scholarly journals Influence of Environmental Knowledge on Small Scale Women Farmers Adoption of Conservation Agriculture Nakuru County, Kenya

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Eliud Garry Michura ◽  
Anne Jerotich Michura
Keyword(s):  
Survey Design ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Environmental Knowledge ◽  
Women Farmers ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Bonferroni Test ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Adoption of any technology especially in agricultural practices depends on environmental dynamics. This paper evaluated the influence of environmental knowledge on women small-scale farmers on adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) in Nakuru County. Kenya as one of the developing countries in Africa faced with numerous problems particularly food insecurity, hunger, poverty, diseases and biodiversity loss as a result of conventional agriculture practiced under poor backdrop of environmental knowledge. To alleviate all these problems mentioned above, the alternative method of agricultural practice should now aim at improving conservation agriculture which was discouraged long time ago. But environmental Knowledge to adopt conservation agriculture is needed as better option for maximum agricultural yields and protection of the environment. It is claimed that, CA adoption in Nakuru County by women small-scale farmers was low and there was inadequate research documentation regarding this claim. To establish the claim whether true or not, find out why CA adoption was low in the study area, the research sampled three sites; Naivasha, Rongai and Njoro selected purposefully for differences in ecological characteristics. The sample size of 360 women farmers were randomly selected from a target population of 120,000 women farmers of which, 120 were selected from each of three Sub Counties.  Descriptive survey design using structured questionnaires; interview schedule, personal observation and focus group discussion were used to collect data. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 20) was used in the data processing and analysis. Descriptive statistics; frequency distributions, means, proportions, percentages and inferential statistics; Chi-square, ANOVA, Bonferroni test at alpha value (p < 0.05) level were employed to test the hypothesis. The findings concluded that knowledge of the environment influenced women small scale farmers’ adoption of CA and that CA adoption uptake was low. Recommendations; Policy and decision makers use the results to develop land and agricultural policies, provide incentives to promote small-scale women farmers, use new emerging technologies to speed up knowledge on adoption of CA in order to boost food security and conservation of the environment in Nakuru County and Kenya.

scholarly journals Agroforestry as a Biodiversity Conservation Tool in the Atlantic Forest? Motivations and Limitations for Small-Scale Farmers to Implement Agroforestry Systems in North-Eastern Brazil

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 6932
Author(s):  
Mauricio Sagastuy ◽  
Torsten Krause
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Agricultural Crop ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Agroforestry Practices

Agroforestry practices support agricultural resilience against climatic variability, increase soil productivity, can diversify and increase farmers’ incomes, and support native fauna in agricultural landscapes. However, many farmers are still reluctant to implement agroforestry practices. We distributed questionnaires to 75 agroforestry and 64 “conventional agriculture” small-scale farmers working in the northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest to identify the motivations and limitations to implement agroforestry practices. We reveal the four main reasons why farmers worked with agroforestry: Higher income generation (89%), diversification of the production system (86%), increase in the land’s quality and productivity (86%), and increase in self-sufficiency (82%). The three most common mentioned reasons for conventional agriculture farmers to not shift to agroforestry practices were: Uncertainty if the system will work (62%), reduction in yield of the main agricultural crop (43%), and a lack of models and knowledge in the region (41%). Agroforestry in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest region can support native fauna, but farmers need to be educated about agroforestry practices and encouraged to switch from conventional agriculture to agroforestry through an increase in available technical assistance and capacitation/training in agroforestry practices.

scholarly journals Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Zambia – The Case of Chongwe District

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abson Chompolola ◽  
Oliver Kaonga
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Social Characteristics ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Extension System ◽  
Frequency Of Contact ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Behavioural Aspects ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

<p>The Zambian government and its cooperating partners have been trying to promote the use of conservation agriculture for improved food security and promotion of environmental sustainability. The methods used to promote conservation agriculture however are not adequately informed because no Zambia-specific studies have been done to explain adoption behaviour. This study aimed at explaining the factors that affect the adoption of conservation agriculture in Zambia using a case study.</p><p>A cross section survey of 200 randomly selected small scale farmers in Chongwe district was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Information collected included demographic characteristics of participating households, economic, as well as social characteristics. Respondents also provided information on the farming practices they are currently using vis a vis conservation agriculture.</p>A decision model was estimated using logistic regression and the results indicate that the adoption of conservation agriculture in the survey area is basically influenced by ownership of draft power, availability of labour, and the frequency of contact with the farmer support extension system. Potential to increase the adoption rate is plenty, but can only be tapped into if strategies and policies take into account the behavioural aspects of the adoption of the technology.

scholarly journals Adoption of Water Conservation Technologies among Small Scale Farmers in Lwengo District – Uganda

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-96
Author(s):  
Nabalegwa Muhamud Wambede ◽  
Joyfred Asaba ◽  
Othieno Esther Ebifa ◽  
Nabatta Claire
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Multiple Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Conservation Technologies

This study identified and characterised the dominant water conservation technologies (WCT) employed by small scale farmers in Malongo and Kyazanga sub-counties in Lwengo district. It employed a cross sectional household survey design, using systematic sampling to obtain 380 household samples. A quantitative analysis, Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) and Logit regression model were used to analyse these data to identify and characterise the dominant WCT and establish the most significant factor affecting the adoption of the technologies. Results indicated that mulching was the most dominant WCT employed, followed by Valley dams/reservoirs, terracing, tied ridges, deep tillage and infiltration pits. The Logit model indicated that out of seven factors, five had a significant positive influence namely: access to credit (1.3); farm slope location (0.7); farm size (0.4); access to agricultural inputs and investment subsidies (0.4); and level of income (0.2). One factor had a significant negative influence (engagement in other economic activities/off-farm employment activities) and only one was found to be insignificant (access to market). It is recommended that the significant water conservation techniques be upscaled, and that emphasis also be placed on the most significant factors in order to strengthen the adoption of water conservation in the area.

scholarly journals Assessment of adoption potential for smallholder conservation agriculture in Pandamatenga vertisols of northern Botswana

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 001-010
Author(s):  
Kapweke Kandondi ◽  
Davis Samzala Marumo ◽  
Benedict Kayombo ◽  
Thembeka Mpuisang
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Positive Perception ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
High Level ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

The adoption of conservation agriculture among small-scale farmers is still low despite the proven economic and environmental benefits of the technology. This study was conducted at Pandamatenga of Chobe District in northern Botswana. The main aim of the study was to determine the factors that influence the adoption of Conservation Agriculture (CA) in the study area. A structured questionnaire was used for the collection of the socio- economic and demographic characteristics of the sampled smallholder rainfed farmers. The socio - economic characteristics of the smallholder rainfed farmers included land holding size (ha), labour availability, livestock possession, education level, and farming experience. Demographic characteristics considered in the study included smallholder rainfed farmers’ age, marital status, gender, and average number of family members in the household. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the logistic regression model. The results have shown that gender and farm size had a significant influence on smallholder rainfed farmers’ decision to adopt CA technologies in Pandamatenga. Smallholder rainfed farmers had a positive perception and a high level of acceptance of CA technologies that were tried in their area.

A Novel NGO Approach to Facilitate the Adoption of Sustainable Innovations in Low-Income Countries: Lessons from Small-scale Farms in Nicaragua

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Dyck ◽  
Bruno S. Silvestre
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Agronomic Practices ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

There are about 500 million small-scale farms in low-income countries on the planet. Farmers have been slow to adopt a threefold set of sustainable agronomic practices known as “conservation agriculture” (CA) that have been shown to double productivity. Our study of a novel CA project in Nicaragua, organized based on principles that counter convention, may point to improved ways of understanding and managing sustainable innovations in low-income countries. In particular, by connecting core ideas from the innovation literature to the literature that explores the role of intermediaries such as NGOs, our case study suggests that the efficacy of NGOs to facilitate the adoption of sustainable innovations by small-scale farmers in these settings may be enhanced if NGOs employ non-centrist approaches in order to address the critical uncertainties associated with such innovations. We discuss how our findings contradict some of long-standing arguments in the literature, and their implications for theory and practice.

Development of adaptive training materials for conservation agriculture promotion in Africa.

2022 ◽  
pp. 371-381
Author(s):  
Neil Miller ◽  
Putso Nyathi ◽  
Jean Twilingiyumukiza
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Adaptive Training ◽  
Training Methodology ◽  
Training Materials ◽  
Agroecological Zones ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The Many

Abstract In order for Conservation Agriculture (CA) to reach and impact small-scale farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), CA technologies need to be adapted to suit the diversity of agroecological zones and cultures present on the continent. Training materials for CA promotion need to be similarly customizable to help extension staff and farmers develop their own, context-appropriate solutions from among the many possible CA approaches. From 2015 through 2018, a diverse set of farmer-level training materials for CA and complementary technologies was developed and field-tested by Canadian Foodgrains Bank partners. Together with a participatory, adaptive training methodology, these materials have enhanced the effectiveness of CA promotion, and they have been made available for copyright-free download in English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese and Amharic (http://caguide.act-africa.org/, accessed 6 August 2021). This paper describes the process of developing these materials as well as challenges and constraints to their utilization.

What drives small-scale farmers to adopt conservation agriculture practices in Tanzania?

2022 ◽  
pp. 284-292
Author(s):  
John E. Sariah ◽  
Frank Mmbando
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Average Area ◽  
Input And Output ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
On Farm

Abstract Conservation Agriculture (CA)-based Sustainable Intensification (CASI) practices in this study comprised minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, intercropping of maize and legumes, and use of improved crop genotypes and fertilizers, and were tested on-farm in different agroecologies in northern and eastern Tanzania. The results for six consecutive years of study indicate increased adoption of CASI practices compared to the baseline year (2010). The major impacts of these practices were reduced production costs, labour savings and overall increased crop and land productivity. The average area allocated to improved maize-legume (ML) intercrop rose during the project period by 5.28 ha per household, of which 15% was under complete CASI practices. Adoption trends show that, on average, 6.5% of adopters across the study and spillover communities started adoption in the 2nd year and about 14% of farmers adopted the practices over the next 3-5 years. Demographic and human capital (family size, education, age and farming experience), on-farm CASI demonstrations, farmer to farmer exchange visits, social capital (farmers' group or a cooperative), access to input and output markets (improved seeds, herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides and equipment) and food security were found to have positive and significant effects on adoption of a range of CASI practices. These results suggest continued and long-term efforts in investments in demonstrations, institutionalizing CASI practices in NARS, and good links to input and output markets, including appropriate machinery, are necessary to achieve sustained adoption.

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