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1 – 10 of over 3000Andre Devaux, Maximo Torero, Jason Donovan and Douglas Horton
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to take stock of the current state of knowledge about inclusive value-chain development (VCD) in the context of international…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to take stock of the current state of knowledge about inclusive value-chain development (VCD) in the context of international agricultural research; and second, to draw out the implications for future research and action.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a review of recent research papers authored by professionals affiliated with international agricultural research centers and their partners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Findings
The studies reviewed in the paper identify the opportunities emerging from new and expanding markets for agricultural products and challenges to smallholder participation in these markets. It identifies key attributes of successful value-chain interventions, emphasizing the importance of combining value-chain approaches with other approaches, including those emerging from innovation systems and rural livelihoods frameworks. Methods are offered for evaluating complex value-chain interventions.
Research limitations/implications
The paper summarizes the state of knowledge as of early 2016 in a dynamic field. Important contributions to knowledge may have been made since then.
Originality/value
The paper summarizes the state of knowledge in the field, and identifies emerging issues and policy implications, knowledge gaps, and priorities for future applied research.
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Chinwoke Clara Ifeanyi-Obi, Fadlullah Olayiwola Issa, Sidiqat Aderinoye-Abdulwahab, Adefunke Fadilat O. Ayinde, Ogechi Jubilant Umeh and Emmanuel Bamidele Tologbonse
This study aims to explore possible ways to promote uptake and integration of climate-smart agriculture (CSA)-Technologies, Innovations and Management Practices (TIMPS) into…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore possible ways to promote uptake and integration of climate-smart agriculture (CSA)-Technologies, Innovations and Management Practices (TIMPS) into policy and practice in Nigeria through the development of actionable roadmaps to facilitate the process.
Design/methodology/approach
Two hundred and fifty-two stakeholders for the policy discourse and survey were purposively drawn from both government and private agencies, NGOs and community-based associations from the six geo-political zones of the country. Data collection was done using a mixed method comprising questionnaire administration, in-depth interviews and panel discussion. Data collected was summarised using descriptive statistics.
Findings
The major findings were lack of existing policies on CSA, lack of farmers’ awareness of CSA-TIMPs, neglect of extension programmes that can help to enlighten farmers on the importance of CSA and insufficient extension personnel to cater for farmers’ needs. Challenges to CSA-TIMPs uptake in Nigeria were: insufficient funding and support by government in programme planning and implementation, policy inconsistencies and poor farmers’ attitude and resistance to change.
Practical implications
This research will facilitate CSA uptake and integration through the provision of data for informed decision and action by the responsible agencies.
Originality/value
Suggested actionable roadmaps across the zones were robust awareness campaign and advocacy on uptake of CSA-TIMPs through e-extension, community TV/radio in local dialects; revitalisation of policy programmes such as monthly meetings should be reintroduced and creation of CSA Departments/Stations in each state; increased budget allocation to a minimum of 10% for agriculture, revitalisation of Researchers-Extension Agents-Farmers Linkage, employment of qualified extension agents and retraining of extension agents.
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Nozomi Kawarazuka and Gordon Prain
This paper aims to explore ethnic minority women’s gendered perceptions and processes of agricultural innovation in the Northern uplands of Vietnam. The key research question asks…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore ethnic minority women’s gendered perceptions and processes of agricultural innovation in the Northern uplands of Vietnam. The key research question asks how women develop innovations and learn new agricultural practices within patriarchal family structures.
Design/methodology/approach
In-depth interviews including life histories were conducted with 17 female and 10 male farmers from different socio-economic groups; participant observation and key informant interviews were also carried out.
Findings
Women’s innovation processes are deeply embedded in their positions as wives and daughters-in-law. Their innovation tends to be incremental, small-scale and less technological, and they use innovation networks of women rather than those of the formal agricultural institutions, including bringing innovation knowledge from their birth family to the patrilocal household. Unlike men’s perceived innovation, women’s innovation is strongly linked to small-scale entrepreneurship, and it is a powerful approach in the sense that it strengthens the position of women in their families while improving the household economy.
Research limitations/implications
Identifying socially constructed innovation processes helps policymakers to rethink the introduction of ready-made innovation packages, both in terms of content and delivery, and to facilitate innovation for women, as well as men, in marginalized positions.
Social implications
Understanding the gendered processes of innovation instead of measuring gender gaps in innovation outcomes sheds light on women’s interests and preferences, which can inform policies for supporting women’s innovation and thereby lead to social change, including gender equity.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the understanding of gendered innovation processes and entrepreneurship associated with agriculture in rural areas in non-Western ethnic-minority contexts, which is an area that past and current research on entrepreneurship has relatively ignored.
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Rizki Novanda Ridha, Burhanuddin and Budi Priyatna Wahyu
This paper aims to discuss Indonesia as a country having a young generation resource crisis in agricultural sectors, and this crisis contributes more than 32.9 per cent higher…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to discuss Indonesia as a country having a young generation resource crisis in agricultural sectors, and this crisis contributes more than 32.9 per cent higher unemployment than other sectors. Therefore, creative youths are needed to build the sector through entrepreneurship activities.
Design/methodology/approach
The low condition of youth entrepreneurship intention in agricultural sectors leading the Agriculture Ministry of Indonesia launches an Agricultural Young Entrepreneurship Growing Program 2016 (Program Penumbuhan Wirausaha Muda Pertanian, PWMP 2016). Intention in growing phase is critical to avoid the program failure.
Findings
This research was aimed to analyze entrepreneurship characteristics and factors affecting the intentions. The research was conducted in three cities, Bogor, Lampung and Bandung, with 189 respondents who accepted business support from the PWMP in 2016. The accumulated data were then analyzed using descriptive analysis and structural equation model. Respondents have highly average trends on behavior belief, normative belief, motivation to comply, control belief, control belief power and intention. While, only the evaluation of the consequence to give the medium trend is about 50.26 per cent.
Originality/value
Factor affects to the entrepreneurship intention in agricultural sectors is a subjective norm or external factor, and both the attitude toward behavior and perceived behavioral control factors do not affect entrepreneurship intention in the agricultural sector.
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Abbas Ali Chandio, Huaquan Zhang, Waqar Akram, Narayan Sethi and Fayyaz Ahmad
This study aims to examine the effects of climate change and agricultural technologies on crop production in Vietnam for the period 1990–2018.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effects of climate change and agricultural technologies on crop production in Vietnam for the period 1990–2018.
Design/methodology/approach
Several econometric techniques – such as the augmented Dickey–Fuller, Phillips–Perron, the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds test, variance decomposition method (VDM) and impulse response function (IRF) are used for the empirical analysis.
Findings
The results of the ARDL bounds test confirm the significant dynamic relationship among the variables under consideration, with a significance level of 1%. The primary findings indicate that the average annual temperature exerts a negative influence on crop yield, both in the short term and in the long term. The utilization of fertilizer has been found to augment crop productivity, whereas the application of pesticides has demonstrated the potential to raise crop production in the short term. Moreover, both the expansion of cultivated land and the utilization of energy resources have played significant roles in enhancing agricultural output across both in the short term and in the long term. Furthermore, the robustness outcomes also validate the statistical importance of the factors examined in the context of Vietnam.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides persuasive evidence for policymakers to emphasize advancements in intensive agriculture as a means to mitigate the impacts of climate change. In the research, the authors use average annual temperature as a surrogate measure for climate change, while using fertilizer and pesticide usage as surrogate indicators for agricultural technologies. Future research can concentrate on the impact of ICT, climate change (specifically pertaining to maximum temperature, minimum temperature and precipitation), and agricultural technological improvements that have an impact on cereal production.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine how climate change and technology effect crop output in Vietnam from 1990 to 2018. Various econometrics tools, such as ARDL modeling, VDM and IRF, are used for estimation.
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Łukasz Kryszak, Katarzyna Świerczyńska and Jakub Staniszewski
Total factor productivity (TFP) has become a prominent concept in agriculture economics and policy over the last three decades. The main aim of this paper is to obtain a detailed…
Abstract
Purpose
Total factor productivity (TFP) has become a prominent concept in agriculture economics and policy over the last three decades. The main aim of this paper is to obtain a detailed picture of the field via bibliometric analysis to identify research streams and future research agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
The data sample consists of 472 papers in several bibliometric exercises. Citation and collaboration structure analyses are employed to identify most important authors and journals and track the interconnections between main authors and institutions. Next, content analysis based on bibliographic coupling is conducted to identify main research streams in TFP.
Findings
Three research streams in agricultural TFP research were distinguished: TFP growth in developing countries in the context of policy reforms (1), TFP in the context of new challenges in agriculture (2) and finally, non-parametric TFP decomposition based on secondary data (3).
Originality/value
This research indicates agenda of future TFP research, in particular broadening the concept of TFP to the problems of policy, environment and technology in emerging countries. It provides description of the current state of the art in the agricultural TFP literature and can serve as a “guide” to the field.
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Abstract
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Low-carbon agricultural technology (LAT) extension is a key strategy for the agricultural sector to address climate change. Social capital, which consists of social networks…
Abstract
Purpose
Low-carbon agricultural technology (LAT) extension is a key strategy for the agricultural sector to address climate change. Social capital, which consists of social networks, trust and norms, can play an active LAT extension role. This paper aims to analyze the mechanism of the role of social capital in the process of LAT extension.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaire data from six counties in Jiangsu, China, were used to measure social capital and analyze its effect on LAT extension using logistic regression. Data from 27 interviews were used to analyze the LAT extension experiences and problems.
Findings
LAT is mainly deployed by the government to farmers and distributed among them. In this process, the village officials who form parts of the government’s composition and the villagers play a dual role that facilitates a close link between them and the farmers and ensures LAT integration. However, social norms did not play a significant role in the process.
Practical implications
Farmers’ acceptance of LAT is based solely on the trade-off between local networks’ benefits and trust in local villagers and village officials. LAT-related laws and technical measures, thus are essential to strengthen LAT practices’ authority and incorporate LAT-based agricultural production as the norm of production behavior.
Originality/value
This paper provides an insight into the process and essence of farmers’ acceptance of LAT, which provides theoretical lessons for the LAT extension in China and indeed other developing countries.
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Elfadil Mohamed Elbashier, Elfadil Mohammed Eltayeb Elbashier, Siddig Esa Idris2, Wuletaw Tadesse, Izzat S.A. Tahir, Abu Elhassan S. Ibrahim, Ashraf M.A. Elhashimi, Sefyan I. Saad, Amani Ahmed Idris and Hala Mohamed Mustfa
The purpose of this paper was to study the genetic variability, heritability, heat tolerance indices and phenotypic and genotypic correlation studies for traits of 250 elite…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to study the genetic variability, heritability, heat tolerance indices and phenotypic and genotypic correlation studies for traits of 250 elite International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) bread wheat genotypes under high temperature in Wad Medani, Center in Sudan.
Design/methodology/approach
Bread wheat is an important food on a global level and is used in the form of different products. High temperature associated with climate change is considered to be a detrimental stress in the future on world wheat production. A total of 10,250 bread wheat genotypes selected from different advanced yield trials introduction from ICARDA and three checks including were grown in two sowing dates (SODs) (1st and 2nd) 1st SOD heat stress and 2nd SOD non-stress at the Gezira Research Farm, of the Agricultural Research Corporation, Wad Medani, Sudan.
Findings
An alpha lattice design with two replications was used to assess the presence of phenotypic and genotypic variations of different traits, indices for heat stress and heat tolerance for 20 top genotypes and phenotypic and genotypic correlations. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes for all the characters. A wide range, 944-4,016 kg/ha in the first SOD and 1,192-5,120 kg/ha in the second SOD, was found in grain yield. The average yield on the first SOD is less than that of the secondnd SOD by 717.7 kg/ha, as the maximum and minimum temperatures were reduced by 3ºC each in the second SOD when compared to the first SOD of the critical stage of crop growth shown.
Research limitations/implications
Similar wide ranges were found in all morpho-physiological traits studied. High heritability in a broad sense was estimated for days to heading and maturity. Moderate heritability estimates found for grain yield ranged from 44 to 63.6 per cent, biomass ranged from 37.8 to 49.1 per cent and canopy temperature (CT) after heading ranged from 44.2 to 48 per cent for the first and secondnd SODs. The top 20 genotypes are better than the better check in the two sowing dates and seven genotypes (248, 139, 143, 27, 67, 192 and 152) were produced high grain yield under both 1st SOD and 2nd SOD.
Practical implications
The same genotypes in addition to Imam (check) showed smaller tolerance (TOL) values, indicating that these genotypes had a smaller yield reduction under heat-stressed conditions and that they showed a higher heat stress susceptibility index (SSI). A smaller TOL and a higher SSI are favored. Both phenotypic and genotypic correlations of grain yield were positively and significantly correlated with biomass, harvest index, number of spikes/m2, number of seeds/spike and days to heading and maturity in both SODs and negatively and significantly correlated with canopy temperature before and after heading in both SODs.
Originality/value
Genetic variations, heritability, heat tolerance indices and correlation studies for traits of bread wheat genotypes under high temperature
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Richard M. Friend, Samarthia Thankappan, Bob Doherty, Nay Aung, Astrud L. Beringer, Choeun Kimseng, Robert Cole, Yanyong Inmuong, Sofie Mortensen, Win Win Nyunt, Jouni Paavola, Buapun Promphakping, Albert Salamanca, Kim Soben, Saw Win, Soe Win and Nou Yang
Agricultural and food systems in the Mekong Region are undergoing transformations because of increasing engagement in international trade, alongside economic growth, dietary…
Abstract
Agricultural and food systems in the Mekong Region are undergoing transformations because of increasing engagement in international trade, alongside economic growth, dietary change and urbanisation. Food systems approaches are often used to understand these kinds of transformation processes, with particular strengths in linking social, economic and environmental dimensions of food at multiple scales. We argue that while the food systems approach strives to provide a comprehensive understanding of food production, consumption and environmental drivers, it is less well equipped to shed light on the role of actors, knowledge and power in transformation processes and on the divergent impacts and outcomes of these processes for different actors. We suggest that an approach that uses food systems as heuristics but complements it with attention to actors, knowledge and power improves our understanding of transformations such as those underway in the Mekong Region. The key transformations in the region include the emergence of regional food markets and vertically integrated supply chains that control increasing share of the market, increase in contract farming particularly in the peripheries of the region, replacement of crops cultivated for human consumption with corn grown for animal feed. These transformations are increasingly marginalising small-scale farmers, while at the same time, many other farmers increasingly pursue non-agricultural livelihoods. Food consumption is also changing, with integrated supply chains controlling substantial part of the mass market. Our analysis highlights that theoretical innovations grounded in political economy, agrarian change, development studies and rural livelihoods can help to increase theoretical depth of inquiries to accommodate the increasingly global dimensions of food. As a result, we map out a future research agenda to unpack the dynamic food system interactions and to unveil the social, economic and environmental impacts of these rapid transformations. We identify policy and managerial implications coupled with sustainable pathways for change.
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