scholarly journals The Potent Reliant of Agro-ecological Farming: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (1-3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Adewunmi Eyinade
Keyword(s):  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Local Resources ◽  
Ecological Farming ◽  
Recent Debate ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Conventional Systems ◽  
Farm Inputs

ABSTRACT Agro-ecological farming and conventional farming are two methods to food production. The word ‘agro-ecological farming’ refers to a diversity of agricultural methods that seek to provide food by using available natural and local resources rather than off-farm inputs that is sustainable, socially and environmentally acceptable. Recent debate about the advantages of agro-ecological farming over conventional systems has centred on each method’s capability to increase output in the background of several and diverse biophysical and social limitations. An appraisal of the literature suggests that agro-ecological farming can offer some benefits to small-scale farmers, but that precise methods must be tailored to soil-climatic conditions, local climate, labour availability, training as well as organic inputs availability.

scholarly journals A Threat of Farmers’ Suicide and the Opportunity in Organic Farming for Sustainable Agricultural Development in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthikeyan Mariappan ◽  
Deyi Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Input Cost

Agriculture is the main sources of income for humans. Likewise, agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy. In India, Tamil Nadu regional state has a wide range of possibilities to produce all varieties of organic products due to its diverse agro-climatic condition. This research aimed to identify the economics and efficiency of organic farming, and the possibilities to reduce farmers’ suicides in the Tamil Nadu region through the organic agriculture concept. The emphasis was on farmers, producers, researchers, and marketers entering the sustainable economy through organic farming by reducing input cost and high profit in cultivation. A survey was conducted to gather data. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) has been used to test the hypothesis regards the cost and profit of rice production. The results showed that there was a significant difference in profitability between organic and conventional farming methods. It is very transparent that organic farming is the leading concept of sustainable agricultural development with better organic manures that can improve soil fertility, better yield, less input cost and better return than conventional farming. The study suggests that by reducing the cost of cultivation and get a marginal return through organic farming method to poor and small scale farmers will reduce socio-economic problems such as farmers’ suicides in the future of Indian agriculture.

scholarly journals Coproducing Weather Forecast Information with and for Smallholder Farmers in Ghana: Evaluation and Design Principles

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 902
Author(s):  
Talardia Gbangou ◽  
Rebecca Sarku ◽  
Erik Van Slobbe ◽  
Fulco Ludwig ◽  
Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Weather Forecast ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Weather Forecasts ◽  
Monitoring Tools ◽  
Weather And Climate ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Many West African farmers are struggling to cope with changing weather and climatic conditions. This situation limits farmers’ ability to make optimal decisions for food and income security. Developing more useful and accessible weather and climate information services (WCIS) can help small-scale farmers improve their adaptive capacity. The literature suggests that such WCIS can be achieved if forecast information is produced jointly by farmers and scientists. To test this hypothesis and derive design requirements for effective WCIS, we evaluated the outcomes of an experimental coproduction of weather forecasts in Ada, Ghana. The experiment involved a user-driven design and testing of information and communications technology (ICT)-based digital (smartphones and apps) and rainfall monitoring tools by 22 farmers. They collected data and received weather forecasts during the 2018/2019 study period. The results showed a positive evaluation of the intervention, expressed by the level of engagement, the increase in usability of the tools and understanding of forecast uncertainty, outreach capacity with other farmers, and improved daily farming decisions. The success of the intervention was attributed to the iterative design process, as well as the training, monitoring, and technical support provided. We conclude that the application of modern technology in a coproduction process with targeted training and monitoring can improve smallholder farmers’ access to and use of weather and climate forecast information.

scholarly journals The timing of agricultural production in hazard-prone areas to prevent losses at peak-risk periods: A case of Malawi, Madagascar and Mozambique

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandri Kruger
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Residual Moisture ◽  
Resilient Communities ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Hazard-prone areas in southern Africa experience many natural hazards, which include cyclones, floods and droughts. The severe climatic conditions of southern Africa have an especially large impact on the agricultural practices of small-scale farmers. These hazards should be mitigated to ensure more resilient communities and food security. This study mainly focuses on the timing of agricultural production in hazard-prone areas to prevent losses at peak-risk periods by adapting the agricultural cycle. This study focuses on the agricultural activities of small-scale farmers in Malawi, Madagascar and Mozambique. A literature review is presented, and a mixed-method research design were followed to determine the timing of production followed by these small-scale farmers and its impact on production and food security. Although this study found that the small-scale farmers generally plant with the first rains, it is recommended by literature that early planting should be practised to ensure optimal production. It is also recommended that small-scale farmers should implement watermanagement techniques for dry periods, and when farmers practice late planting, the use of residual-moisture retention should be utilised as a mitigation measure. This will in effect ensure that the communities are less vulnerable during peak-risk periods by improving or ensuring food security. Therefore, adapting the planting and production time in these hazardprone areas at peak-risk periods could limit losses and increase communities’ resilience.

scholarly journals Over the Heads? Agricultural Expansion, Production and Marketing Experiences among Rural Farmers in Zambia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hlupekile Ndhlovu ◽  
Simon Manda
Keyword(s):  
Local Development ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Agricultural Expansion ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

The post-2007 crisis-induced an agricultural expansion across Africa, but local level production and marketing experiences remain understudied. This study assesses the dynamics of agricultural expansion and small-scale farmers’ experiences in rural Zambia. Using a mixed research design, data were drawn from surveys, multi-level interviews, group discussions policy reviews and observations. Results show an agriculture expansion among small-scale farmers is underway due to favourable climatic conditions, land, and water availability, enabled by state subsidies, and an emerging market in commercial and supermarket outlets. However, farmers encounter production and marketing challenges related to poor tenure security, late delivery of inputs, and low financing. They face low and fluctuating prices, poor infrastructure, including low levels of mechanisation necessary to expand the production. Overall, despite an agricultural and land-use expansion taking shape, actual benefits for real transformation are largely missing – and currently over their heads. An argument is made that whilst policy actors continue to impress farmers to organise themselves to maximise benefits of an agricultural expansion, actual processes on how farmers can achieve this are missing in policy and practice. This necessitates a focus on multi-level processes aimed at addressing production, storage and marketing dynamics within a progressive coordination arrangement that centralizes small producers. Until that is addressed, the prospects for local development and poverty reduction for small-scale farmers under an agricultural expansion will be slender but continue to centrally reside in the state efforts to create enabling local and community environment that addresses real challenges. Overall, this study helps to extend the debate on diverse processes shaping rural transformation in Zambia and across sub-Saharan Africa, including the role and importance of agricultural expansion.

scholarly journals Agricultural Inputs Subsidy in Nigeria: An Overview of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS)

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 781-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amurtiya Michael ◽  
Abdu Karniliyus Tashikalma ◽  
David Chinda Maurice
Keyword(s):  
Implementation Process ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Growth Enhancement ◽  
Late Delivery ◽  
The Government ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Successes And Challenges ◽  
Farm Inputs

The Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) was initiated by the Nigerian government to boost agricultural production through the provision of ‘smart subsidies’ on some farm inputs to small‑scale farmers. This review highlights the successes and challenges of the Scheme’s implementation process across the country. The study reviewed scholarly articles and other secondary data from government sources on the scheme. Findings from the study revealed that the Scheme was able to deliver subsidised agricultural inputs to small-scale farmers with relative ease and at affordable rate which was able to boost farm output. However, the scheme is affected majorly by its politicization, the inability of the governments to release funds to agro-dealers leading to late delivery of inputs and the lack of support service (extension) to farmers. Based on these findings, it is therefore recommended that, adequate synergy should be established between all collaborating agencies of the government participating in the scheme to ensure adequate release of funds, timely disbursement of farm inputs and the provision of suitable support services to farmers.

Sustainable Aquaculture for Small-scale Farmers: Need for a Balanced Model

1996 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Edwards ◽  
Harvey Demaine ◽  
Nick Innes-Taylor ◽  
Danai Turongruang
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Sustainable Aquaculture ◽  
Northeast Thailand ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Sustainable Systems ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Balanced Model ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Farm Inputs

Relatively few small-scale farmers culture fish, even in Asia, as the gap between the traditional supply — wild fish — and the demand has begun to widen only relatively recently. Rapid human population growth, overfishing and environmental degradation are providing a stimulus for the growth of aquaculture but sustainable systems of production remain to be developed for most areas. A balanced model involving both on-farm and off-farm resources is required to promote aquaculture so that it can fulfil its potential and contribute significantly to people's welfare. Rising expectations and the poor resource base of most small-scale farms dictate the need to intensify nutrient flows and productivity through increased levels of off-farm inputs, as outlined here for resource-poor northeast Thailand.

Researching Alternative Cash Crops for Small Scale Farmers in Southern Ohio

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 530a-530
Author(s):  
Brad Bergefurd ◽  
Gary Gao
Keyword(s):  
Applied Research ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Cash Crops ◽  
Grant Program ◽  
Culinary Herbs ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Speciality crops are great alternative cash crops for small scale farmers. Small scale farmers are constantly searching for viable economic crops to grow. We have been conducting applied research on the production and marketing of culinary herbs, oriental vegetables, colored peppers, and muskmelons to name a few. These crops show excellent potential for southern Ohio. Field demonstration, seminars, and surveys were used to gather and disseminate information on these speciality crops. More than 230 people attended our seminars on alternative cash crops. More than 150 people attended our field days. In addition, we had identified many chefs that are willing to purchase from local speciality crop growers. It will be a win-win situation for both chefs and growers. Growers will be able to maximize their profitability while chefs will receive fresh and unique produce. As a result of our research, we were able to show small scale growers what they can grow successfully and how they can market their crops for most profit. These applied research projects received a combined funding of $10000.00 from OSU Extension-Innovative Grant program. These projects are a great way to establish credibility among clients. We would also like to demonstrate how other extension agents can help their clients. A lecture utilizing slides and overhead transparencies will be the format of the seminar.

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