Towards demand-driven services? The role of feedback mechanisms in agribusiness-based advisory services for smallholder farmers

Abstract This book chapter describes the life cycle of F. gigantica and its differences from F. hepatica, including its economic importance and control options available, with particular emphasis on the importance of the smallholder farmers and the role of rice fields in maintaining the life cycle in Southeast Asia.

Download Full-text

The role of self-control, hope and information in technology adoption by smallholder farmers – A moderation model

Journal of Rural Studies ◽

10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.01.009 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 74 ◽

pp. 160-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shira Bukchin ◽

Dorit Kerret

Keyword(s):

Technology Adoption ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Self Control ◽

Moderation Model

Download Full-text

E-Procurement Adoption: A Case Study about the Role of Two Italian Advisory Services

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12187476 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (18) ◽

pp. 7476

Author(s):

Sara Belisari ◽

Daniele Binci ◽

Andrea Appolloni

Keyword(s):

Organizational Performance ◽

Technology Literacy ◽

Comparative Case Study ◽

Advisory Services ◽

Support Organizations ◽

Italian Market ◽

Semistructured Interviews ◽

Expected Benefits

This paper aims to analyze e-procurement adoption projects with specific focus on the Italian market. E-procurement adoption is critical for organizations, both for its internal efficiency and for the deep impact on sustainability issues. E-procurement adoption, however, is a complex journey as its implementation deals with various obstacles and the adoption costs can limit the overall organizational performance. Advisory services can support organizations in reaching the overall benefits of the e-procurement solution also by reducing the setbacks related to low technology literacy of end-users. Accordingly, we analyze adoption of e-procurement, its main variables and outputs, by focusing on a comparative case study based on an exploratory-inductive investigation of two Italian leading providers. The data have been collected through primary (semistructured interviews) and secondary (companies’ internal documents and companies’ websites) sources. Results highlight that when firms decide to adopt e-procurement, advisory services have an enabling role that can support them into implementation, and particularly for overcoming barriers and helping them to achieve the expected benefits.

Download Full-text

Adoption and the Role of Fertilizer Trees and Shrubs as a Climate Smart Agriculture Practice: The Case of Salima District in Malawi

Environments ◽

10.3390/environments5110122 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (11) ◽

pp. 122

Author(s):

Frank Musa ◽

Judith Kamoto ◽

Charles Jumbe ◽

Leo Zulu

Keyword(s):

Land Tenure ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Household Survey ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Tobit Model ◽

Degraded Soil ◽

Smart Agriculture ◽

Trees And Shrubs ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

Fertilizer trees and shrubs can improve degraded soil and avert the impacts of climate change on smallholder farmers in Malawi. This paper analyses the roles of fertilizer trees and shrubs and factors that determine adoption, as well as the intensity of use of fertilizer on trees and shrubs in maize-based farming systems using the Tobit model. A household survey involving 250 smallholder farmers was conducted in Salima district, Malawi. The analysis shows that adopters of fertilizer trees and shrubs considered fertility improvement, shade, source of food and erosion control as main roles of fertilizer trees and shrubs. The Tobit model shows that households with relatively more land are more likely to adopt fertilizer trees and shrubs than those with small land sizes. Adoption is higher among farmers who had been exposed to fertilizer trees and shrubs for longer periods than others had. Land tenure, education and availability of labor also influence the adoption of fertilizer trees and shrubs. Results further show that household and farm characteristics and availability of extension services explain the current adoption rates of tree-fertilizer technologies. Our findings can guide effective targeting of farmers to ensure higher adoption and sustainability of fertilizer-tree and shrub technology for climate-smart agriculture among the smallholder farmers.

Download Full-text