested negative for MCMV. Zambian Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), with all stakeholders in the maize value chain should continue implementing measures aimed at preventing the introduction of MLND in Zambia. Key words: Survey, MLND, Losses, food security

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ON-FARM TRIALS AS ‘INFECTION POINTS’? A RESPONSE TO WALL ET AL.

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479718000509 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 55 (2) ◽

pp. 195-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. A. ANDERSSON ◽

T. J. KRUPNIK ◽

N. DE ROO

Keyword(s):

Case Studies ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Site Selection ◽

Crop Production ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Production Technologies ◽

On Farm ◽

New Crop

In their response to our paper on the problems of using on-farm trials in efforts to scale-out new crop production technologies and practices among smallholder farmers, Wall et al. (2019) focus on our descriptions of on-farm trials in just one of the three case studies of Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) projects that were presented. They argue we did not understand the projects’ philosophy and that the biases in farmer and site selection we discussed, do not exist in the southern Africa case study.

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Does market access improve dietary diversity and food security? Evidence from Southwestern Ethiopian smallholder coffee producers

Agricultural and Food Economics ◽

10.1186/s40100-021-00190-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Muhammed Abdella Usman ◽

Daniel Callo-Concha

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Market Access ◽

Dietary Diversity ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Direct Action ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Household Survey ◽

Household Consumption ◽

Primary Data ◽

The Impact

AbstractMarket access influences the dietary diversity and food security for smallholder households in many ways. In Ethiopia, most smallholders are subsistence farmers who have poor access to markets. This study used primary data from a household survey to examine the relationship between market access and the dietary diversity and food security for 324 smallholder households in the Yayu area of southwestern Ethiopia in early 2018. Multivariate regression analysis showed that households located far from market centers consumed not only less diverse foods but also spend less on food consumption than households located close to market centers. The correlation between market access and food security measured by Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) did not reach statistical significance, nor did the impact of market access on household consumption and dietary diversity through income. Rather, greater market access appeared to encourage smallholder households to rely on market purchases more than their own production to improve the diversity of household consumption. A direct action to improve the market accessibility would be investments in infrastructure to expand rural road connectivity, which would reduce transaction costs and benefit the welfare of smallholder farmers and communities.

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