Factors affecting farmers’ participation in contract farming: The case of soybean producers in the eastern corridor of the northern region of Ghana
April 2024
Contract farming (CF) is gaining traction as a vital solution for improving the fortunes of Ghana's small-scale soybean farmers. Government and non-governmental organizations, such as the Savanna Farmers Marketing Company (SFMC), the Northern Development Authority (NDA), and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), have begun contracting farmers to cultivate soybeans in Ghana, particularly in the Northern...
Determinants of utilization of banana value addition among small-scale agripreneurs in Kenya: A case of Kisii County
March 2024
There is an increased demand for banana fruit and its processed products among both rural and urban populations. Value addition has the potential to reduce postharvest losses, increase crop productivity, and enhance crop income. Despite the promotion of banana value addition by government and non-governmental organizations, its utilization remains low in Kisii county, Kenya. There is a lack of information on the...
Assessing the determinants of farm households’ choice of livelihood diversification strategies in Sub Zoba Debarwa, Eritrea
November 2023
Smallholder rural farm households face increasing pressure to diversify their livelihood strategies to supplement their meager and unstable agricultural productivity. The objective of the study was to assess the determinants of smallholder rural farm households’ choice of livelihood diversification strategies in sub-Zoba Debarwa, Zoba Debub, and Eritrea. Data were collected from 201 randomly selected rural...
Vertical market linkages between smallholder African indigenous vegetables farmers and other market actors in Bungoma County
June 2023
The study aimed at determining the vertical market linkages that exist between smallholder African indigenous vegetable (AIV) farmers and other actors in Bungoma County, Kenya. Multistage sampling was employed to identify a sample of 384 respondents. Primary data collection was accomplished through observations and interviews using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using STATA. The results...
Characterising agricultural holdings in Uganda: Inputs to improving policy formulation
March 2023
This manuscript shows a characterisation of critical agricultural household features that are fundamental for performance of agricultural activities in Uganda. Data from the 2018 Annual Agricultural Survey show that these households are exposed to a series of circumstances that make agriculture a challenging enterprise to undertake, but at the same time essential for subsistence. These challenges are mainly associated...
Effect of sustainable land management (SLM) measures disseminated by the climate change resilience through sustainable land management project on the economic efficiency of maize producers in the communes of Malanville and Kouandé in northern Benin
February 2023
Soil degradation is increasingly becoming a problem for agricultural production due to poor production practices. The search for solutions to this phenomenon has led producers to adopt sustainable land management (SLM) strategies proposed by projects and programs. This study aims to evaluate the effect of SLM measures on the economic efficiency of maize producers who are beneficiaries of the Projet de Résiliences...
Effect of coronavirus on students’ food security status: A case of University of Cape Coast, Ghana
October 2022
Coronavirus is a novel virus that hit the world starting from developed countries to under-developed countries. Ghana is amongst the countries in Africa that observed some level of confinement by their government leading to the shutdown of various institutions including schools. The resulting impact of the policy saw students being more vulnerable to food insecurity and related issues. This paper examines the effect of...
Exploring the drivers of technical efficiency in Senegal’s agricultural production sector
September 2022
Most agricultural farmers in Senegal make limited use of key agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, certified seeds, irrigation, mechanization and pesticides. Such situation happens in a context where most farmers are exposed to droughts, land degradation, and erratic climatic shocks. These factors typically lead to negative effects on technical efficiency, and therefore unfavorable outcome results in terms of food...
Determinants of agricultural commercialization in smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe: The case of Zhombe North Rural District
August 2022
Agricultural commercialization raises farm incomes and improves living standards in African farming populations. Despite its importance, it remains low in Africa. Limited studies in agricultural commercialization have explored different tools for analysis given the agricultural commercialization indicators with zeros and fractions. This paper addresses methodological issue and adds literature on factors affecting...
Adoption of electronic commerce by agribusiness small medium enterprises in the upper east region of Ghana
August 2022
Technological evolution has triggered more advanced market-based approaches to the transfer of goods, services, and information. In Ghana, Agribusiness small-medium enterprises' electronic commerce adoption is concentrated in Accra and Kumasi. This study spotting the research gap in Agribusiness small-medium enterprises' electronic commerce adoption selected the Upper East Region for the study. The study is...
Impacts of cassava whitefly pests on the productivity of East and Central African smallholder farmers
July 2022
A key constraint to smallholder cassava production systems in Africa is the cassava whitefly pest species. These pests are a group of several cryptic species within Bemisia tabaci that cause direct damage to cassava and vector viruses that cause disease. We employ a farm-level stochastic production frontier (SPF) model to determine the impacts of the cassava whitefly pests on the productivity and technical efficiency...
Diffusion of water harvesting for rainfed agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa: Case of zaï practice in Burkina Faso
May 2022
After the droughts of the 1970s, the so called zaï technique (small water harvesting pits), which is a water harvesting technique, has been promoted to farmers in several Sahelian countries to allow rainfed crops to adapt to dry spells. Its temporal diffusion remains a subject of little research. This study highlights the determinants of zaï diffusion in the Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones in Burkina Faso....
The impact of socio-economic factors on livestock farmers’ knowledge and skills in the Eastern Cape Province: The case of Marselle farmers
April 2022
Marselle farmers have continued to struggle to produce effectively despite obtaining free land and funding from the Land Bank. One key challenge thought to be behind this poor performance is the farmers’ lack of proper livestock farming skills and knowledge. This study thus sought to determine the effect of various socio-economic factors on the acquisition of critical livestock rearing skills and knowledge of...
Analysis of institutional credit accessibility among small-holder poultry farmers in Rivers State, Nigeria
April 2022
Agricultural finance is needed for sustainable agricultural production and improved farm income. The study analysed the accessibility of institutional credit among poultry farmers in Rivers State. Specifically, it described the socio-economic features of the farmers, identified the institutionally-based agricultural credit sources and credit amount requested by farmers. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and...
The impact of institutional quality on living standards: Evidence from 20 sub-Sahara African (SSA) countries
March 2022
After it has been hypothesized and empirically validated that institutional quality (InQ) is an essential ingredient for development, examining whether InQ impacts living standards (LStds) is a worthwhile exercise. Using data from 2000 to 2019 on 20 SSA countries, this study modelled the impact of InQ on LStds in a VAR framework, upon satisfactory data suitability tests. The impulse response functions and forecast error...
Contract farming and farmers’ well-being: The case of yam farmers in the Mion district of the Northern Region of Ghana
March 2022
This study assesses contract farming effect on the well-being of yam farmers in the Mion district of the Northern region of Ghana. Through descriptive survey design 400 smallholder farmers in the district were surveyed with interviews and focus group discussion used to collect data from the sampled farmers. Descriptive statistics, factors analysis and Propensity Scores Matching were used to analyze the data. The...
Analysis of constraints to poverty reduction among smallholder farmers in Northern Region, Ghana
January 2022
The northern part of Ghana is bedeviled with high incidence of poverty with threatening food insecurity. Agriculture is the main stay of the people in northern Ghana. In spite of the introduction of variety of poverty reduction strategies, the region remains the hardest hit in terms of the numbers of poor people. This study sought to evaluate the constraints to poverty reduction among farmers in the northern region. The...
An evaluation of the effects of revolving funds on dairy inputs’ use in Chepalungu Sub-County, Kenya
November 2021
The major challenge facing agricultural investments in Kenya is not the adoption of emerging technologies but the empirical question is whether the adopters really benefit from adoption. While extant literature has been focusing on whether farmers adopt to presented technologies, the novelty of this study is to present whether the adopters really benefit from adoption. The objective of the study was to evaluate the...
The role of informal commodity traders’ association in the marketing of farm products in selected rural markets in Ghana
November 2021
This article is aimed at examining how the activities of women trader’s association in rural market of Ghana affect the marketing of agriculture products of smallholder farmers. Hundred market women trades’ association operators from ten rural markets were interviewed. A case study analysis technique was used for data analysis. The results showed that women trader’s associations are a useful phenomenon...
Household dietary diversity in rural households of Oromia Regional state, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
October 2021
Household dietary diversity (HDD) is an important nutrition outcome measuring the economic ability of a household to access a variety of foods during a determined period. This paper examines the determinants of HDD among wheat dominated rural households of Sinana District, Oromia Regional State. Multi stage sampling procedure was used to select 384 sample households. Data were collected using structured survey...
Competitive strategies for purchasing of cocoa by licensed buying companies in Ghana: The determinants and performance implications
October 2021
This study explored the different competitive strategies used by the Licensed Buying Companies (LBC), the determinants of their choices and how it affected their performance. It also determined whether these strategies used influenced a farmer’s decision to sell the cocoa beans to the LBCs as well as the constraints faced by farmers and the LBCS in doing business. Primary data was used for this study. Descriptive...
An impact assessment of agriculture technological transfer from China to West Africa: A computable general equilibrium (CGE) dynamic approach
September 2021
China’s presence and influence in West Africa is on the rise, given China’s colossal investment in the sub-region’s economy. It is against this background that impact assessment was conducted by measuring the deviation between the baseline equilibrium against the policy scenarios of low and high agriculture technology transfer. The results of the study exemplify that for an effective impact on...
Effects of regional trade policy on tariff revenue: Evidence from latent gains/Losses by Nigeria
September 2021
The study identified all Nigeria’s products of trade, with a view to ascertaining and computing volumes of net trade and corresponding latent gains and or losses sustained in pursuit of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) trade policy objectives. Data were soured from United Nations Commodity Trade (UNComtrade), via Trade Analysis and Information System Window. The inherent most-favored-nations...
The diversification of global agribusiness trade from 2000-2019
August 2021
Agricultural trade is closely interconnected with a range of food security and development related issues in the case of developing countries. In this regard, diversification of both trade partners and products traded can play an important role in terms of strengthening food security concerning imports, but also as a means to create a more resilient basket of exports. This article analyses the diversification of global...
Effect of healthcare accessibility on cocoa farmers' food security in Ondo State, Nigeria
August 2021
Effect of healthcare accessibility on cocoa farmers’ food security explored latest research from the economic, medical and food security literature concerning the eminence of care, physical accessibility, cost, availability of the right type of care for those in need, and its significances on food security, with a focus on healthcare personnel availability. A multistage (five-stage) sampling procedure was employed...
Performance of integrated and single cooperatives in bulk production and credit provision to smallholder farmers in Uganda
July 2021
Agricultural cooperatives are autonomous associations of individuals formed to augment production, marketing and financial needs of members. In Uganda, performance of cooperatives is largely constrained by weak organizational structures, market failures, and policy weaknesses. An integrated cooperative model (ICM) was introduced to improve performance of cooperatives but the effect of ICM on institutional performance...
Agricultural services on the demand and supply for improving agricultural productivity in Benin
July 2021
The Beninese government has undertaken far-reaching reforms in the agricultural service supply in Benin since 2016. The objective of the article was to assess the level of satisfaction of the agricultural services supply and demand and to analyze the determinants of the level of satisfaction of agricultural services in Benin. The primary data used was provided from entire national territory by taking into account all...
Economic impact of DroughtTEGO® hybrid maize in Kenya
July 2021
This paper utilizes the Economic Surplus Model (ESM) to provide an ex-post evaluation of the economic impact of drought tolerant hybrid maize technology in Kenya. Results indicate that the adoption of DroughtTEGO® varieties will generate economic benefit to producers with a net present value of US$ 2.1 billion over a 20-year period. These benefits are sustainable when adoption levels remain above 32% and yield...
What influences uptake of alternative pest management practices by potato farmers? Evidence from six counties in Kenya
July 2021
Potato pest and disease management has been dominated by chemical pesticides, despite their potential undesirable effects on the environment, food safety and human health. This study explores factors influencing intensity of uptake of alternative pest management practices among potato farmers in Kenya, through a survey of 1,002 farmers in six main potato growing counties in the country. A Poisson count model was used to...
Influence of informal financial literacy training on financial knowledge and behavior of rural farmers: Evidence from Uganda
July 2021
Financial literacy plays an important role in influencing financial behavior and knowledge of individuals. In this study, the impact of informal financial literacy training on rural smallholder farmers was assessed. Propensity score matching approach was used to assess training effects on distinct dimensions of financial knowledge. The study used a sample of farmers who are members of village savings and loans...
Perceptions of smallholder farmers on nature-based income generating activities as potential livelihood and biodiversity conservation strategies in Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania
May 2021
Nature-based Income Generating Activities (NIGAs) can enhance livelihoods of smallholder farmers and biodiversity conservation in highly degrading ecosystems. These practices are promoted by various development and conservation partners worldwide to combat land degradation and biodiversity loss. However, their adoption remains low for reasons not well understood by their promoters. This can largely be attributed to the...
Smallholder adoption of technology: Evidence from the context of climate smart agriculture in South Africa
May 2021
Climate change represents a serious threat to African agriculture, consequently leading to water scarcity and climate variability. These challenges negatively impact agricultural production. Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies, such as drought-tolerant seed varieties (DTSVs), can provide a solution. However, effective adoption and use of these technologies within smallholder communities is not straight forward....
Impact of calf housing improvement and farmer training on finances, management and animal welfare perceptions of Kenyan smallholder dairy farmers
April 2021
This study estimated the changes in economics and farmer perceptions towards calf welfare as a result of implementing low-cost calf housing enhancements and changes in calf management on Kenyan smallholder dairy farms. The trial involved 187 heifer calves from 150 farms allocated to either an intervention or control group. The interventions were improvements on the floor and roof of the calf housing, and training for...
To be or not to be a win-win situation, as Zimbabwe diversifies its agricultural exports in the Chinese market: The GTAP dynamic approach
April 2021
To assess the win-win of both China and Zimbabwe if Zimbabwe diversifies its agricultural exports into the Chinese market, this study employs a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model that is becoming popular in analyzing economic issues. With Zimbabwe having been in a constant financial and economic crisis and the major sector not contributing much to the economic growth, a bilateral Free Trade Agreement on...
Modernization of family farms improves the sustainability of food security for farm households in Burkina Faso
April 2021
Family farms are poorly modernized in Burkina Faso despite their predominance in the country’s agriculture and their major contribution to national food production. Convincing evidence of the contribution of family farm modernization to food security is needed to support advocacy. This study used data from recent national longitudinal surveys and Cox semi-parametric regression methods to explore the effect of...
Evaluation of the resource efficiency of guinea fowl production in the Savelegu-Nanton District of the Northern Region of Ghana
April 2021
Guinea fowl production offers an income source that could reduce the incidence of poverty of rural householders in Northern Ghana, considered one of the poorest regions in West Africa, due to its unimodal rainfall patterns that restrict the year-round production of crops. However, information on profitability and resource use in guinea fowl production in Northern Ghana is very limited. We assessed the resource-use...
Taenia saginata cysticercus: Its socioeconomic and psychosocial effects on cattle farmers in Botswana
March 2021
Despite claims that Taenia saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis cause adverse financial and socioeconomic effects on cattle farmers, there is no recent empirical evidence to justify this assertion in Botswana. This paper provides empirical analysis of bovine taeniosis and cysticercosis effects on farmers’ wellbeing in Botswana. Interviews and observations using non-participatory structured questionnaire were used to...
Determinants of participation in non-farm activities and its effect on household income: An empirical study in Ethiopia
March 2021
Undertaking non-agrarian income-generating activities to reduce overreliance on agriculture, production failures, and income fluctuations is a household-amenable, self-insurance mechanism, which provides employment opportunities and capital investment. This article examines the determinants of participation in non-farm activities and effect on household income. Heckman two-step procedure was used to analyze a three-wave...
Python farming in Zimbabwe: Assessing local appetite for a novel agricultural system
March 2021
Python meat is a traditional but small source of protein throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, but supply is exclusively from wild harvest. We build on recent evidence that supports snake farming as a viable and sustainable small-scale livestock system in Asia. We explore python farming as a strategy for enhanced food security in Zimbabwe. Our survey results highlight challenges, including drought and human-wildlife...
Willingness of cocoa farmers to participate in crop insurance in the Dormaa Municipality of the Bono region, Ghana
February 2021
The investigation considered farmers’ readiness to take part in crop insurance in the Dormaa municipality of the Bono Region, Ghana. Essential information from 167 respondents who were chosen through a multi-stage sampling method for the study was collected through a structured questionnaire. Elements influencing readiness to participate in crop protection by cocoa farmers was evaluated using probit regression...
Willingness to pay for Nairobi National Park: An application of discrete choice experiment
February 2021
Nairobi National Park is a protected ecosystem where various types of wildlife find hiding place. The park has in the recent past experienced destruction through construction of a standard gauge railway (SGR) line and a highway called the Southern bypass. These developments raise concern with the possibility that their combined environmental cost being enormous. This study sought to determine the willingness to pay...
Can orange fleshed sweet potatoes processing trigger farmers to use quality improved planting materials? Empirical evidence from selected regions in Tanzania
February 2021
Production of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) in Tanzania is constrained by the underutilization of virus-free improved certified planting materials. The sustainable use of these planting materials leads to the constant demand of the planting materials by farmers which can be triggered from viable processing. We determine the viability of processing in the OFSP value chain and its contribution to the uptake of...
Financial profitability of maize production with bio-fertilizer based on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi native to Benin
February 2021
Soil degradation, one of the causes associated with declining maize productivity is an environmental concern whose consequences are felt most strongly by poor people in developing countries. Indeed, the production of maize on soil fertilized with a combination of mycorrhizal fungi and half a dose of NPK has resulted in a production like that of the extension practice in Benin. This study aims, through an analysis of the...
Severity of household food insecurity and coping strategies in Analemmo Woreda, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia
January 2021
Hunger and undernourishment are the main challenges of today’s world. The objective of this study is to assess severity of household food insecurity and local coping strategies in the study area. Three-stage sampling technique was used to select sampled household in Analemmo woreda Hadiya Zone. A total of 200 households were selected by using systematic random sampling with proportional to population size. Both...
Effect of malaria on income of cocoa farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria
January 2021
This study investigated the economic effects of malaria on cocoa farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria using the ordinary least square regression technique. Descriptive statistics were used to identify strategies to reduce malaria infection among cocoa farmers. The sample frame for the study was derived from secondary data obtained from records of Ondo State Ministry of Health on registered cocoa farmers who had malaria during...
Determinants of adoption of sustainable land management practice choices among smallholder farmers in Abay Basin of Oromia, Ethiopia
January 2021
Land degradation mainly caused by soil erosion, and shades an ominous threat to the livelihood development prospects of Ethiopian smallholder farmers. In response to this, the government of Ethiopia introduced a Sustainable Land Management Program (hereafter referred as ‘SLM’), even though the adoption by smallholder farmers has been low. This study aims to analyze the factors that influence the adoption of...
Economic resources utilisation in maize production: Evidence from Central Region, Ghana
December 2020
This study was undertaken to improve the efficiency of maize farming in the Central Region of Ghana. A stochastic frontier cost function, applied to cross-sectional data, was used to analyse firm level cost efficiency of production and its determinants. Efficiency of resource utilization was analysed using marginal value product of inputs. Results from the Cobb-Douglas stochastic cost frontier model and a farm-specific...
Analyzing the determinants for the adoption of good practices as regards climate change adaptation in the Northern region of Burkina Faso
December 2020
Unfavorable agro-climatic and edaphic conditions have led to the development of many adaptation strategies to climate change in the northern region of Burkina Faso. This study analyzed the determinants of goods practices adoption as regards adaptation to climate change (GPACC). It used panel data (2016-2018) collected from a sample of 1,221 women and 335 men within the operational farmer’s organizations in the...
Relative profit efficiency of Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) beneficiary and non-beneficiary rice farmers in Kebbi State, Nigeria
December 2020
Profit efficiency refers to the extent at which a firm makes not only profit but its ability to maximize profit. A comparative analysis was conducted to evaluate the profit efficiency of Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) beneficiary and non-beneficiary rice farmers in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 499 ABP beneficiary and non-beneficiary rice farmers each giving a sample size of...
Determination of socio-economic factors influencing rural household’s decision to raise goat in Sindhuli District, Nepal
October 2020
Goat (Capra hircus) is one of the important sources of rural economy in Nepal. As various programs are aiming to enhance livelihood of rural denizens through goat promotion, it is therefore crucial to understand socio-economic determinants on decision to raise goats by rural households. So, this study was carried out in two, out of seven, local administrative units (Wards) of Marin rural municipality, Sindhuli using...
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