scholarly journals Understanding Farmers’ Behavior towards Sustainable Practices and Their Perceptions of Risk

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanos A. Nastis ◽  
Konstadinos Mattas ◽  
George Baourakis
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Perceptions Of Risk ◽  
On Farm

Farmers, as the first link in the agri-food value chain, are key in assuring its sustainability. Farmers’ behavior and attitudes towards implementing sustainable farm practices is influenced by their perceptions of risk affecting the farm and their household, either directly or indirectly. In this study, we elicit farmers’ perceived risk perception and preferences and test their robustness and validity using a sample of Greek smallholder farmers since they represent the majority of Greek holdings. Results suggest that farmers exhibit risk aversion in most situations of farm-level decision making. In many situations, farmers will prefer on-farm environmental sustainability strategies over other risk mitigation strategies. More specifically, higher age, higher education, farm size, proportion of rented land, and the existence of a farm succession plan reveal an increase in farmers’ preference for on-farm environmentally sustainable strategies and suggest reduced incentives towards implementing other on-farm or off-farm solutions.

scholarly journals Risk Mitigation Strategies in Semi-Organic Rice Supply Chains: Lesson Learned from the Involved Actors

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-255
Author(s):  
Agustina Shinta Hartati Wahyuningtyas ◽  
Novi Haryati ◽  
Destyana Ellingga Pratiwi ◽  
Luisa Maliny Situmeang
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Rice Farmers ◽  
Risk Mitigation Strategies ◽  
The Government ◽  
Quantitative Descriptive ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Hierarchy Process

Rice is the main consumption food for Indonesians. The demand for food increased from 114.6 kg per capita in 2016 to 124.89 kg in 2017. However, rice farmers and supply chain actors in rice agribusiness have experienced high challenges, such as production, transportation, price, product quality, and the environment. This research aimed to understand actors involved in the supply chain, their perception of occurring risks, and evaluation and risk mitigation in the supply chain. This was a quantitative descriptive study done purposively in Watugede Village, Singosari Sub-District, Malang Regency. Non-probability sampling was taken to gather primary data. The respondent of this research was 16 involved actors, from on-farm actors to consumers. The data were analyzed using the Fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) to provide descriptive risk mitigation strategies. The results show that six involved actors are suppliers, farmers, grinders, traders, and buyers. Each actor faces different risks, and thus, the recommended mitigation strategies are adjusted to their risks. Sharing information, optimizing the level of supply availability, measuring supply chain performance, and building more coordination with the government are the best strategies to mitigate risks.

scholarly journals Prevalence and risk factors associated with Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella enterica in livestock raised on diversified small-scale farms in California

2019 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. A. Pires ◽  
L. Patterson ◽  
E. A. Kukielka ◽  
P. Aminabadi ◽  
N. Navarro-Gonzalez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Factors Associated

Abstract Diversified farms are operations that raise a variety of crops and/or multiple species of livestock, with the goal of utilising the products of one for the growth of the other, thus fostering a sustainable cycle. This type of farming reflects consumers' increasing demand for sustainably produced, naturally raised or pasture-raised animal products that are commonly produced on diversified farms. The specific objectives of this study were to characterise diversified small-scale farms (DSSF) in California, estimate the prevalence of Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter spp. in livestock and poultry, and evaluate the association between farm- and sample-level risk factors and the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. on DSSF in California using a multilevel logistic model. Most participating farms were organic and raised more than one animal species. Overall Salmonella prevalence was 1.19% (95% confidence interval (CI95) 0.6–2), and overall Campylobacter spp. prevalence was 10.8% (CI95 = 9–12.9). Significant risk factors associated with Campylobacter spp. were farm size (odds ratio (OR)10–50 acres: less than 10 acres = 6, CI95 = 2.11–29.8), ownership of swine (OR = 9.3, CI95 = 3.4–38.8) and season (ORSpring: Coastal summer = 3.5, CI95 = 1.1–10.9; ORWinter: Coastal summer = 3.23, CI95 = 1.4–7.4). As the number of DSSF continues to grow, evaluating risk factors and management practices that are unique to these operations will help identify risk mitigation strategies and develop outreach materials to improve the food safety of animal and vegetable products produced on DSSF.

Effect of on-farm testing on adoption of banana production technologies among smallholder farmers in Meru region, Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Kaumi Kirimi ◽  
Charles Nyambane Onyari ◽  
Lucy Karega Njeru ◽  
Hezron Rasugu Mogaka
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Banana Production ◽  
Production Technologies ◽  
On Farm

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of on-farm testing on the adoption of banana production technologies among smallholder farmers in the Meru region, Kenya.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a pragmatic paradigm and a cross-sectional survey design, sampling 370 and 30 farmers proportionately from 269,499 to 19,303 smallholder banana farmers in Meru and Tharaka-Nithi Counties of Kenya, respectively.FindingsThe study revealed that there was an association between belonging to a banana farming testing group and the adoption of banana technology. The study also revealed that most farmers were not interested in adopting banana technologies as they preferred the use of conventional methods, due to unstable market prices, lack of subsidized banana production input, inaccessibility to technological materials, few extension experts and lack of enough demonstrations.Research limitations/implicationsSome respondents were not willing to freely offer the information required for this study. This was delimited by assuring the informants of the confidentiality of their responses.Originality/valueThe authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The agricultural extension service providers will have more light on the underlying issues that need to be considered if meaningful interventions are to be done on various aspects of the banana value chain.

Risk perceptions, on-farm handling, and food safety practices among egg producing farmers in Thailand

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwanhatai Thongpalad ◽  
Sushil Koirala ◽  
Anil Kumar Anal
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

PurposeSafe food from animal origins rely on preventive measures adopted at the farm level. However, farmers' awareness on the food safety risk is limited, affecting their on-farm activities. Thus, this study was conducted to assess and compare the farmers' perceptions on food safety issues and risks caused by the management and practices at layer farms.Design/methodology/approachFarmers from 143 farms certified by National Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standard and 59 non-GAP farms were interviewed using a structured questionnaire for risk perception evaluation. Their level of perceived risk was compared using a scoring system.FindingsThe food safety hazards in eggs seem to be fairly recognized by both groups of farmers. GAP farmers demonstrated a higher risk of food safety incidences caused by inappropriate management and practices in farms than non-GAP farmers (p < 0.001). Although the results did not confirm the strong connection between risk perception and risk reduction behavior, these findings are beneficial to the food safety policy implementers to evaluate the critical issues for risk communication and for knowledge dissemination activities. The influence of other internal and external factors on farmers' food safety-related behavior should be further investigated.Research limitations/implicationsThe impact limitation was identified due to the restriction of scope on a specific population and region. The target respondents did not cover all scales, especially the backyard and smallholder farmers nor other rearing systems, such as free-range productions.Originality/valueThe knowledge regarding the food safety practices by egg producing farmers in Thailand is limited. Notably, this study contributes to the literature in elucidating the preventive behavior of food handlers and all stakeholders in the Thai food supply chain. The implementations of food safety preventive measures by two groups of farmers, GAP-certified and non-GAP-certified farmers, will guide policymakers to intervene more successfully regarding the appropriate changes needed.

scholarly journals Determinants of Participation Decision in Cassava Marketing by Smallholder Farmers in Taita-Taveta and Kilifi Counties, Kenya

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 98
Author(s):  
Amos Nyangira Tirra ◽  
Willis Oluoch-Kosura ◽  
Hillary Nyanganga ◽  
Agnes W. Mwang’ombe
Keyword(s):  
Significant Influence ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Probit Model ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Market Participation ◽  
Participation Decision ◽  
Drought Tolerant ◽  
Binary Probit Model ◽  
Binary Probit

Cassava is an important food crop with high production potential in different agroecological zones across the world. Cassava is also a drought tolerant crop performing well in arid and semi-arid areas. Cassava has a great potential as both a food security and industrial crop. In addition, as a drought tolerant crop, it is fits very well as a climate smart crop in the face of climate change. However, the cassava industry and value chain in Kenya is still underdeveloped and therefore there are many cassava marketing opportunities that are yet to be exploited. This study analyses factors that influence smallholder farmers&rsquo; decision to participate in cassava marketing in Taita-Taveta and Kilifi Counties in Kenya. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires from a sample of 250 smallholder cassava farmers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the socio-economic characteristics of respondents while a binary Probit model was used to analyse the socio-economic factors that influence farmers&rsquo; participation decision in cassava marketing. The results of the binary Probit model show that, sex of the head of a household, access to extension services, price of cassava products and quantity harvested had a positive and significant influence on market participation decision while years of schooling, household size and farm size had a negative and significant influence on the market participation decision. Therefore, based on the findings, the study recommended policy interventions targeting organization and coordination of the cassava marketing system and provision of appropriate incentives to farmers to enhance market participation.

scholarly journals Insects used for animal feed in West Africa

Entomologia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kenis ◽  
N. Koné ◽  
C.A.A.M. Chrysostome ◽  
E. Devic ◽  
G.K.D. Koko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Fish Farming ◽  
House Fly ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Natural Food ◽  
Industrial Level ◽  
On Farm

In West Africa, as in many parts of the world, livestock and fish farming suffer from the increasing cost of feed, especially protein ingredients, which are hardly available for village poultry farming and small-scale fish farming. Insects, which are a natural food source of poultry and fish and are rich in protein and other valuable nutrients, can be used to improve animal diets, a practice which is now strongly promoted by the FAO as a tool for poverty alleviation. This paper reviews practices and research on the use of insects as animal feed in West Africa and the perspectives to further develop the techniques, in particular for smallholder farmers and fish farmers. The most promising insects are flies, especially the house fly (Musca domestica) (Diptera Muscidae) and the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) (Diptera Stratiomyiidae), which can be mass reared on-farm for domestic use, in small production units at the community or industrial level. Flies have the advantage over most other insects of developing on freely available waste material and could even contribute to rural sanitation. Termites are traditionally used by smallholder farmers to feed village poultry. While their mass production is problematic, methods to enhance populations on-farm and facilitate collection can be developed. In any case, new methods will need to demonstrate their economic profitability, social acceptability and environmental sustainability

scholarly journals Sustainable Agritourism in Thailand: Modeling Business Performance and Environmental Sustainability under Uncertainty

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 4087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tseng ◽  
Chang ◽  
Wu ◽  
Lin ◽  
Kalnaovkul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Triangular Fuzzy Numbers ◽  
Qualitative Information ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Farm Diversification ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
On Farm

This study aims to identify the causal attributes of sustainable agritourism in Thailand. Agritourism is a systematic approach based on farm diversification for tourism purposes. Agritourism is usually assessed with qualitative information. However, the assessment of agritourism attributes involves considering the interrelationships among the attributes. Prior studies on sustainable agritourism do not identify and address interrelated attributes using qualitative information. This study applies the Delphi method to identify a set of valid attributes. Moreover, this study applies triangular fuzzy numbers to transform the qualitative information into comparable values and uses a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory to identify the interrelationships among the attributes in the causal model. The results show that sustainable business performance and rural economic conditions are the key drivers of environmental sustainability. This result suggests that the attributes that may potentially stimulate sustainable agritourism are the development and implementation of an agritourism-specific plan, the development of a local business value chain, and government-led tourism promotion.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Cattle of Smallholder Farmers in Central Malawi

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1613
Author(s):  
Marvin Collen Phonera ◽  
Martin Chitolongo Simuunza ◽  
Henson Kainga ◽  
Joseph Ndebe ◽  
Mwelwa Chembensofu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hyalomma Truncatum ◽  
Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is endemic in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe where it circulates among animals and ticks causing sporadic outbreaks in humans. Although CCHF is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, epidemiological information is lacking in many countries, including Malawi. To assess the risk of CCHF in Malawi, we conducted an epidemiological study in cattle reared by smallholder livestock farmers in central Malawi. A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2020 involving seven districts, four from Kasungu and three from Lilongwe Agriculture Development Divisions. A structured questionnaire was administered to farmers to obtain demographic, animal management, and ecological risk factors data. Sera were collected from randomly selected cattle and screened for CCHF virus (CCHFV) specific antibodies using a commercial ELISA kit. Ticks were collected from cattle and classified morphologically to species level. An overall CCHFV seropositivity rate of 46.9% (n = 416; 95% CI: 42.0–51.8%) was observed. The seropositivity was significantly associated with the age of cattle (p < 0.001), sex (p < 0.001), presence of ticks in herds (p = 0.01), district (p = 0.025), and type of grazing lands (p = 0.013). Five species of ticks were identified, including Hyalomma truncatum, a known vector of CCHFV. Ticks of the species Hyalomma truncatum were not detected in two districts with the highest seroprevalence for CCHF and vector competency must be further explored in the study area. To our knowledge, this is the first report of serologic evidence of the presence of CCHV among smallholder cattle in central Malawi. This study emphasizes the need for continued monitoring of CCHFV infection among livestock, ticks, and humans for the development of data-based risk mitigation strategies.

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