Quantitative Analysis of Farmers Perception of the Constraints to Sunflower Production: A Transverse Study Approach Using Hierarchical Logistic Model (HLM)

Sunflower production is an excellent choice for both local and national agribusiness with significant potential in smallholder farming systems due to low input costs, consistent yields, and a short planting window. However, farmers are faced with interrelated constraints in their sunflower production. This study was undertaken to examines the perceptions of the constraints to sunflower production as perceived by smallholder farmers in North West Province, South Africa. The research identifies some factors related to sunflower production constraints. Then, a stratified random sampling technique was used to select 172 sunflower farmers and they were asked to rate their response on these attributes on a 5-points Likert scale. Leveraging principal component analysis (PCA), we agglomerated and condense information from the original datasets of the constraint attributes into three main components (innovation, farm finance, and crop management practice). Because of the hierarchical structure of the dataset with farmers nested within their local municipalities, we use Hierarchical Logistic Modeling techniques to identify the factors that determine farmer’s perceived interest in innovation, farm finance, and crop management practices. Innovation and farm finance emerge to be critical elements for sustainable sunflower production. The findings indicate that age, education, household size, farm size, cooperative membership, and gender are strongly correlated with farmers’ perceived interest in innovation and farm finance characteristics. This study recommends that to promote these elements among smallholder farmers, it is necessary for governments at the local and national level to invest in extension service and education, cooperative organizations, research, and development in disentangling the age, gender, and farm size inequalities existing in the district sunflower production.

Performance of Financial Sectors for Agricultural Development in West Tripura District of Tripura

Finance is an important input of agriculture. Sufficient and timely credit to the farmer is vital and indispensable for the rehabilitation and progress of agriculture. The present study was conducted in the West Tripura district of Tripura to analyze the magnitude, utilization, and constraints of farm finance availed by the borrowers in the district. 120 sample farmers and 20 lenders were selected using a purposive random sampling technique for detailed analysis. Data were collected by survey method using pretested schedules. The study revealed an increasing trend in terms of branch expansion, total deposits and advances over the years. Moreover, the C-D ratio increased from 41 in 2013-14to 45.77 in 2017-18. The sector-wise advances of banks showed an increasing trend and percentage share to the agricultural, and non-farm sectors was 27.57 and 72.43 in West Tripura. Inadequacy of loans, and lengthy lending procedures were problems identified by the borrower farmers. The majority of farmers (89.16 percent) opined that the borrowed amount was not adequate for meeting their farm expenses. As per the bank officials, the non-availability of the land records (80 percent) with the borrower was a major problem. To improve borrowing and utilization of farm finance remedial measures such as post-credit supervision by the Bank Field Officer and disbursement of the major portion of the loan in kind form may be adopted.

Funding of Agricultural Public Extension Service in a Deregulated Economy: A Study of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Funding of Ebonyi State Nigeria Agricultural Public Extension Service in a deregulated economy was studied. The specific objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents; identify the major recommended packages/technologies and services extended to the farmers and examine the trend in the funding of agricultural extension services from 2001 to 2010. A total of 240 contact farmers were selected using a multistage random sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study found that majority (65.42%) of the respondents were males; had a mean age of 49 years, married; had a relatively large household size of 8 persons; and relatively low educational status. Average farm holding was 0.90 ha and personal savings were the major sources of farm finance. Government funding of the agricultural public extension dwindled throughout the period with budget estimate at the peak of N220.4 m recorded in 2013 and the lowest of about N69.3 m in 2001, whereas the highest actual expenditure was about N99.5 m in 2010 and the lowest amount of about N37.1 m was also recorded in 2009. A big difference between the budget estimate and actual expenditure was observed in 2009 with a budget deficit of about 46.5%. The amount farmers were willing to pay for extension services was not also stable with the highest amount of about N9.2 m in 2005 and least amount of N800,000.00 in 2003. The amount expended by government was higher than the amount farmers are willing to pay with 98.2% difference in 2004. The study indicated that the proportion of farmers willing to pay for extension services is low. This could lead to reduced adoption and utilization of improved technologies and decline in farmers’ and farm productivity in a deregulated economy. Recommendations such as educating farmers on cost of extension services and the need for their contribution, backing up extension services with interest free loans, deregulating extension services in a gradual process and in phases, and improving the country’s educational system were made among others.

Measuring and explaining multi-directional inefficiency in the Malaysian dairy industry

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to measure the technical inefficiency of dairy farms and subsequently investigate the factors affecting technical inefficiency in the Malaysian dairy industry. Design/methodology/approach This study uses multi-directional efficiency analysis to measure the technical inefficiency scores on a sample of 200 farm observations and single-bootstrap truncated regression model to define factors affecting technical inefficiency. Findings Managerial and program inefficiency scores are presented for intensive and semi-intensive production systems. The results reveal marked differences in the inefficiency scores across inputs and between production systems. Practical implications Intensive systems generally have lowest managerial and program inefficiency scores in the Malaysian dairy farming sector. Policy makers could use this information to advise dairy farmers to convert their farming system to the intensive system. Social implications The results suggest that the Malaysian Government should redefine its policy for providing farm finance and should target young farmers when designing training and extension programs in order to improve the performance of the dairy sector. Originality/value The existing literature on Southeast Asian dairy farming has neither focused on investigating input-specific efficiency nor on comparing managerial and program efficiency. This paper aims to fill this gap.