Has Continued Exposure to Banana Xanthomonas Wilt Worsened Farmers’ Welfare Over Time? Evidence From Banana-Producing Households in Uganda

The livelihoods of millions of banana-farming households have been affected by Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) in Uganda for nearly two decades. The disease has no known cure, all banana cultivars grown are susceptible to it and it is endemic in all banana-producing regions in the country. This study analysed the long-term impact of the disease on the livelihoods of banana-producing households. Using a balanced panel dataset of 1,056 households, which were visited in 2015 and revisited in 2018, provides the opportunity to empirically measure the long-term consequences of the disease on farmers’ economic wellbeing in the four major banana growing regions in Uganda. We find striking results pertinent to disease incidence, success in disease management, household income and poverty when deploying BXW control practices. Although the disease has remained present in farmers’ fields, there is a significant reduction in household poverty levels. Results show that some farmers expanded the production of beans and coffee without encroaching on their banana plantations. Increase in bean production was largely through intercropping. Investment in coffee was constrained by land ownership, hence only a viable venture for the wealthy farmers who own bigger pieces of land. Land-poor farmers continued to rely on bananas for their livelihoods. Consistent participation in disease management training significantly influenced adoption of the cultural control practices. Consequently, farming households that systematically adopted these practices were able to maintain low levels of disease incidence, improve productivity by 438 kg/ha/year and increased their daily and annual household income by US$1.75 and UGX 2.383 million (US$648), respectively. The findings suggest that banana is an important crop to smallholder farmers and expansion into other cash crops requires bigger resource outlays, and that despite continued exposure to BXW, farmers’ income increased over time. Farmers should continuously and systematically use the recommended control practices to avoid BXW resurgence and, consequently, a reduction in their income.

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Determinants of smallholder farmers’ adoption of short-term and long-term sustainable land management practices

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170520000289 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Moses Mosonsieyiri Kansanga ◽

Isaac Luginaah ◽

Rachel Bezner Kerr ◽

Laifolo Dakishoni ◽

Esther Lupafya

Keyword(s):

Land Management ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sustainable Land Management ◽

Short Term ◽

Plot Size ◽

Unit Increase ◽

Farming Households

Abstract Despite increasing land degradation in sub-Saharan Africa, investment in sustainable land management (SLM) remains low. Empirical evidence show that smallholder farmers tend to prioritize investing in SLM practices with short-term turnover—e.g., composting and crop residue integration—in order to improve soil fertility and yields to the neglect of practices like agroforestry whose benefits tend to materialize in a relatively longer period. While it is crucial for farmers to prioritize both short-term and long-term SLM practices for the maintenance of overall ecosystem health, the factors that shape the concurrent adoption of short-term and long-term SLM practices remain underexplored. Using data from a cross-sectional survey with smallholder farming households (n = 512) in Malawi, we employed logistic regression to examine the determinants of the concurrent adoption of short-term and long-term SLM practices. Our findings show that plot size, farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing, presence of a chronically ill person in the household, active household labor size, wealth and women's autonomy are noteworthy determinants. A unit increase in plot size was associated with increased odds (OR = 1.41, p < 0.01) of simultaneously adopting short-term and long-term SLM practices. Similarly, a unit increase in the active labor size of the household (OR = 1.30, p < 0.001) was positively associated with the concurrent adoption of short-term and long-term SLM practices. Households with no chronically sick person were 3.2 times more likely to adopt short-term and long-term SLM practices simulataneously compared to those with chronically sick persons. Farming households that exchanged farming information (OR = 2.50, p < 0.001) with other households had significantly higher odds of adopting short-term and long-term SLM practices concurrently than those that did not share farming information. Compared to households in the poorest wealth category, those in the richer (OR = 3.14, p < 0.001) and richest (OR = 3.64, p < 0.001) wealth categories were both significantly more likely to adopt short-term and long-term SLM practices concurrently. These findings suggest that initiatives targeted at promoting the holistic adoption of SLM practices—a combination of both short-term and long-term practices—must pay attention to contextual nuances including household wealth, gender, farmer training and land access dynamics.

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The Economics of Dowry and Brideprice

The Journal of Economic Perspectives ◽

10.1257/jep.21.4.151 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 151-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 134

Author(s):

Siwan Anderson

Keyword(s):

Household Income ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Family Characteristics ◽

Economic Conditions ◽

Economic Literature ◽

Annual Household Income ◽

Distribution Of Wealth ◽

History Of ◽

Basic Facts ◽

Over Time

Payments between families at the time of marriage have existed throughout the history of most developed countries and are currently pervasive in many areas of the developing world. These payments can be substantial enough to affect the welfare of women and a society's distribution of wealth. Recent estimates document transfers per marriage amounting to four to six times annual household income. This paper first establishes some basic facts about the prevalence and magnitude of marriage payments. It then discusses how such patterns vary across countries depending upon economic conditions, societal structures, institutions, and family characteristics. Marriage payments have evolved within societies over time: in some periods, payments have risen sharply; in some cases, payments have shifted from the grooms' side to the brides', and vice versa; sometimes, property rights over such payments shift between marrying partners and parental generations. The second part of this paper discusses the economic literature devoted to explaining these facts.

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Changes in Subjective Well-Being Over Time: Economic and Social Resources do Matter

Journal of Happiness Studies ◽

10.1007/s10902-021-00473-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

A. l. Moro-Egido ◽

M. Navarro ◽

A. Sánchez

Keyword(s):

Household Income ◽

Well Being ◽

Social Resources ◽

Cultural Dimensions ◽

Economic Resources ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Short Term ◽

Main Determinants ◽

Over Time

AbstractThis article analyzes the main determinants of changes in subjective well-being over time in Germany distinguishing between long-term and short-term changes. Our findings for the long term indicate that social capital and values and cultural dimensions have the greatest capacity to predict changes in subjective well-being. Likewise, the correlation between economic resources and subjective well-being is weaker due to the small increase registered in household income and because people compare their income with those who are better off and feel envy. In the short term, economic resources have the highest capacity to predict both improvements (ups) and declines (downs) in subjective well-being. Finally, we also suggest that, whenever information is available, personality traits should be taken into account in the analysis of changes in subjective well-being over time in order to achieve more reliable estimates.

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Integrated Disease Management of Tomato Late Blight

Nepal Agriculture Research Journal ◽

10.3126/narj.v8i0.11583 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 67-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Krishna K. Shrestha ◽

Richard Ashley

Keyword(s):

Disease Management ◽

Late Blight ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

Trichoderma Viride ◽

Integrated Disease Management ◽

Artemisia Vulgaris ◽

The Past ◽

The World ◽

Serious Disease ◽

Over Time

Tomato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary is a serious disease of tomato and potato worldwide. The disease causes severe crop losses in the tomato growing regions of the world. Most of the cultivars grown in the world are reported to be susceptible to late blight. Systemic fungicides have been used widely in the past, but the disease has developed resistance over time. The present study was carried out to minimize fungicide use through integrated pest management. The bio-pesticides Azadirachta indica (Neem), Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort) and Trichoderma viride were tested along with the fungicides Krilaxyl (metalaxyl 8% and mancozeb 64%) and Dithane M-45 (mancozeb 80%) in Nepal during 2000 and 2001. All three bio-pesticides were found more effective than the control in reducing development of the disease and they increased yield over the control by 17 to 41%. However, the fungicides, Krilaxyl and Dithane M-45 were observed even more effective. Two transplanting dates ie first and third week of July were tested against late blight in rainy season during 2000and 2001 and observed its effect on yields. Lower disease incidence and better yield were found in the second planting. Nepal Agric. Res. J. Vol. 8, 2007, pp. 67-76DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/narj.v8i0.11583

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Combining experiential and social learning approaches for crop disease management in a smallholder context: a complex socio-ecological problem

Socio-Ecological Practice Research ◽

10.1007/s42532-020-00058-z ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 265-282

Author(s):

Shiferaw Tafesse ◽

B. van Mierlo ◽

C. Leeuwis ◽

R. Lie ◽

B. Lemaga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Learning ◽

Disease Management ◽

Crop Production ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

Disease Diagnosis ◽

Ecological Problem ◽

Learning Approaches ◽

Crop Diseases ◽

Crop Disease

Abstract Effective management of crop diseases is a key precondition for sustainable crop production and to improve food security globally. However, learning approaches that improve smallholder farmers’ knowledge, perceptions, and practices to deal with crop diseases by fostering social and technical innovations are seldom studied. A study was conducted to examine: (1) how a combination of experiential and social learning approaches influences potato farmers’ knowledge, perceptions, and practices in bacterial wilt and its management in Ethiopia and (2) the implications of combining the two approaches for complex crop disease management in smallholder context. Data were derived from face-to-face in-depth interviews, reflective workshops, and participant observations. The findings showed that farmers’ knowledge and perceptions about disease incidence, the pathogen that causes the disease, its spreading mechanisms, host plants, and disease diagnosis were changed. Farmers’ practices in management of the disease were also improved. Learning about the cause of the disease stimulated the identification of locally relevant spreading mechanisms and the feasibility of a range of recommended disease management methods. Moreover, farmers recognized their interdependency, role, and responsibility to cooperate to reduce the disease pressure in their community. We conclude that learning interventions aiming to improve smallholder farmers’ knowledge, perceptions, and practices to deal with complex crop diseases need to combine experiential and social learning approaches and consider farmers’ local knowledge.

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Farmer Perceptions on Vegetable Diseases and Their Control in Sub-Humid Areas in Zimbabwe

Change and Adaptation in Socio-Ecological Systems ◽

10.1515/cass-2019-0001 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Maria Goss ◽

Paramu. L. Mafongoya ◽

Augustine Gubba ◽

Obert Jiri

Keyword(s):

Disease Management ◽

Production Systems ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Cultural Control ◽

Bacterial Disease ◽

Vegetable Production ◽

Control Methods

Abstract The monoculture vegetable production systems practiced by Zimbabwean farmers has resulted in major disease outbreaks, causing major production constraints. There is need to determine the intensity of pesticides usage and methods of alternative disease management strategies. This study was carried out using 250 randomly selected vegetable farmers by administering questionnaires. The study objectives were to determine farmers’ perceptions on vegetable disease incidence and severity in relation to prevailing weather conditions, and determine common control methods practiced to manage fungal and bacterial disease outbreaks. The results indicated significant increases in fungal and bacterial disease incidence of 84.6% (within community cropping fields) and severity of 73.1% (within individual farmer fields) over the past 5-10 years (P £ 0.05). It also revealed disease incidence being highest [30.8%] during winter (May – July) and rainy months [23.1%] (November – February). Results further indicated 96.2% of the respondents relied on chemical methods, 53.8% used cultural control, and 11.5% used natural control methods. However, none of the farmers used bio-pesticide/biological control methods. In conclusion: farmers are aware of the disease shifts in response to different climate variability but seem unaware of the negative effects of extensive chemical use, nor existence of alternative bio-pesticide/biological disease management strategies.

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Long-Term (10 Years or More) Survivors Of Multiple Myeloma: A Population-Based Analysis Of The US National Cancer Data Base

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v122.21.760.760 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 122 (21) ◽

pp. 760-760 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Meghana Raghavendra ◽

Mohammed Al-Hamadani ◽

Ronald S. Go

Keyword(s):

Educational Level ◽

Household Income ◽

Initial Treatment ◽

Initial Therapy ◽

National Cancer Data Base ◽

Annual Household Income ◽

Cancer Data ◽

The Us ◽

Long Term Survivors

Abstract Introduction Long-term survivors in multiple myeloma (MM), described as those surviving >10 years since their diagnosis, are uncommon. There is paucity of data describing this subgroup of patients and how they differ clinically from the rest. Methods Patients with MM diagnosed from 1998 to 2000 were identified in the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). We obtained data associated with socio-demographics, type and location of care facility, as well as the use high dose chemotherapy/autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) as initial treatment option. Four cohorts were created based on overall survival (OS): subgroup 1 (OS: < median); subgroup 2 (OS: median to 2X-median), subgroup 3 (OS: 2X-median to <10 years) and subgroup 4 (OS: >10 years). Results There were 27,987 MM patients. The median OS for the whole group was 26.7 months. Among them, 2,196 (7.9%) were long-term survivors. Subgroups 1, 2, and 3 comprised 54.8%, 19.0%, and 18.3% of the remaining patients, respectively. Majority were males (54.3%) with a mean age at diagnosis of 67.2 years (range, 19-90). Compared to the other subgroups (1/2/3), the long-term survivor subgroup had a significantly higher proportion of patients with high educational level (37.8% vs 28.4%/31.6%/33.9%; P < 0.001), high annual household income (41.5% vs 31.0%/34.2%/36.4%; P < 0.001), residence in a metro area (79.2% vs. 77.8%/78.7%/78.3%).; P=0.003), initial treatment at an academic center (46.6% vs 28.1%/34.6%/39.0%; P < 0.001), and had ASCT as part of initial therapy (16.5% vs 2.5%/6.4%/10.9%; P < 0.001). Multivariable analyses showed that younger age, non-Black race, lower educational level, non-Medicare/Medicaid primary payor, treatment at academic centers, and receipt of ASCT as part of initial treatment were significant independent predictors of survival > 10 years. In contrast, sex, ethnicity, type or geographic location of residence, and median annual household income were not significant. Conclusions In the US, approximately 1 in 13 MM patients diagnosed in 1998-2000 are long-term survivors. There are disparities in long-term outcomes according to socio-demographic characteristics, type of treatment facility, and receipt of ASCT as part of initial therapy. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Endurance of Transnationalism in Bolivia’s Valle Alto

MIGRATION LETTERS ◽

10.33182/ml.v6i1.87 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 63-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Richard C. Jones ◽

Leonardo De la Torre

Keyword(s):

Random Sample ◽

Work Experience ◽

Household Income ◽

Return Migration ◽

Ethnographic Interviews ◽

The Us ◽

Foreign Work ◽

Intentions To Return ◽

Economic Ties

The increasing difficulty of return migration and the demands for assimilation into host societies suggest a long-term cutting of ties to origin areas—likely accentuated in the Bolivian case by the recent shift in destinations from Argentina to the US and Spain. Making use of a stratified random sample of 417 families as well as ethnographic interviews in the provinces of Punata, Esteban Arze, and Jordán in the Valle Alto region the authors investigate these issues. Results suggest that for families with greater than ten years cumulated foreign work experience, there are significantly more absentees and lower levels of remittances as a percentage of household income. Although cultural ties remain strong after ten years, intentions to return to Bolivia decline markedly. The question of whether the dimunition of economic ties results in long-term village decline in the Valle Alto remains an unanswered.

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Enhancing community welfare through improved water quality: a case for applying staggered pollution charges in the river Musi sub-basin of Andhra Pradesh, India

Water Policy ◽

10.2166/wp.2005.0028 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 469-483

Author(s):

Tishya Chatterjee

Keyword(s):

Andhra Pradesh ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Pollution Prevention ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Environmental Damage ◽

Marginal Costs ◽

Community Acceptance ◽

Level Data ◽

Over Time

In conditions of severe water-pollution and dormant community acceptance of accumulating environmental damage, the regulator's role goes beyond pollution prevention and more towards remediation and solutions based on the community's long-term expectations of economic benefits from clean water. This paper suggests a method to enable these benefits to become perceptible progressively, through participatory clean-up operations, supported by staggered pollution charges. It analyses the relevant literature on pollution prevention and applies a cost-based “willingness to pay” model, using primary basin-level data of total marginal costs. It develops a replicable demand-side approach imposing charge-standard targets over time in urban-industrial basins of developing countries.

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The Short-Term and Long-Term Impacts of Sarbanes-Oxley Act on Composition and Characteristics of Corporate Board of Directors

International Journal of Financial Management ◽

10.21863/ijfm/2015.5.4.019 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Halil Kaya ◽

Gaurango Banerjee

Keyword(s):

Board Composition ◽

Corporate Boards ◽

Corporate Accountability ◽

Corporate Board ◽

Short Term ◽

Dual Roles ◽

Board Characteristics ◽

Sarbanes Oxley ◽

Over Time

The paper examines the Sarbanes-Oxley (2002) Acts immediate impact on board composition and characteristics as well as possible reversals in its impact over time. Effects on directors age and tenure are analyzed over the 2001-06 sample period. Female participation in corporate boards is also studied in the pre-SOX and post-SOX periods. The dual roles of directors in being a member of the board as well as serving as either CEO, CFO, Chairman, Co-Chair, Founder, or Lead Director of their respective companies is also examined. We observe a short-term impact of SOX on board compositions due to changes seen in board characteristics between 2001 (pre-SOX), and 2003-05 short-term period (post-SOX). Also, we observe a reversal of board characteristics in 2006 to pre-SOX levels implying that the effects of SOX on board composition were short-lived, and needs to be monitored over time to ensure adherence to corporate accountability guidelines over the long-term.

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