scholarly journals Explaining the Weakness of Associational Life in Oil Palm Growing Communities in Southwestern Ghana

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy Takyiakwaa ◽  
Prince S. K. Tetteh ◽  
Kofi Takyi Asante
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Rural Poverty ◽  
Ample Evidence ◽  
Associational Life ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Gain Access

As the second most important industrial crop in Ghana, oil palm holds the potential of improving farmers’ livelihoods and alleviating rural poverty. For smallholder farmers, collective action through farmer-based organisations (FBOs) could provide a pathway to inclusive participation in agricultural commercialisation. There is ample evidence in the literature that collective action can help smallholders gain access to credit, improved inputs, or even networks of social support. Thus, collective action is widely recognised as a viable pathway out of poverty for the agrarian poor. However, our findings show that FBOs were either weak or non-existent. Indeed, we find that economic relations between farmers tend to be more individualised than one would expect to find in rural communities. This paper presents these findings, and explores why this is the case.

scholarly journals Adoption of Improved Mungbean Production Technologies in Selected East African Countries

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 528
Author(s):  
Frank Mmbando ◽  
Emmanuel Mbeyagala ◽  
Papias Binagwa ◽  
Rael Karimi ◽  
Hellen Opie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Women Farmers ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
East African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Household Asset ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Household Assets ◽  
Production Technologies

This study analyzes the factors that influence the probability and extent of the adoption of mungbean production technologies in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, using multivariate probit and Poisson regression models. The results show that the probability and extent of the adoption of mungbean production technologies are influenced by gender of the household, household size, farm size, livestock size, household assets, access to extension services and access to credit. The study suggests that policy interventions that aimed at targeting women farmers, increasing household asset and information dissemination, such as field demonstrations and training programs, are crucial in enhancing technology adoption among smallholder farmers.

Smallholder large ruminant health and production in Lao PDR: challenges and opportunities for improving domestic and regional beef supply

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Nampanya ◽  
S. Khounsy ◽  
J. R. Young ◽  
V. Napasirth ◽  
R. D. Bush ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Lao Pdr ◽  
Rural Poverty ◽  
Rural Livelihoods ◽  
Bubalus Bubalis ◽  
Large Ruminant ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Marketing Systems

Indigenous yellow cattle (Bos indicus) and Asiatic swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) are important livestock species in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos). Data from 2011 estimated there was a national herd of 1 586 200 cattle and 774 200 buffalo, with average numbers of 5.3 cattle and 3.4 buffalo per farm household, indicating that the majority of farm households with large ruminants were smallholders, retaining large ruminants as a storage of wealth, for sale as meat, and as a source of manure fertiliser. Increasing demand for red meat in both domestic and neighbouring markets, driven by rapidly growing economies and urbanisation, offers opportunities for Lao smallholders to gain more income from their livestock. However, improving cattle and buffalo production and a more sustainable supply of safe beef and buffalo meat, requires that numerous production, health and welfare constraints be addressed, including: prevalence of important infectious and parasitic diseases, nutritional deficits particularly in the dry season, undeveloped trading, meat processing and marketing systems, limited veterinary and extension service capacity, adverse impacts from climate change and cultural practices specific to buffalo husbandry, plus policy developments that recognise and adapt to changes in land use. Improvements in large ruminant health, processing and marketing are of particular importance as these will enable poor smallholder farmers to participate in emerging beef markets and expand other agricultural enterprises, improving rural livelihoods, with potential reductions in rural poverty and increased food security. This paper identifies the strategic interventions that may increase the supply of cattle and buffalo and improve rural livelihoods in Laos and the Greater Mekong Subregion.

scholarly journals Characterization of smallholder farmers and agricultural credit institutions in Rwanda

2021 ◽  
Vol 21` (01) ◽  
pp. 17343-17364
Author(s):  
Nathan K Taremwa ◽  
◽  
I Macharia ◽  
E Bett ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Asymmetry ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Credit ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Credit Access ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Information Gap ◽  
Lending Institutions ◽  
Credit Institutions

The significance of access to agricultural credit in perpetuating agricultural productivity is unquestionable, because it is a means to achieving optimal productivity. The minimization of any barriers to agricultural credit access should,thus,be a global priority. One of the most significant and current barriers to agricultural credit access is information asymmetry which results into mutual distrust between lending institutions and borrowers in this case the smallholder farmers. To address information asymmetry, both the lending institutions and borrowers need to have definitive descriptive information about either party. Without the profiling of institutions and potential borrowers, an information gap persists, thereby increasing mutual distrust. This study addresses that gap, in the context of Rwanda by characterizing smallholder farmers and agricultural credit institutions. Across-sectional survey design was used in this study with smallholder farmers and staff in agricultural credit institutions in the Eastern, Western, and Central provinces of Rwanda as the units of analysis. A multistage sampling procedure was used,with stratified sampling of administrative levels spanning from province(stage 1) to districts (stage 2) and sectors(stage 3),followed by a simple random sampling of cells per sector, and the convenience sample of households. Staff in the financial institutions were purposively sampled. The data collected was analyzed using principal component analysis and cluster analysis with the K-means statistic(SPSS version 25). The largest cluster of smallholder farmers has the following characteristics: household size of1to 5 people, farmers with education, owning arable land not exceeding a hectare, with more than five years of farming experience,earning from other off-farm activities, with no dependents under five years of age, and renting less than an acre of land. As for agricultural credit institutions, the largest cluster has following compositions:have mechanisms or measures established for managing loan defaults with the majority using refinancing, rescheduling, and collateral release, with variable loan payback options, and provide targeted agricultural credit to farmers such as agricultural input premium.The research findings are particularly pertinent for maize-and rice-growing farmers,and how to reduce the information gap and the implications of broadening access to credit to smallholder farmers were discussed. This study emphasizes the need for characterization for both parties to be better informed about the characteristics and dynamics of each other, all in a bid to lessen asymmetric information and thus improve access to credit.

scholarly journals Drivers of cooking energy choices by meal-types among smallholder farmers in western Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-58
Author(s):  
F.M. Mwaura ◽  
M. Ngigi ◽  
G. Obare
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Multinomial Logit Model ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Production Factors ◽  
Formal Employment ◽  
Cooking Energy ◽  
Public Forests ◽  
Significant Factors

There are gaps in research needed to enhance policy intervention for rural households’ transitions from traditional biomass to cleaner energy sources. This paper reports on a survey among farmers in western Kenya to assess drivers of cooking energy choices for various key meals; to understand agricultural production factors in cooking energy choices; and to assess energy use homogeneity among varied sub-counties. The study sampled 388 respondents from four heterogeneous rural sub-counties differing in altitude, proximity to public forests, and cultural characteristics. The multinomial logit model analysis showed that significant factors influencing the shift from firewood to LPG for breakfast preparation included access to credit, income, formal employment, and the proportion of adults in the household. Shifting from firewood to crop wastes was significant, influenced by distance covered to collect firewood, and desire for warming houses. The shift from firewood to sticks was influenced by firewood cost, houses owned, and reliance on own farm for woodfuel. Determinants of cooking energy choices for breakfast, lunch and supper were identical. Sticks were seen as an inferior cooking energy source. The adoption of cleaner energy was more associated with breakfast than other meals. Despite the sub-counties’ heterogeneity, no substantial differences were observed among them on drivers of cooking energy choices. Study outcomes were consistent with other concepts associated with cooking energy usage, including the transition energy ladder and energy stacking.

scholarly journals Technical Efficiency Of Smallholders Of Oil Palm Cultivation In Ogan Komering Ilir

Agro Ekonomi ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Armina Fariani ◽  
Jamhari Jamhari ◽  
Any Suryantini
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Organic Fertilizer ◽  
Technical Level ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Probabilistic Sampling ◽  
Npk Fertilizer ◽  
And Training ◽  
Descriptive Method

This study aims to (1) identify the factors affecting the production of oil palm cultivation business by the smallholders and (2) identify the technical level as well as factors influencing business inefficiency of oil palm cultivation by the smallholders  in Air Sugihan Sub District of Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatera Province.  This research uses the  basic method of analytical descriptive method.  The data were collected by way of observation and direct interviews in the field guided by a questionnaire.  The research location was determined purposively, that is in Pangkalan Damai Village, Air Sugihan Sub-district, Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality, South Sumatera Province. Sampling was conducted using non probabilistic sampling method (purposive sampling).  The research investigated 79 smallholder farmers of oil palm cultivation in Pangkalan Damai village of Air Sugihan Sub-district, Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality, South Sumatera Province.  On the basis of the analysis, it is revealed  that (1) the factors affecting the increase of palm production were labor, land area, TSP fertilizer, NPK fertilizer, organic fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides which also have an effect on decreasing  palm production. (2) Palm plantation business was technically efficient with the average technical level of smallholder palm farmers in Air Sugihan Sub-district of Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality of 0.86090.  Factors that decrease the technical inefficiency in smallholder palm cultivation in Air Sugihan Sub-district of Ogan Komering Ilir Regency were farmers’ education level.  This information can be used by the goverment to improve technical efficiency through education in the form of counseling and training to increase production.

scholarly journals Does Agricultural Performance Contribute to Rural Poverty Reduction in Indonesia?

JEJAK ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-83
Author(s):  
Muhammad Amir Arham ◽  
Ahmad Fadhli ◽  
Sri Indriyani Dai
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Income Distribution ◽  
Government Policy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Rural Poverty ◽  
Poor People ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
Agricultural Performance

Agriculture is the primary sector in many provinces in Indonesia. In fact, most of the rural communities work in the agricultural sector. Nevertheless, the poverty level in rural areas remains high. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the performance of the agricultural sector in reducing the rural poverty level in Indonesia, and to investigate factors that contribute as a determinant in reducing rural poverty level in Indonesia. This study was significant, considering that the result was to contribute to government policy evaluation in the agricultural sector, especially in reducing poverty in rural areas. This study used quantitative analysis through multiple regressions with data panel from 2014 to 2017 from 33 provinces in Indonesia. This study revealed that the increase of agricultural sector share and the widening of the income distribution had caused an increase in poor people in a rural area. This finding also revealed that the income distribution gap was a determinant to the severity of rural poverty. The growth in the agricultural sector to contribute toward the economy could reduce rural poverty level in Indonesia. Meanwhile, agricultural financing, economic growth, inflation, and the farmer exchange rate had not significantly contributed to reducing the poverty level.

Tailoring integrated student supports to rural contexts

2019 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-51
Author(s):  
Elaine Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Rural Poverty ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
School Buses ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Preschool Classrooms ◽  
Partner Organization ◽  
Student Supports

Rural poverty rises to higher levels than poverty in urban and suburban areas, and rural communities and their schools face greater isolation, which means that families must travel farther than their urban and suburban counterparts to access available services and learning opportunities. Elaine Weiss describes two rural communities, one in Arkansas and another in Kentucky, that provide models for how rural communities might create ways for students and families to access resources that otherwise would be out of reach. Grant funding allowed one district to open up additional spots in a local preschool, while a partner organization in another community converted school buses into preschool classrooms, so they could take learning directly to distant families. These districts also used technology to improve their STEM offerings, provide access to e-books that students could download on school-provided tablets at school and read at home without internet access, and put students in touch with medical care, mentors, and learning opportunities beyond their local community.

scholarly journals Medicalization of Rural Poverty: Challenges for Access

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 651-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Weeks
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Rural Poverty ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Rural Residents

This article provides a broad survey of issues facing rural communities and suggests that medicalization of poverty concepts and interventions need to be tailored to those populations. Rural poverty may be both broader and deeper than in urban areas. Those challenges seem to produce a constellation of health conditions, as rural residents struggle with unemployment and lack of opportunities. Relatedly, rural communities struggle to maintain financially viable hospitals and specialty providers. The article closes by offering a snapshot of rural-specific strategies to address these issues.

Determinants of smallholder farmers’ decisions on fertilizer use for cereal crops in the Ethiopian highlands

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 677-687
Author(s):  
Tewodros Tefera ◽  
Eyasu Elias ◽  
Christy van Beek
Keyword(s):  
Family Size ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Soil And Water Conservation ◽  
Ethiopian Highlands ◽  
Fertilizer Use ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Education Status ◽  
Fertilizer Adoption ◽  
Soil And Water

AbstractThis study identified decision variables influencing fertilizer adoption and optimal fertilizer rates among smallholder farmers in the Ethiopian highlands. The fertilizer adoption and fertilizer use were examined in four regional states using a questionnaire survey, which was administered to 2880 farm households. A double hurdle model was used to analyze factors influencing the two independent decisions of adoption of fertilizers and use of fertilizers. The model estimates of the first hurdle revealed that the probability of fertilizer adoption increased by 1.2% as household education status improved, by 1.4% for an increased number of active family members, by 5.6% with improved access to credit, by 3.4% with cooperative membership, by 3.3% with an increase in farm size, by 4.6% when soil and water conservation practices are employed, and by 3.4% when agroecology of the farm is located in the medium to highland zone. Conversely, the probability of fertilizer adoption reduced by 0.9% for an increase in family size, 0.6% with 1 km distance from all-weather road, 1.6% for a kilometer further to farm plots, and 0.9% for an increase in number of parcels. The intensity of use of fertilizers was influenced by education status of the household head, family size, access to credit, membership to cooperatives, use of crop rotation, annual income, number of farm plots owned, use of soil and water conservation, and agroecology. Therefore, a concerted effort is needed to encourage fertilizer adoption and optimum fertilizer use intensity by improving households’ resource endowment, institutional capacity to deliver services, and infrastructure development.

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