scholarly journals Land Fragmentation, Technical Efficiency, and Adaptation to Climate Change by Farmers in the Gamo Highlands of Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10304
Author(s):  
Tesfaye C. Cholo ◽  
Jack Peerlings ◽  
Luuk Fleskens
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Land Fragmentation ◽  
Large Yield ◽  
Yield Gaps

Although barley production is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, households in the Gamo Highlands of Ethiopia rely on barley for their diet and allocate most of their highly-fragmented land to barley production. Moreover, farmers alter land management practices as a strategy to adjust to climate change and variability. However, to what extent land fragmentation and land management jointly influence the technical efficiency of barley production is unknown. In addition, it is unidentified whether technical efficiency is uniform across multiple separated plots. In this study, we adapted two stochastic frontier panel models on plot-level cross-sectional data to investigate this. The model results indicate that fragmentation influences the effect of land management practices on efficiency. The study found that efficiency was not uniform across different plots and for different farmers and showed the existence of large yield gaps. To close these gaps, policies designed to address the specific components of inefficiency need to be implemented.

scholarly journals Technical efficiency of wheat farmers and options for minimizing yield gaps in Afghanistan

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivas Tavva ◽  
Aden Aw-Hassan ◽  
Javed Rizvi ◽  
Yashpal Singh Saharawat
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
Wheat Varieties ◽  
Wheat Production ◽  
Large Yield ◽  
Yield Gaps ◽  
Effective Transfer

Afghanistan is a net importer of wheat which is the staple food in the country. In order to improve the levels of food sufficiency, prevailing large yield gaps in wheat need to be reduced. This study assessed the reasons/factors influencing low wheat productivity and/or large yield gaps in different production systems in five major wheat-producing provinces in Afghanistan using a stochastic frontier production function model. The results indicated that the mean technical efficiency of wheat farmers was 0.67, and there was clear scope to improve wheat production by 33% in the short run with the same level of inputs. The potential yield gap could be reduced if adoption of good agricultural practices such as the use of improved wheat varieties with recommended seed rates was promoted through more effective transfer of technologies (training and extension) in the target provinces. Such efforts would help improve domestic wheat production and reduce dependency on wheat imports.

The impact of credit on the technical efficiency of maize-producing households in Northern Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Martey ◽  
Alexander N. Wiredu ◽  
Prince M. Etwire ◽  
John K.M. Kuwornu
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Efficiency Gains ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Land Fragmentation ◽  
Credit Programs ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Production credit is essential for enhancing the technical efficiency (TE) and the welfare of smallholder farmers in Africa. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of credit on smallholders’ TE using cross-sectional data from 223 maize-producing households in Northern Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Due to the exogenous assignment of credit and assumption of homogeneity in farm technologies, the propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to compare the average difference in TE between farmers that had received credit and those that had not. Findings The results revealed that production credit impacts positively on smallholder farmers’ TE. Access to production credit is significantly influenced by access to markets and extension services, distance to market, asset index and land fragmentation. The provision of credit enhances the timely purchase and efficient allocation of farming inputs to produce the maximum possible output. Per capita income and land fragmentation also play important roles in reducing smallholders’ TE. Practical implications To increase efficiency gains, credit programs for agricultural interventions should target resource-poor smallholder farmers. The efficiency gains can be sustained through stronger partnerships with financial institutions. Policy interventions aimed at increasing smallholder farmers’ access to production credit (e.g. through the creation of a conducive investment environment that lowers the lending rate and collateral requirements) must be vigorously pursued. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is one of the only recent studies to examine the impact of credit on the TE of farming households by applying the translog stochastic frontier production function and the PSM approaches.

Nature-Based Solutions to face climate change adaptation and mitigation in Mediterranean watersheds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itxaso Ruiz ◽  
María José Sanz
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Watershed Scale ◽  
Sustainable Rural Development ◽  
Adaptation And Mitigation

<p>Rural areas of the Mediterranean watersheds face great environmental challenges, where climate change impacts the water cycle, the soil, and biodiversity, which are often priority issues for adaptation. These, have been aggravated by historical land management practices trends. In this context, we propose Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in the form of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) actions at the watershed scale to achieve climate change adaptation and mitigation while promoting other ecosystem services.</p><p>SLM actions are local adaptation practices that promote sustainable rural development. Thus, we seek the combination of several actions to achieve regional (watershed scale) more integrated approaches. With this study, we aim at proving that NBS, and thus SLM, is a successful tool for alleviating climate change impacts (i.e. water scarcity, enhanced erosion, biodiversity decline) while promoting the role of land in mitigation and enhancing biodiversity in the rural Mediterranean areas.</p><p>For this, we propose a novel conceptualization of SLM actions that moves from their local application and evaluation to the regional more systemic approaches through their combination. Results show synergies in the atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere, allow for the upscaling of SLM through systemic approaches and point at direct contributions to several Sustainable Development Goals.</p>

scholarly journals Determinants of Adaptation to Climate Change: A Gendered Analysis from Bahi and Kondoa Districts, Dodoma Region, Tanzania

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Okuli William Swai
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Multinomial Logit Model ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Land Size ◽  
Adaptation Options ◽  
Main Factor

Although various long term adaptation measures are currently implemented by farmers to adapt to the effects of climate change in Tanzania, information regarding factors determining choice of adaptation options between men and women is scarce. A gendered analysis was done to analyze determinants of adaptation to climate change in Bahi and Kondoa Districts, Dodoma Region, Tanzania. A cross-sectional research design was adopted whereby the data was collected from a sample of 360 respondents, 12 focus groups and 18 key informants. Analysis of quantitative data involved descriptive statistics and multinomial logit model using Nlogit 3.0 and qualitative data were summarized by using content analysis. Results revealed that the main occupation and land size were the main factors that determined adaptation options for men during food shortage while for women, the main factor was marital status. The village/location of respondents was the main factor that determined climate change adaptation option for women to adapt crops to climate change whereas, for men, access to agricultural knowledge was the main factor that encouraged men to use improved seeds, manure and deep cultivation, instead of selecting and keeping enough seeds for the next season. It is concluded that factors determining choice of climate change adaptation between men and women are not the same, emphasizing the need for gender differentiated interventions to promote climate change adaptation. Thus, planners and policy makers from Agriculture, Livestock and Environment sectors; Tanzania NAPA and other development practitioners dealing with climate change should use gender sensitive interventions to manage climate change.

scholarly journals Technical Inefficiency Determinants in Potato Production: The case of Potato Farmers in Central Highlands of Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 04 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hailu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Land Fragmentation

The study identified the factors that cause variation in the level of efficiency in potato production. The study used household level cross sectional data collected in 2015/16 from 196 sample farmers selected by multistage sampling technique. For the data collection, a personally administered structured questionnaire was used. In the analyses, descriptive statistics, a stochastic frontier model (SFM) and a two-limit Tobit regression model were employed. Tobit model revealed that technical efficiency was positively and significantly affected by education, land tenure status, extension service, credit and soil fertility whereas variables such as sex of household head, age of household head, farm size and land fragmentation affected it negatively. Therefore the study suggested the need for policies to discourage land fragmentation and promote education, extension visits, access to credit and soil fertility for improvement in technical efficiency.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Technical Efficiency of Rubber Smallholders in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
A. Aliyu ◽  
Ismail Abd Latif ◽  
Mad Nasir Shamsudin ◽  
Nolila Mohd Nawi
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
Likelihood Function ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Efficiency Score ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Size Task

The main objective of the study was to figure out, identify and analyse the technical efficiency of rubber smallholders’ production in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Multi-stage data collection procedures, comprising both purposive and random sampling techniques, were used. Using structured questionnaires, farm-level information with cross sectional data from five districts of Negeri Sembilan, were employed in the study. A parametric Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA), with a transcendental logarithmic (Translog) functional form, was used in the study. The descriptive statistics results revealed that, the mean rubber yield was 5465 kg while that of the seven inputs used include 1.2 ha, 602.7, 2.33, 363.6 kg, 13.0 lit, 13.2 man days and 2.47 respectively for farm size, task, farm tools, fertilizer, herbicides, labour and rubber clones.The inferential statistics showed that, the mean technical efficiency was found to be 0.73 with a standard deviation of 0.089. Thus, this translates that 27% accounted for technical inefficiency. Both the sigma square and gamma coefficients were found to be statistically significant at 1% level. The Log Likelihood Function (LLF) and the Log Rati (LR) test were found to be respectively 167.7 and 34.07. The results further revealed that, although none of the farms were found to be on the frontier, however, 9 farms were very near the frontier with efficiency score range between 0.90-0.99. And twenty (20) firms have range 0.80-0.90. Race, Tapping experience, household number and extension agent’s visits were found to be technically significant and are thus critical in determining technical efficiency of rubber smallholders in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

scholarly journals Rising Seas: Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Shivani Patel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Sea Levels ◽  
Rising Sea Levels

<p><b>Science tells us that we are close to the irreversible tipping point into an unknown climate of the Anthropocene in which humanity has no option but to adapt or to be destroyed. Human influence is changing the earth and a major factor is urbanisation. Cities are one of the largest contributors to global climate change.</b></p> <p>This thesis develops a design-led research methodology and approach that develops alternative, speculative landscape intervention strategies to bridge the gap between climate change science and the landscape and the residents of Island Bay, in the city of Wellington, New Zealand. This research aims to take full advantage of new technologies and systems to provide resilient social, ecological and physical solutions for the coastal neighbourhood in the face of climate-related change. These solutions form a comprehensive framework and tools that anticipate a foreseeable future of saturated landscapes. It is a strategy that builds the adaptive capacity of the coastal zone, enhances existing natural systems, accommodates a variety of best coastal management practices and integrates alternative concepts in the coastal neighbourhood adaptation management plan.</p> <p>These solutions address the unpredictable issue of rising sea levels, storm surges and coastal inundation. In addition, the approach fosters urban environment solutions at various scales, such what a property owner can do and what public/private cooperation can do. Overall, this new integrated system approach has the potential to recalibrate urban coastal environments, catalyse resiliency and provide a robust model for designing mitigative, adaptative coastal communities in response to rising sea-levels and to support a new set of relationships between nature and urbanity.</p>

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