scholarly journals Bounded Rationality, Social Capital and Technology Adoption in Family Farming: Evidence from Cocoa-Tree Crops in Ivory Coast

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7483
Author(s):  
Francesco Cordaro ◽  
Alain Desdoigts
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Bounded Rationality ◽  
Ivory Coast ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Family Farming ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Civic Capital ◽  
The One

In this paper, we allege that the hypothesis in favor of bounded rationality is a plausible explanation when it comes to better understanding the sluggish pace of adoption of best available tree crop farming techniques in poor small-scale rural communities. Our research builds on data collection and analysis of cocoa farming in Ivory Coast. Firstly, we find that the cognitive scarcity under which smallholder farmers make their decisions, in particular, satisficing behavior and fast and frugal heuristics, outweigh the scarcity of financial and human resources. Secondly, we show that the structure of the environment measured through various dimensions of social capital influences human rationality and decision-making. On the one hand, the greater smallholder farmers’ civic capital (solidarity, reciprocity, trustworthiness, cooperation), the more likely they are to modify their farming practices (p < 0.05) and, more specifically, to exchange information, learn, and eventually revise these practices. On the other hand, the greater the number of organizations the farmers participate in, the greater the probability of modifying their practices (p < 0.01). Information about farming techniques disseminates through weak bridging ties built within agricultural organizations (e.g., cooperatives, extension services) rather than through strong bonding ties between family or diaspora members.

scholarly journals Precision for Smallholder Farmers: A Small-Scale-Tailored Variable Rate Fertilizer Application Kit

Agriculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelle Van Loon ◽  
Alicia Speratti ◽  
Louis Gabarra ◽  
Bram Govaerts
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
The Right

Precision agriculture technology at the hands of smallholder farmers in the developing world is often deemed far-fetched. Low-resource farmers, however, are the most susceptible to negative changes in the environment. Providing these farmers with the right tools to mitigate adversity and to gain greater control of the production process could unlock their potential and support rural communities to meet the increasing global food demand. In this study, a real-time variable rate fertilizer application system was developed and tested as an add-on kit to conventional farm machinery. In the context of low investment costs for smallholder farmers, high user-friendliness and easy installment were the main concerns for the system to be viable. The system used nitrogen (N)-sensors to assess the plant nutrient status on the spot and subsequently adjust the amount of fertilizer deposited according to the plant’s needs. Test bench trials showed that the add-on kit performed well with basic operations, but more precision is required. Variability between N-sensors and metering systems, combined with power fluctuations, created inaccuracies in the resulting application rate. Nevertheless, this work is a stepping stone towards catalyzing the elaboration of more cutting-edge precision solutions to support small-scale farmers to become successful, high producing agro-entrepreneurs.

scholarly journals Organisational participation and health among smallholder farmers: a longitudinal study in a Latin American context

BMJ Open ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. e004641
Author(s):  
Fadya Orozco ◽  
Eduardo Mota ◽  
Donald C Cole
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Neurocognitive Performance ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Production Practices ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveTo understand the impact of social organisation affiliation and farmers’ agricultural production practices on farmer health. Organisations facilitate the acquisition and exchange of forms of social capital which can influence the adoption of practices with potential health impacts. In countries such as Ecuador, smallholder agriculture is practised by socially vulnerable populations. Agricultural production often involves the use of extremely hazardous pesticides, while practices that reduce the use of chemicals through integrated pest management (IPM) remain uncommon.DesignLongitudinal study (2007–2010).Setting12 Ecuadorian communities, previously part of a participatory action research study.Participants208 small-scale farmers. Inclusion criteria were: age between 18 and 65 years, literate and resident in the community for the previous 3 years.Primary outcomesThe differential effects of the membership in social organisations (as an effect modifier), on the relationship between the implementation of IPM practices (main independent variable) and farmers’ health, measured by neurocognitive performance scores (better higher value;dependent variable).ResultsAmong organisational participants, the coefficient of association between the implementation of IPM practices for the category good/very good (vs no use) and neurocognitive performance, when farmers were involved in organisations, was negative and moderate (β=−0.17, SE 0.21) though not significant (p>0.1); for the category little/moderate use, the coefficient was positive (β=0.34, SE 0.19) and significant. Among those who did not participate in organisations, both little/moderate use and good/very good use of IPM practices were associated with an increase in neurocognitive performance.ConclusionsThe effect of agricultural production practices on farmers’ health, transmitted through organisations, can be differentiated. Organisations as structures of social capital seem to be functional in the social reproduction process of the communities studied. Results highlight the need to redirect the analysis of social capital to a more integrated study of social determination of health.

Family Farming and Household Enterprise in a Philippine Community, 1971–1988: Persistence or Proletarianization?

1993 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 647-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
James F. Eder
Keyword(s):  
Social Structure ◽  
The Other ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Family Farms ◽  
Family Farming ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
The One ◽  
Farming Households

The tenacity of family-farming householdsin agrarian economies experiencing capitalist penetration has long figured in a debate about the ultimate consequences of such penetration for agrarian social structure. On the one hand are those who argue that, while various forces may work to speed or delay the process, the most likely long-term outcome of the capitalization of agriculture is that envisioned by Lenin: polarization of the countryside into two opposing classes, capitalist farmers and landless laborers, linked by wage relations (Bartra 1974; de Janvry 1981). On the other hand are those who claim that, at least under some conditions, capitalist farming can stimulate small-scale entrepreneurship and socioeconomic differentiation, with the attendant persistence of small family farms (Goodman and Redclift 1982:109–12; Maclachlan 1987:16–23).

scholarly journals Energy and development in the periphery: A regional perspective on small hydropower projects

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jemma Bere ◽  
Calvin Jones ◽  
Stuart Jones ◽  
Max Munday
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Investment Model ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Local Energy ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Policy Context ◽  
Community Benefits

Investments in renewable energy have been identified as one mechanism for encouraging development in lagging regions, with community owned or operated facilities potentially having a relatively greater impact. The development of small hydropower installations in Wales is examined to establish the economic and community benefits of such schemes. The sector displays a number of locally beneficial economic characteristics that are absent from larger scale renewable investments. However, this is shown to be a fragile sector dependent on a small number of key individuals and institutions, and with an investment model relying on depreciating UK government subsidies. Following an introduction, the paper first examines why renewables, and small-scale, community renewables in particular, have attracted attention as a part response to declining economic, social and environmental conditions in rural communities. It then describes the Welsh energy and policy context before describing the data and the method employed in the research. The paper then examines the economic value of small hydropower developments, the nature and scale of impacts on local social capital and on communities, and then the extent to which small hydropower might be considered distinct from other local energy sectors in terms of business behaviours and inter-organisation relationships. The discussion then focuses on factors affecting prospects for the small hydropower sector, and which will limit how far development of the sector can lead to transformative outcomes for communities close to the natural resource.

Adoption and Commercialization of Green Corn, Green Corn –Based Silage, Haylage and Ummb Production for Dairy Cattle in Cagayan Valley, Philippines

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 82-92
Author(s):  
Eva U. Cammayo ◽  
Nilo E. Padilla
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Corn Silage ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
Feed Resources ◽  
Dry Spell ◽  
Dairy Animals

This research aimed to improve dairy production and increase the income of dairy farmers using locally available feed resources. Small-scale milk producers rely heavily on available feed resources in the locality which are either indigenous in the area or introduced species for feed and nutrition of their dairy cattle and buffalos. Their milk output depends mainly on seasonal fluctuations in the quality and quantity of natural forage. Crop residues such as corn stover and rice straw which are high in fiber but low in nutrients serve as a feed supplement and filler to the daily diets of dairy cattle and buffalos. Cagayan Valley is an ear of top corn and rice-producing region. The potential of crop residues as feed supplements or raw materials of dairy cattle/buffalo feed mix is great. But dairy farmers still face the scarcity problem of quality feed resources for dairy animals especially during the dry season. The supply of forage is very low during the dry spell. Inadequate feed mix and low nutritive value of feed mix result in low or no milk production. Producing green corn and ensiling it to produce green corn silage preserves and prolong the storage life of forages. In this way, a stable supply of feed mix for dairy animals is assured year-round. Type of Paper: Empirical. Keywords: adoption and commercialization, dairy industry, financial viability, green-corn silage production, indigenous grasses, smallholder farmers.

Social Capital and the Development of Political Support in Europe

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Hooghe ◽  
Anna Kern
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Basic Assumption ◽  
Voluntary Associations ◽  
Political Trust ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Social Survey ◽  
The One ◽  
Democratic Norms

This chapter evaluates the claim that the decline of legitimacy is due to a decline of social capital. The idea that voluntary associations play an important role in establishing social cohesion and political support is a traditional insight in the field of political sociology. The basic assumption is that voluntary associations function as a training ground for democracy, where citizens involved acquire democratic norms and skills that they subsequently apply in their relation with the political system. If this argument is correct, political support should be at least partly influenced by citizens’ participation in civil society organizations. Using European Social Survey data from 2006 and 2012 the authors demonstrate that there is a clear and significant correlation between social involvement on the one hand and satisfaction with the working of democracy and political trust on the other, which largely survives the introduction of a range of control variables.

scholarly journals Agricultural Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia: A Stochastic Frontier Approach

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 246
Author(s):  
Markose Chekol Zewdie ◽  
Michele Moretti ◽  
Daregot Berihun Tenessa ◽  
Zemen Ayalew Ayele ◽  
Jan Nyssen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Approach ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation

In the past decade, to improve crop production and productivity, Ethiopia has embarked on an ambitious irrigation farming expansion program and has introduced new large- and small-scale irrigation initiatives. However, in Ethiopia, poverty remains a challenge, and crop productivity per unit area of land is very low. Literature on the technical efficiency (TE) of large-scale and small-scale irrigation user farmers as compared to the non-user farmers in Ethiopia is also limited. Investigating smallholder farmers’ TE level and its principal determinants is very important to increase crop production and productivity and to improve smallholder farmers’ livelihood and food security. Using 1026 household-level cross-section data, this study adopts a technology flexible stochastic frontier approach to examine agricultural TE of large-scale irrigation users, small-scale irrigation users and non-user farmers in Ethiopia. The results indicate that, due to poor extension services and old-style agronomic practices, the mean TE of farmers is very low (44.33%), implying that there is a wider room for increasing crop production in the study areas through increasing the TE of smallholder farmers without additional investment in novel agricultural technologies. Results also show that large-scale irrigation user farmers (21.05%) are less technically efficient than small-scale irrigation user farmers (60.29%). However, improving irrigation infrastructure shifts the frontier up and has a positive impact on smallholder farmers’ output.

The State Policy towards the Homeless in Moldova between the ‘Left Hand’ and the ‘Right Hand’. The Case of Chișinău Shelter

Südosteuropa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-195
Author(s):  
Petru Negură
Keyword(s):  
Homeless People ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
The State ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
Right Hand ◽  
Binary Approach ◽  
The One ◽  
The Right ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract The Centre for the Homeless in Chișinău embodies on a small scale the recent evolution of state policies towards the homeless in Moldova (a post-Soviet state). This institution applies the binary approach of the state, namely the ‘left hand’ and the ‘right hand’, towards marginalised people. On the one hand, the institution provides accommodation, food, and primary social, legal assistance and medical care. On the other hand, the Shelter personnel impose a series of disciplinary constraints over the users. The Shelter also operates a differentiation of the users according to two categories: the ‘recoverable’ and those deemed ‘irrecoverable’ (persons with severe disabilities, people with addictions). The personnel representing the ‘left hand’ (or ‘soft-line’) regularly negotiate with the employees representing the ‘right hand’ (‘hard-line’) of the institution to promote a milder and a more humanistic approach towards the users. This article relies on multi-method research including descriptive statistical analysis with biographical records of 810 subjects, a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with homeless people (N = 65), people at risk of homelessness (N = 5), professionals (N = 20) and one ethnography of the Shelter.

scholarly journals Cooperatives and Social Capital: A Narrative Literature Review and Directions for Future Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 534
Author(s):  
Isabel Saz-Gil ◽  
Ignacio Bretos ◽  
Millán Díaz-Foncea
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Agricultural Cooperatives ◽  
Reciprocal Relationships ◽  
Narrative Literature ◽  
Narrative Literature Review ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship

How cooperatives generate and absorb social capital has attracted a great deal of attention due to the fact that they are collective organizations owned and democratically managed by their members, and, accordingly, are argued to be closely linked to the nature and dynamics of social capital. However, the extant literature and knowledge on the relationship between cooperatives and social capital remain unstructured and fragmented. This paper aims to provide a narrative literature review that integrates both sides of the relationship between cooperatives and social capital. On the one hand, one side involves how cooperatives create internal social capital and spread it in their immediate environment, and, on the other hand, it involves how the presence of social capital promotes the creation and development of cooperatives. In addition, our theoretical framework integrates the dark side of social capital, that is, how the lack of trust, reciprocal relationships, transparency, and other social capital components can lead to failure of the cooperative. On the basis of this review, we define a research agenda that synthesizes key trends and promising research avenues for further advancement of theoretical and empirical insights about the relationship between cooperatives and social capital, placing particular emphasis on rural and agricultural cooperatives.

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