Assessing the Impact of Climate Resilient Technologies in Minimizing Drought Impacts on Farm Incomes in Drylands

Asia is the region most vulnerable to climate change and India is ranked as one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world, frequently affected by natural disasters. In this study, we investigated the impact of drought on crop productivity, farmer’s employment and income. The difference-in-difference model (DID) and stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR) were employed to quantify the impact of adopting climate resilient technologies (CRTs) on farm household income during a drought. The factors influencing farm incomes were analyzed using MLR. The study used survey data collected from the drought prone district of Telangana, India. Sixty farmers each from a village adopted under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) program and a control village were interviewed. Primary data on the socio-economic characteristic of farmers, cropping pattern, income composition, productivity of major crops, employment and climate resilient interventions adopted by farmers were collected using a well-structured schedule. The results reveal that income crop cultivation was the major contributor to household income (60%) followed by livestock rearing. Farmers reported that droughts decreased the income from crops by 54 per cent and income from livestock rearing by 40 per cent. The farmers belonging to the climate resilient village had 35 per cent higher incomes compared to those in the control village and it was estimated to be Rs. 31,877/farm household/year during droughts using the DID estimate. Farm size, livestock possession, adoption of CRTs and investment in agriculture were the determining factors influencing farm income. Thus, farmers especially in drought prone regions need to be encouraged and supported to adopt cost effective, location specific climate resilient technologies.

Area under Rapeseed Cultivation as a Factor Differentiating the Economic Performance of Biodiesel Producers

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the area under rapeseed cultivation on the economic performance and organization of farms. The study was conducted in 164 rapeseed farms in different Polish voivodeships. A targeted sampling procedure was used to select farms for the study. The studied population was divided into four groups depending on area under rapeseed cultivation rates. The selected farms were located in voivodeships with the highest rapeseed acreage rates of the total cropped area. The economic performance of the examined farms improved with increases in rapeseed area. Farms with larger rapeseed areas were characterized by higher production values and better economic performance. On average, the total production value per farm was highest in the group of farms with rapeseed areas of 20.1–30 ha. Similar results were noted when total production values were expressed per ha of arable land, per full-time employee and per man-hour. Total production value was lowest in farms with the smallest rapeseed areas. Farms with the largest areas under rapeseed cultivation achieved the highest farm household income. The farm household income values per full-time employee and per man-hour were highest in farms with the largest areas under rapeseed cultivation. The values of fixed assets and current assets increased with increases in rapeseed area. Most farms were run by owners with secondary school education. The highest percentages of farmers with university education were noted in farms with rapeseed areas of 10–20.1 ha (37.5%) and above 30 ha (30.4%). The vast majority of farms from all groups were run by male farmers. The research results could be useful for policy makers, because they indicate that rapeseed production can not only be profitable but can also be used for biofuel production.

E-Commerce Apps – Solutions for Farm-Household in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Research on Suppliers of Lychee Products According to Global Gap Standards

In the context of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in countries around the world, it is extremely hard for farmers to consume agricultural products, thereby affecting their production results. This study was designed to analyze the factors affecting the production and business results of lychee farmers in Vietnam in the context of the influence of the Covid 19 pandemic. Data for the study was collected from a survey of about 400 lychee production households according to Global Gap standards in Vietnam. Research findings have shown that the revenue from the supply of lychee products of farmers in Vietnam has decreased after the effects of Covid 19. Along with that, factors also have different degrees of influence on the business results of lychee-producing households. Especially in the context of the Covid 19 pandemic, e-commerce has become an effective consumption channel, supporting the consumption of products of lychee producers in Vietnam. In the light of those findings, the author provided recommendations for lychee product suppliers in Vietnam on how to solve their problems.

Rice varietal selection in Bangladesh: Does it matter who in the farm household makes the decisions?

This paper examines whether rice adoption decision differs between sole decision-making and collaborative decision-making in which household members jointly decide on rice varietal selection. Overall, the results show that the majority of rice farmers currently cultivate older rice varieties. The average varietal age is 22 years. Adopters and non-adopters are significantly different in several observed characteristics; however, most of the differences are small. Specifically, between adopter and non-adopters, there is a statistically significant difference in the average varietal age of rice grown, the number of plots owned, varietal trait preferences, seed sources, contact with agricultural extension agents and risk preference. The results of the double-hurdle regression estimation are unconvincing for a difference between household decision-making structures, indicating that it does not matter who in the farm household makes the decisions on rice varietal selection. To encourage the adoption of improved rice varieties and reduce the average varietal age, the focus should be on improving access to agricultural land and extension contact. Besides, aligning varietal trait with farmers’ preferences and organising farm demonstrations is crucial.