scholarly journals Farmers’ Perceptions and Factors Influencing the Adoption of No-Till Conservation Agriculture by Small-Scale Farmers in Zashuke, KwaZulu-Natal Province

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 555 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
No Till ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

scholarly journals Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Zambia – The Case of Chongwe District

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abson Chompolola ◽  
Oliver Kaonga
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Social Characteristics ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Extension System ◽  
Frequency Of Contact ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Behavioural Aspects ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

<p>The Zambian government and its cooperating partners have been trying to promote the use of conservation agriculture for improved food security and promotion of environmental sustainability. The methods used to promote conservation agriculture however are not adequately informed because no Zambia-specific studies have been done to explain adoption behaviour. This study aimed at explaining the factors that affect the adoption of conservation agriculture in Zambia using a case study.</p><p>A cross section survey of 200 randomly selected small scale farmers in Chongwe district was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Information collected included demographic characteristics of participating households, economic, as well as social characteristics. Respondents also provided information on the farming practices they are currently using vis a vis conservation agriculture.</p>A decision model was estimated using logistic regression and the results indicate that the adoption of conservation agriculture in the survey area is basically influenced by ownership of draft power, availability of labour, and the frequency of contact with the farmer support extension system. Potential to increase the adoption rate is plenty, but can only be tapped into if strategies and policies take into account the behavioural aspects of the adoption of the technology.

scholarly journals Factors Limiting Adoption of Technologies by Farmers in Catabola Municipality, Angola

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-104
Author(s):  
K. Rušarová ◽  
J. Mazancová ◽  
B. Havrland
Keyword(s):  
Technology Use ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Mechanical Power ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Small Farmers ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Tool Technology

Abstract The objective of the paper is to define the factors influencing the adoption of animal traction and/or mechanical-power technology in the conditions of Catabola municipality where hand-tool technology is being used on 99.7% of the area cultivated by small farmers. Primary data collection was conducted in the period July–August 2011; semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions were the most frequent methods used. In total, 151 small-scale farmers from 9 villages participated in the survey. Ten factors influencing the dependent variable – level of technology used by farmers in combination with hiring of labour – were defined. The factors were statistically analyzed by ANOVA. The area of cultivated land and the educational level of both parents and children were found to be the factors limiting the process of animal traction or mechanical power adoption by small farmers in the Catabola municipality. In addition, a relatively high rate of child labour was observed. With the exclusion of childless families, 62.7% of small farmer families regularly use children aged 0–14 years for field operations. The results confirm that the factor of hiring extra labour is irrelevant in determining the development in technology use by small farmers in the Catabola municipality.

scholarly journals Economics and Technical Efficiency of Maize Production Among Small Scale Farmers in Abuja, Nigeria: Stochastic Frontier Model Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Ebukiba ◽  
L. Anthony ◽  
S. M. Adamu
Keyword(s):  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Model ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Model Approach

This study evaluated Economics and Technical Efficiency of Maize Production Among Small Scale Farmers in Abuja, Nigeria; Stochastic Frontier Model Approach; Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted and used. Primary data were collected through the use of well-structured questionnaire from one hundred and fifty (150) sampled respondents in the study area. Data were analyzed to achieve the specified objectives using the following tools of analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Stochastic Frontier, Gross Margin Analysis, Financial Analysis, Five Point Likert Scale, and Principal Components Analysis. The results show that majority 40.47% of the sampled respondents were among the age range of 41-50 years of age and 25.33% were within the age bracket of 31-40 years of age. The mean age of the sampled farmers is 44 years. Which indicated that Young and energetic farmers are able to withstand stress and adopt new innovations. Most 88.67% of the farmers were male. Majority 72.67% were married. The mean household size of the sampled respondents is 6 members per family. Majority (67%) of the small-scale maize farmers had 1-2 ha of land and the average farm size cultivated by the farmers was 2.576 ha. The factors influencing total output of maize were seed input (P<0.01), Farm Size (P<0.05), quantity of fertilizer (P<0.05), and labour input (P<0.01) were statistically significant variables. The results of the inefficiency components show that the factors influencing technical inefficiency includes: age (P<0.01), education (P<0.01), access to credit (P<0.05), farming experience, and household size (P<0.05) and were statistically significant. The total revenue realized by the sampled small-scale maize farmers was N238,317 on average. While the total variable costs on average basis was N109,702.93. The gross margin realized was N128667.07. The gross margin ratio was 0.54 while operating ratio calculated was 0.857 and the rate of return on investment (RORI) was 1.17. The retained component from the constraint’s analysis include Lack of Improve Seed, Lack of Transportation, Poor Storage Facilities, Inadequate Capital, and Cattle Herdsmen. The retained components explained 60% of the variation of the component included in the model. The study therefore, recommends that affordable loans and adequate capital should be made available to the small-scale maize farmers, farmers should be properly trained and educated by the non-governmental organizations and extension agents on chemical application, fertilizer use and pests and diseases control measures especially on integrated pest management (IPM). Inputs like improve seeds, fertilizer, and chemicals should be made available to farmers at subsidized rates and at appropriate time coinciding with production periods for proper usage. Provisions should be made for transportation and storage facilities for farmers, the issue of conflict between farmers and herdsmen should be brought to book and resolved amicably for peaceful coexistence.

scholarly journals Profitability of no-till grain production systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Fuentes-Llanillo ◽  
Tiago Santos Telles ◽  
Bruno Volsi ◽  
Dimas Soares Júnior ◽  
Sérgio Luiz Carneiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Grain Production ◽  
Family Farms ◽  
No Till ◽  
Gross Margins

In general, the technical and agronomic benefits of no-till farming are widely known and well documented in the literature. However, studies focusing on the economics of no-tillage are scarce. In this context, the objective of this study is to determine whether no-till grain production systems that follow the principles of conservation agriculture are economically profitable by analyzing gross margins per hectare per year over six harvests for the agricultural years 1998/1999 to 2003/2004. In addition, a possible link between profitability and different no-till methods in terms of degree of soil turnover, crop rotation, and whether machinery used in agricultural operations is owned or rented is investigated. For this purpose, the multi-case analytical method was applied to thirteen grain producing family farms in Northern Paraná state, Brazil. Based on the results, two ranges of agricultural production variable costs and gross margins were identified. Higher gross margins were associated with longer use of the no-till system, ownership of machinery and equipment, specialization in grains, rotation of the commercial crops used, and higher variable costs. Lower gross margins were associated with outsourcing of sowing, small-scale cropping, and lack of crop rotation. It is concluded that family mechanized no-till systems of grain production in north Paraná are profitable.

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