Your search found 4 records
1 Adimassu, Zenebe; Balana, B. B.; Appoh, Richard; Nartey, Eric. 2020. The use of the wetting front detector as an irrigation-scheduling tool for pepper production in the upper east region of Ghana: evidence from field experiment and farmers' perceptions. Irrigation and Drainage, 69(4):696-713. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.2454]
Irrigation scheduling ; Wetting front ; Crop yield ; Pepper ; Crop water use ; Water requirements ; Water productivity ; Farmers' attitudes ; Irrigation water ; Fertilizer application ; Soil properties ; Risks ; Field experimentation ; Economic analysis / Ghana / Nyangua / Tekuru
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049734)
(13.60 MB)
We compare the effect of the wetting front detector on yield and water productivity with farmers' practices (FP) and irrigation requirements based on crop water requirement calculation (IRCWR). A field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of the wetting front detector, FP and IRCWR combined with six fertilizer rates. We also interviewed 50 farmers to understand their perception about the use and associated concerns with the wetting front detector. Analysis of variance and partial budget economic analysis were performed. The results show that the wetting front detector saved 16% of irrigation water compared to FP, which in turn led to 16% labour saving to irrigate pepper as compared to FP. Yield and water productivity of pepper were not significantly affected by the irrigation regimes. Regardless of irrigation regimes, yield of pepper was significantly influenced by fertilizer treatment in both years. Although the highest fresh fruit yield of pepper (8.6 t ha-1 ) was recorded from Fortifer granules, the highest marginal rate of return was obtained from application of inorganic fertilizer including 173 N, 36 P,18 K ha ¹. The majority of farmers perceived the wetting front detector as low risk and compatible to use. The result also suggests that farmers are interested in buying and adopting the tool for future use.
2 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.
3 Balana, B. B.; Mekonnen, D.; Haile, B.; Hagos, Fitsum; Yimam, S.; Ringler, C. 2022. Demand and supply constraints of credit in smallholder farming: evidence from Ethiopia and Tanzania. World Development, 159:106033. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2022.106033]
Small-scale farming ; Agricultural credit ; Constraints ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Small-scale irrigation ; Technology ; Farm inputs ; Fertilizers ; Seeds ; Social capital ; Loans ; Access to information ; Gender ; Women ; Households ; Policies ; Econometric models / Africa South of Sahara / Ethiopia / United Republic of Tanzania
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051370)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X22002236/pdfft?md5=ddde6b5c9938f033ed7af7bb061e70f7&pid=1-s2.0-S0305750X22002236-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051370.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051370.pdf
(0.43 MB) (435 KB)
Credit constraint is often considered as one of the key barriers to the adoption of modern agricultural technologies and low agricultural productivity in low- and middle-income countries. Past research and much of the policy discourse associate 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 could also affect credit-rationing of smallholder agricultural households. This study investigates the nature of credit constraints, factors affecting credit constraint status, and the effects of credit constraints on adoption and intensity of use of three modern agricultural technologies – small-scale irrigation, chemical fertilizer, and improved seeds. The paper also assesses whether credit constraints are gender-differentiated. Primary survey data were collected from sample farmers in Ethiopia and Tanzania, and Tobit and two-step hurdle econometric models were used to analyze these data. Results show that demand-side credit constraints are as important as supply-side factors in conditioning smallholders’ access to credit in both countries. We also find that credit is a binding constraint for the decision to adopt technologies and input use intensity in Tanzania but not statistically significant in Ethiopia. Results suggest that women are more likely to be credit constrained (from both the supply and demand sides) than men in both study countries. Based on these findings, we suggest that policies should focus on addressing both supply- and demand-side credit constraints to credit access, including through targeted interventions to reduce risk, such as crop insurance, and to strengthen the gender sensitivity of credit policies.
4 Balana, B. B.; Akudugu, M. A. 2023. Economic analysis of public investment in alternative agricultural water management schemes: a case study from northern Ghana. Water International, 48(1):40-62. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2022.2156224]
Economic analysis ; Public investment ; Alternative agriculture ; Water management ; Cost benefit analysis ; Feasibility studies ; Institutions ; Small-scale irrigation ; Irrigation schemes ; Irrigation water ; Infrastructure ; Sensitivity analysis ; Crop production ; Irrigated farming ; Water reservoirs ; Communities ; Sustainability ; Households ; Pumps ; Case studies / Ghana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051706)
(7.45 MB)
This study assesses the institutions and economics of public investments in three agricultural water management infrastructure and technologies: rehabilitation of small reservoirs, fuel-powered motorized small pumps and electricity-powered large pumps. We find that all three technologies yield positive returns on investment, but their applicability varies spatially and across community due to differences in capital costs and environmental feasibilities or conditions. Sensitivity analyses indicate the base decision parameters – net present value, benefit–cost ratio and internal rate of return – remain stable despite potential changes in the flow of future benefits or costs. This provides further evidence about the worthiness of investment in irrigation infrastructure and technologies. However, significant under-utilized infrastructural capacities exist that warrant complementary investment in human and institutional capacities. Based on the findings policy recommendations are provided.
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