Your search found 12 records
1 Walker, T. S.; Alwang, J. (Eds.) 2015. Crop improvement, adoption, and impact of improved varieties in food crops in Sub-Saharan Africa. Montpellier, France: CGIAR; Wallingford, UK: CABI. 450p.
Crop improvement ; Food crops ; Adoption ; Improved varieties ; Genetic improvement ; Performance evaluation ; Diffusion ; Agricultural research ; Research programmes ; Investment ; Technological changes ; Monitoring ; Impact assessment ; Rural poverty ; Food security ; Cassava ; Cowpeas ; Soybeans ; Yams ; Maize ; Rice ; Wheat ; Groundnuts ; Pearl millet ; Pigeon peas ; Sorghum ; Potatoes ; Sweet potatoes ; Barley ; Chickpeas ; Faba beans ; Lentils / Africa South of Sahara / West Africa / Central Africa / Southern Africa / East Africa / South Asia / Ethiopia / Eritrea / Sudan / Uganda / Rwanda / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 338.10967 G110 WAL Record No: H047766)
(6.30 MB) (6.30 MB)
2 Kpadonou, R. A. B.; Owiyo, T.; Barbier, B.; Denton, F.; Rutabingwa, F.; Kiema, A. 2017. Advancing climate-smart-agriculture in developing drylands: joint analysis of the adoption of multiple on-farm soil and water conservation technologies in West African Sahel. Land Use Policy, 61:196-207. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2016.10.050]
Sustainable agriculture ; Climate-smart agriculture ; Arid zones ; Water conservation ; Soil conservation ; Soil fertility ; Erosion control ; Technological changes ; Adoption ; Agricultural practices ; Farmer participation ; On farm research ; Policy ; Socioeconomic environment ; Households ; Econometric models ; Case studies / West Africa / Sahel / Burkina Faso
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048054)
(0.58 MB)
Water stress and soil infertility are the greatest constraining factors for higher agricultural productivity in drylands, prompting the current interest in soil and water conservation (SWC) practices in water-constrained regions. To provide a more comprehensive understanding of challenges surrounding the adoption of SWC practices in these regions, we used a joint analysis framework combining both multivariate and ordered probit models to analyze adoption-decisions for eleven on-farm SWC practices. Our case study, involving 500 farmers from a representative West African Sahelian zone, revealed that although the adoption of SWC practices is widespread in the West African drylands, there is still an important potential to improve and upscale their specific adoption rates. Almost all farmers (99%) used at least one of the eleven practices considered in this study, whereas specific adoption rates ranged from 5% for contour vegetation barriers to 87% for manure application. More than 70% of the farmers used up to three practices only, and less than 30% used between four to nine practices. Many practices are interdependent, with some practices being complementary and others substitutable. The analysis of the determinants of the adoption and the intensity of adoption revealed that SWC practices are labor-, knowledge- and capital-intensive. We found that the major drivers of farmers’ decisions to adopt, as well as to intensify the use of, most SWC practices are the presence of children (aged 6 to 14) in the household, land holding, land tenure, awareness and training on SWC and access to alternative – but non-agricultural labor constraining – cash sources such as remittance and cash farming. A higher number of migrating household members increases the probability of intensifying the use of SWC practices, but only when this is in line with the household’s land endowment and labor needs for farm activities. This comprehensive study will be of significance for a finer understanding of SWC practices in West African Sahel. More generally, it will likely help policy makers to upscale the adoption of sustainable SWC practices for the advance of climate-smart agriculture in developing drylands.
3 Mango, N.; Makate, C.; Tamene, L.; Mponela, P.; Ndengu, G. 2017. Awareness and adoption of land, soil and water conservation practices in the Chinyanja Triangle, southern Africa. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 5(2):122-129. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2017.04.003]
Water conservation ; Soil conservation ; Land conservation ; Agricultural practices ; Farmers attitudes ; Awareness ; Technology ; Adoption ; Households ; Socioeconomic environment ; Models / Southern Africa / Mozambique / Malawi / Zambia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048162)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095633916301083/pdfft?md5=82d095897ec1b142eb0962e168a4d5d2&pid=1-s2.0-S2095633916301083-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048162.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048162.pdf
(0.55 MB) (560 KB)
The promotion of land, soil and water conservation measures has been a widespread development in sub-Saharan Africa in a bid to tackle degradation and improve productivity. As a result, several governments have launched various campaigns on soil, land and water conservation measures. The aim of this study is to determine some of the factors that influence farmers’ awareness (knowledge) and adoption of land, soil and water conservation practices. Data for this study was collected from 312 households using a questionnaire survey in the Chinyanja Triangle of Southern Africa. The study sites were sampled from Tete province of Mozambique, central and southern regions of Malawi and eastern Province of Zambia. We used t-tests to classify adopters and non-adopters of soil, land and water conservation measures and binomial logit models to identify the factors that influence farmers’ knowledge of conservation measures and adoption of land productivity practices. The results show that the household head's age, education, agricultural advice reception and farmer group membership are critical in raising awareness. While the household head's age, education, agricultural advice reception, farmer group membership, pieces of land owned or used in production and land-to-man ratio influenced adoption decisions. The study, therefore, concludes that in order to improve land productivity in the Chinyanja Triangle, there is a need to consider farmers’ heterogeneity in terms of household head's age, level of education, extension services outreach, and socio-economic characteristics. This suggests that governments’ policies in the region should be aimed at improving farmers’ level of education, extension delivery that will target the elderly and the youth, land ownership, credit access, and social capital such as group formation.
4 Kuppannan, Palanisami; Kumar, D. S. 2017. Drought proofing strategies by farmers in southern India. IWMI-Tata Water Policy Research Highlight, 4. 8p.
Drought ; Adoption ; Strategies ; Farmer participation ; Groundwater ; Irrigation water ; Drip irrigation ; Wells ; Pumping ; Investment ; Water costs ; Water use ; Moisture conservation ; Mulching ; Trenching ; Urban areas / India / Tamil Nadu / Karnataka / Tumkur / Bijapur / Coimbatore / Tirupur
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048388)
http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/iwmi-tata/PDFs/iwmi-tata_water_policy_research_highlight-issue_04_2017.pdf
(296 KB)
5 Asfaw, D.; Neka, M. 2017. Factors affecting adoption of soil and water conservation practices: the case of Wereillu woreda (district), South Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 5(4):273-279. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2017.10.002]
Water conservation ; Soil conservation ; Erosion ; Farmer participation ; Adoption ; Watersheds ; Models ; Households ; Socioeconomic environment ; Corporate culture / Ethiopia / Amhara Region / South Wollo / Wereillu
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048434)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095633917301491/pdfft?md5=37585c8b17b69270fb2ae7755c88de0d&pid=1-s2.0-S2095633917301491-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048434.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048434.pdf
(1.44 MB) (1.44 MB)
In Ethiopia, soil erosion is a severe problem and a major cause of the decline of agricultural productivity. Interventions were taken by introducing soil and water conservation practices. However, the adoption of these practices is far below the expectation. The objective of this study was to examine factors affecting adoption of introduced soil and water conservation practices in Wereillu Woreda. Mixed research methods design was employed in order to conduct this study. Questionnaire, focus group discussion, in-depth interview and field observation were used to collect data. A binary logistic regression model was employed to analyze the collected data. The analysis result showed that sex of household heads, education status of household heads, access to extension services and training were positively correlated at significantly level with the adoption of the introduced soil and water conservation practices. On the other hand, the age of household heads, off-farm activity, and distance of farmlands from homesteads influenced the adoption of introduced soil and water conservation practices negatively. The finding depicts that the identified physical, socioeconomic, and institutional factors influence the adoption of soil and water conservation so, the Woreda Rural and Agricultural Development Office and other concerned bodies should consider these influential factors to enhance farmers’ adoption of introduced soil and water conservation practices and to promote agricultural productivity and environmental quality.
6 Malik, Ravinder Paul Singh; Giordano, M.; Rathore, M. S. 2018. The negative impact of subsidies on the adoption of drip irrigation in India: evidence from Madhya Pradesh. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 34(1):66-77. (Special issue: Politics and Policies for Water Resources Management in India). [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2016.1238341]
Irrigation systems ; Drip irrigation ; Subsidies ; Microirrigation ; Adoption ; Technology ; Irrigation equipment ; Pricing ; Rent ; Capital costs ; State intervention ; Farmers ; Constraints ; Administration / India / Madhya Pradesh
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048577)
(1.04 MB)
Drip irrigation in India has expanded slowly. One reason cited is the high capital costs facing the smallholder-dominated agricultural sector. Governments have provided capital subsidies in response. This study finds that, rather than improving access to drip, the subsidy system holds the technology back, because its technical requirements, highly bureaucratic processes and pricing incentives turn many drip providers into rent-seeking agents rather than service providers to farmers, leading to price increases of 40% or more. If capital costs are truly the constraint on drip expansion in India, alternative models to address them are available.
7 Wolka, K.; Sterk, G.; Biazin, B.; Negash, M. 2018. Benefits, limitations and sustainability of soil and water conservation structures in Omo-Gibe Basin, Southwest Ethiopia. Land Use Policy, 73:1-10. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.01.025]
Soil conservation ; Water conservation ; Erosion control ; Bunds ; Repairing ; Benefits ; Sustainability ; Adoption ; Labour ; Socioeconomic environment ; Watersheds / Ethiopia / Omo-Gibe Basin / Bokole Watershed / Toni Watershed
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048758)
(0.60 MB)
Different types of soil and water conservation (SWC) structures were introduced to Ethiopia during the last four decades for abating water erosion and sustaining agricultural productivity. This study aimed to determine benefits, limitations and sustainability of SWC structures in the Toni and Bokole watersheds of the Omo Gibe basin. A household survey was conducted on a total of 201 households, which were selected by employing a multistage sampling procedure that covered six rural kebeles.1 Moreover, six focus group discussions were conducted. The results revealed that more than 80% of respondents in Bokole watershed and all respondents in Toni watershed experienced moderate to severe soil erosion. Farmers were selective in accepting and implementing SWC structures depending on the local land characteristics. Stone bunds were widely implemented in Bokole watershed where rock fragments are abundant and Fanya juu and soil bunds were widely practiced in Toni watershed where rock fragments are not available. Owing to labor intensiveness of the SWC structures, more than 82% of respondents in Bokole and 54% in Toni perceived that labor shortage was a challenge for construction and maintenance. More than 74% of the adopter farmers were also concerned about the loss of cultivable land due to the construction of SWC structures. Number of cattle owned (p < 0.05) and having administrative responsibility in the kebele (p < 0.1) significantly and negatively influenced construction of the SWC structures in Bokole watershed. Runoff overtopping, livestock trampling and cultivation practices were mentioned as the causes of damages for the SWC structures in both watersheds. In Bokole watershed, 92% of the respondents indicated that they repaired the broken SWC structures to sustain their benefits. But 62% of respondents in Toni watershed did not repair. The effort of repairing the SWC structures was significantly (p < 0.05) and negatively influenced by farmland area in Bokole watershed and by education level in Toni watershed. The respondents’ preferences of SWC structures, rate of adoption, willingness to repair and factors affecting adoption and repairing were slightly different in Bokole watershed when compared with Toni watershed. Thus, we concluded that effective implementation and sustainability of SWC structures should critically consider the land users’ socio-economic and environmental intricacy.
8 Nonvide, G. M. A. 2018. Irrigation adoption: a potential avenue for reducing food insecurity among rice farmers in Benin. Water Resources and Economics, 24:40-52. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wre.2018.05.002]
Irrigation schemes ; Adoption ; Food security ; Food insecurity ; Irrigated rice ; Farmers ; Agricultural production ; Socioeconomic environment ; Econometrics ; Models ; Case studies / Benin / Malanville
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049064)
(0.48 MB)
Since the 1960s, the government of Benin has invested in the development of canal irrigation schemes in order to intensify food crop production and reduce food insecurity. This paper employed an ordered probit model with sample selection to assess the potential of irrigation in reducing food insecurity in the municipality of Malanville, Benin. The results show that 60% of the irrigation farmers and 46% of the dry land farmers were food secure. Adoption of irrigation has a positive effect on food security. Other variables explaining food security are education, informal training, credit, extension services, use of improved seed, fertilizer and herbicide application, farm and off-farm income. The study recommends that efforts to rehabilitate current irrigation scheme and develop other schemes should be intensified.
9 Issahaku, G.; Abdul-Rahaman, A. 2019. Sustainable land management practices, off-farm work participation and vulnerability among farmers in Ghana: is there a nexus? International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 7(1):18-26. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2018.10.002]
Sustainable land management ; Farmer participation ; Off farm employment ; Nonfarm income ; Households ; Socioeconomic environment ; Adoption ; Poverty ; Organic fertilizers ; Bunds ; Models / Ghana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049149)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095633918301321/pdfft?md5=c1b325ba74803cb6d82d0010632fe710&pid=1-s2.0-S2095633918301321-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049149.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049149.pdf
(0.53 MB) (544 KB)
Addressing issues of agricultural sustainability and vulnerability to poverty under climate change are major challenges to development in the 21st century. Accounting for the trade-off and synergies between off-farm work participation and sustainable land management on one hand, and vulnerability to poverty on the other hand, will therefore be useful to policy. In this study, we use recent farm household data from Ghana to examine the effect of off-farm work participation on intensity of adoption of sustainable land management (SLM) practices and impact of off-farm work participation on vulnerability to poverty. We employed a bivariate Tobit model to examine the determinants of SLM adoption intensity, and endogenous switching probit model to assess the impact of off-farm work participation on vulnerability to poverty. The results reveal that participation in off-farm is positively and significantly associated with adoption intensity of bunds, and organic manure. The results also show that off-farm work participation significantly reduces household vulnerability to poverty by 13%. Based on these findings, we conclude that rural development through non-farm work opportunities can lead to positive synergies between sustainable agricultural production, off-farm employment and poverty alleviation.
10 Balana, B.; Mekonnen, D.; Haile, B.; Hagos, Fitsum; Yimam, S.; Ringler, C. 2020. Are smallholder farmers credit constrained? evidence on demand and supply constraints of credit in Ethiopia and Tanzania. Washington, DC, USA: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). 28p. (IFPRI Discussion Paper 01974) [doi: https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134152]
Agricultural credit ; Loans ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Supply balance ; Constraints ; Households ; Gender ; Women ; Socioeconomic environment ; Technology transfer ; Adoption ; Microfinance ; Financial institutions ; Risk factors ; Policies ; Small scale systems ; Irrigation ; Econometric models / Ethiopia / United Republic of Tanzania
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050170)
https://ebrary.ifpri.org/utils/getfile/collection/p15738coll2/id/134152/filename/134363.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050170.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050170.pdf
(1.02 MB) (1.02 MB)
Credit constraint is considered by many as one of the key barriers to adoption of modern agricultural technologies, such as chemical fertilizer, improved seeds, and irrigation technologies, among smallholders. Past research and much policy discourse associates agricultural credit constraints with supply-side factors, such as limited access to credit sources or high costs of borrowing. However, demand-side factors, such as risk-aversion and financial illiteracy among borrowers, as well as high transaction costs, can also play important roles in credit-rationing for smallholders. Using primary survey data from Ethiopia and Tanzania, this study examines the nature of credit constraints facing smallholders and the factors that affect credit constraints. In addition, we assess whether credit constraints are gender-differentiated. Results show that demand-side credit constraints are at least as important as supply-side factors in both countries. Women are more likely to be credit constrained (from both the supply and demand sides) than men. Based on these findings, we suggest that policies should focus on addressing both supply- and demand-side credit constraints, including through targeted interventions to reduce risk, such as crop insurance and gender-sensitive policies to improve women’s access to credit.
11 Tesfaye, M. Z.; Balana, B. B.; Bizimana, J.-C. 2021. Assessment of smallholder farmers’ demand for and adoption constraints to small-scale irrigation technologies: evidence from Ethiopia. Agricultural Water Management, 250:106855. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.106855]
Irrigation water ; Water lifting ; Technology ; Adoption ; Constraints ; Small scale systems ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Willingness to pay ; Assessment ; Households ; Livelihoods ; Models / Ethiopia / Adami-Tulu / Dangla / Bahir-Dar Zuria / Lemo
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050297)
(1.60 MB)
Increasing agricultural productivity through irrigation technologies is recognized as an effective way to improve smallholders’ livelihoods and food security in developing countries. However, most smallholder farmers do not have access to irrigation technologies. Using a double-bounded contingent valuation survey data from smallholders in Ethiopia and probit and bivariate probit models, this paper analyzes smallholder farmers’ demand for agricultural water lifting technologies (WLTs) and the factors affecting the demand for these technologies. Assessment of farmers’ preferences among three water lifting technologies available in local markets (motorized pump, rope and washer and pulley) show that farmers prefer motorized pumps to pulley or rope and washer technologies. Use of motorized pumps is more efficient and save labour than pulley or rope and washer technologies. However, results show that smallholders are constrained by inadequate access to financing options to adopt more efficient and labour-saving water lifting technology and hence operate below the production possibility frontier. Enhanced access to finance could help ease this constraint and allow smallholders to acquire more efficient irrigation technologies, enhance adoption and improve productivity. With a growing population pressure and land fragmentation in rural Ethiopia, the livelihoods of smallholders depend mainly on the meagre land endowment they possess. Increasing the productivity of land using yield enhancing technologies, particularly multiple cropping per year via small-scale irrigation is key to improve their livelihoods. Targeted interventions are thus warranted to mitigate the key adoption constraints such as improving access to credit and technical know-how of smallholders.
12 Hatch, N. R.; Daniel, D.; Pande, S. 2022. Behavioral and socio-economic factors controlling irrigation adoption in Maharashtra, India. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 67(6):847-857. (Special issue: Advancing Socio-Hydrology) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2022.2058877]
Irrigation ; Adoption ; Socioeconomic aspects ; Psychological factors ; Farmers' attitudes ; Norms ; Risk ; Water scarcity ; Modelling / India / Maharashtra / Vidarbha / Marathwada / Nagpur / Wardha / Amaravati / Yavatmal
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051452)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02626667.2022.2058877
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051452.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051452.pdf
(3.48 MB) (3.48 MB)
Psychological frameworks are rarely used to understand irrigation adoption behaviour in developing countries. A Bayesian belief network (BBN) model was developed that integrated socio-economic characteristics and psychological factors to understand farmer behaviours with respect to irrigation practices in four districts of Maharashtra, India. Strong norms, risk perceptions of water scarcity, and attitude play roles in the adoption of irrigation technology and practices. Critically, it was found that no one factor can explain adoption behaviour; rather, an ensemble of factors is needed to understand farmer behaviour. A farmer who is highly educated, middle-aged, and moderately wealthy with a significant level of family help and an open well as their main water source, while receiving low promotional information related to water scarcity and irrigation adoption, is most likely to adopt irrigation technology. The application of the BBN in this study enables stakeholders and policymakers to better understand the linkages between different factors and behaviour.
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