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1 – 10 of 222The purpose of this study is to discuss how enhancing the role of local institutions (LI) and incorporating indigenous knowledge (IK) in climate change adaptation planning can…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to discuss how enhancing the role of local institutions (LI) and incorporating indigenous knowledge (IK) in climate change adaptation planning can improve adoption and scaling success of climate-smart agriculture innovations.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of relevant literature from sub-Saharan Africa was used to answer the study research questions.
Findings
Embracing IK and LI in climate change adaptation projects can enhance adoption and scaling success of climate-smart agriculture innovations in smallholder farming. Such efforts will improve: information gathering and dissemination, mobilization of resources, establishment of useful networks with relevant stakeholders, capacity building farmers on various fronts and provision of leadership in climate adaptation programs.
Practical implications
Fully embracing IK and LI can improve the scaling of climate-smart innovations only if development partners recognize IK systems that are to be transformed and build on them instead of trying to replace them. Also, participatory approaches in scaling innovations will enhance input from rural people in climate change adaptation programs.
Originality/value
Development interventions aimed at taking proven effective climate-smart innovations to scale must, therefore, engage local communities and their indigenous institutions as active stakeholders in designing, planning and implementation of their climate adaptation programs.
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Mangirdas Morkunas and Tomas Balezentis
This paper seeks to identify the prevailing streams in the research of climate-smart agriculture in order to help to conceptualize this new scientific notion and assist in drawing…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to identify the prevailing streams in the research of climate-smart agriculture in order to help to conceptualize this new scientific notion and assist in drawing clear borders between climate-smart agriculture, agricultural sustainability and resilience.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to conceptualize the climate-smart agriculture (CSA), the current research provides an in-depth bibliometric analysis indicating the prospective research directions in CSA. The findings of this paper are important in guiding the research on creation of climate-smart agriculture across different regions.
Findings
The notion of the CSA covers three main objectives: increased productivity, enhanced resilience and reduced environmental footprint of agriculture. It is found that due to its novelty, the climate-smart notion does not always have its defined research agenda and is considered to be both a constituent part of some other scientific framework (e.g. sustainability) and an independent research avenue.
Originality/value
This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the literature on the CSA. The linkages among the concepts, research centers and research strands are identified via the citation-based analysis.
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Funminiyi Peter Oyawole, Adebayo Shittu, Mojisola Kehinde, Gbemisola Ogunnaike and Lois Toluwani Akinjobi
This study assessed the extent of women empowerment and empirically investigated its effect on the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices at the plot level in Nigeria.
Abstract
Purpose
This study assessed the extent of women empowerment and empirically investigated its effect on the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices at the plot level in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the empowerment score and women empowerment gap for each household which were derived from the Abbreviated Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index, a multivariate probit model which controlled for the influence of gender and women empowerment on climate-smart agricultural practices' adoption was estimated. The study made use of data from the ECOWAS-RAAF-PASANAO survey conducted in Nigeria in 2017.
Findings
The results show that men are significantly more empowered than women in four out of the five domains of empowerment and are more likely to adopt crop rotation. However, female plot managers have a higher likelihood of adopting green manure and agroforestry, while no significant gender differences in the adoption of organic manure and zero/minimum tillage were found.
Social implications
The results suggest that closing the empowerment gap between women and their spouses would positively influence the adoption of agroforestry.
Originality/value
This study represents the first attempt to examine the adoption of these practices from a gender perspective using a nationally representative plot-level dataset in Nigeria. Furthermore, this study contributes to existing literature on how gender differences influence technology adoption by modelling the effect of empowerment score for each plot manager, and the women empowerment gap for each household on the adoption of five climate-smart agricultural practices.
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This study assesses the extent to which integrated extension services contribute to the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) innovations within the cotton value chain in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study assesses the extent to which integrated extension services contribute to the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) innovations within the cotton value chain in Burkina Faso.
Design/methodology/approach
To address the research question, a probit multivariate econometric model with sample selection is utilized. The model is applied to a random sample of farmers (n = 510), and the endogeneity is addressed through a control function approach.
Findings
The study highlights the central role of value chains, particularly in the cotton sector, in overcoming resource scarcity through integrated extension services. Findings show that smallholder farmers who benefit from sound extension services are more willing to adopt and diversify CSA technologies. These include improved seeds, conservation techniques, adapted planting dates and mechanization. This study confirms the synergistic nature of these technologies and emphasizes that effective climate risk mitigation depends on the combined adoption of CSA technologies.
Research limitations/implications
The use of cross-sectional data limits the analysis of long-term farmer behavior, and due to data limitations, the focus was primarily on the contributions of cotton companies and farmers to climate risk mitigation. Future research using panel data across the value chain could provide a more robust insights for policy decision-making.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by emphasizing the crucial role of integrated extension services within the cotton value chain in developing countries. This highlights the critical benefits for farmers and emphasizes the need to diversify modern technologies to effectively combat climate change and its variability in agriculture.
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While rapid increase in demand for foods but limited availability of croplands has forced to adopt input-intensive farming practices to increase yield, there are serious long-term…
Abstract
While rapid increase in demand for foods but limited availability of croplands has forced to adopt input-intensive farming practices to increase yield, there are serious long-term ecological implications including degradation of biodiversity. It is increasingly recognised that ensuring agricultural sustainability under the changing climatic conditions requires a change in the production system along with necessary policies and institutional arrangements. In this context, this chapter examines if climate-smart agriculture (CSA) can facilitate adaptation and mitigation practices by improving resource utilisation efficiency in India. Such an attempt has special significance as the existing studies have very limited discussions on three main aspects, viz., resource productivity, adaptation practices and mitigation strategies in a comprehensive manner. Based on insights from the existing studies, this chapter points out that CSA can potentially make significant contribution to enhancing resource productivity, adaptation practices, mitigation strategies and food security, especially among the land-constrained farmers who are highly prone to environmental shocks. In this connection, staggered trench irrigation structure has facilitated rainwater harvesting, local irrigation and livelihood generation in West Bengal. However, it is necessary to revisit the existing approaches to promotion of CSA and dissemination of information on the design of local adaptation strategies. This chapter also proposes a change in the food system from climate-sensitive to CSA through integration of technologies, institutions and policies.
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Nhat Lam Duyen Tran, Roberto F. Rañola,, Bjoern Ole Sander, Wassmann Reiner, Dinh Tien Nguyen and Nguyen Khanh Ngoc Nong
In recent years, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) was introduced to Vietnam to enhance farmers’ resilience and adaptation to climate change. Among the climate-smart agricultural…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) was introduced to Vietnam to enhance farmers’ resilience and adaptation to climate change. Among the climate-smart agricultural technologies (CSATs) introduced were water-saving techniques and improved stress tolerant varieties. This study aims to examine the determinants of farmers’ adoption of these technologies and the effects of their adoption on net rice income (NRI) in three provinces as follows: Thai Binh (North), Ha Tinh (Central) and Bac Lieu (South).
Design/methodology/approach
Determinants of adoption of CSATs and the adoption effects on NRI are analyzed by using a multinomial endogenous switching regression framework.
Findings
The results showed that gender, age, number of family workers, climate-related factors, farm characteristics, distance to markets, access to climate information, confidence on the know-how of extension workers, membership in social/agricultural groups and attitude toward risk were the major factors affecting the decision to adopt CSATs. However, the effects of these factors on the adoption of CSATs varied across three provinces. These technologies when adopted tend to increase NRI but the increase is much greater when these are combined.
Practical implications
It is important to consider first the appropriateness of the CSA packages to the specific conditions of the target areas before they are promoted. It is also necessary to enhance the technical capacity of local extension workers and provide farmers more training on CSATs.
Originality/value
This study is the first attempt to identify key determinants of adoption of CSATs either singly or in combination and the adoption effects on NRI in Vietnam.
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Samuel Kwesi Ndzebah Dadzie, Emmanuel W. Inkoom, Selorm Akaba, Festus Annor-Frempong and James Afful
The consequences of extreme climatic events that threaten food security have created the urgent need to properly adopt climate-smart adaptation techniques to improve productivity…
Abstract
Purpose
The consequences of extreme climatic events that threaten food security have created the urgent need to properly adopt climate-smart adaptation techniques to improve productivity. The study examined the sustainability responses to climate-smart adaptation and the implication it has for explaining the food security situations among farm households in the Central Region of Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
We estimated Heckit treatment effect model to analyse cross-sectional data collected from randomly selected farmers in the Central Region.
Findings
Analysis of farm sustainability index suggests that farmers' agricultural practices in response to climate change are lowly or moderately sustainable. We further found that while majority of the farm households are severely food insecure or food insecure with hunger, only about one-third are food insecure without hunger and the remaining few being food secure. The sustainability of farm practices is being impacted by the farmers’ choice of climate smart adaptation measures at the farm level. Consequently, the farm households' food security situation is found to be improved when sustainable farming practices are employed in the face of managing climate change effects.
Practical implications
Conclusions drawn from the study findings give rooms for policy implications that suggest responsibilities for policymakers, farmers and other stakeholders to promote CSA practices in food crop production in Ghana. These policy implications will contribute to improve crop productivity, increase incomes and thus enhance food security among farm families. Awareness campaign about benefits of CSA practices and technologies need to be strengthened among farmers in Ghana by government and NGOs that matter in promoting farm resilience to climate change. Given the important impacts of sustainable farm practices on household food security situation, policies that seek to build the adaptive capacity of farmers to climate vulnerability impacts should take into consideration the sustainability dimensions of the adaptation and mitigation measures to be advocated for use at farm levels.
Originality/value
Our paper contributes to literature knowledge on climate-smart adaptation practices effect on food security as evidenced in some recent literature. The paper makes a unique contribution by highlighting the food security implication of the sustainability impact of CSA practices, thereby exploring sustainability as an impact pathway between climate smart adaptations practices and food security in a developing country like Ghana. We approached our study aiming at making new contribution by introducing in the study implementation a quasi-experimental research design which future studies on impacts of climate smart adaptation practices can replicate.
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Sizwile Khoza, Dewald Van Niekerk and Livhuwani David Nemakonde
Through the application of traditional and contemporary feminist theories in gender mainstreaming, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to emergent debate on gender…
Abstract
Purpose
Through the application of traditional and contemporary feminist theories in gender mainstreaming, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to emergent debate on gender dimensions in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) adoption by smallholder farmers in disaster-prone regions. This is important to ensure that CSA strategies are tailored to farmer-specific gender equality goals.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory-sequential mixed methods research design which is qualitatively biased was applied. Key informant interviews and farmer focus group discussions in two study sites formed initial qualitative phase whose findings were explored in a quantitative cross-sectional household survey.
Findings
Findings shared in this paper indicate the predominant application of traditional gender mainstreaming approaches in CSA focusing on parochial gender dichotomy. Qualitative findings highlight perceptions that western gender approaches are not fully applicable to local contexts and realities, with gender mainstreaming in CSA seemingly to fulfil donor requirements, and ignorant of the heterogeneous nature of social groups. Quantitative findings establish that married men are majority adopters and non-adopters of CSA, while dis-adopters are predominantly de jure female household heads. The latter are more likely to adopt CSA than married women whose main role in CSA is implementers of spouse’s decisions. Access to education, intra-household power relations, productive asset and land ownership are socio-cultural dynamics shaping farmer profiles.
Originality/value
By incorporating African feminisms and intersectionality in CSA, value of this study lies in recommending gender policy reforms incorporating local gender contexts within the African socio-cultural milieu. This paper accentuates potential benefits of innovative blend of both contemporary and classic gender mainstreaming approaches in CSA research, practice and technology development in disaster-prone regions.
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Nguyen Khanh Doanh, Nguyen Ngoc Quynh and Thi Tuan Linh Pham
The purpose of this study is to examine how use of agriculture information systems could impact farmers' intention to convert from traditional to organic agriculture production in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine how use of agriculture information systems could impact farmers' intention to convert from traditional to organic agriculture production in the mountainous areas of Northern Vietnam, based on a research framework developed from integrating Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Theory of Planned Behavior. Specifically, the authors aim to test the direct impact of use of agriculture information systems on converting intention and the interaction between use of agriculture information systems and perceived economic benefits, perceived non-economic benefits of organic production and market access on the formation of converting intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from a sample survey that included 634 agriculture-producing households in Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang and Cao Bang provinces of Northern Vietnam. The logistic regression was used for data analysis.
Findings
Research findings indicate that perceived economic benefits, non-economic benefits, market access and use of agriculture information systems positively support the converting intention. Moreover, the use of information systems strengthens the links between the converting intention and perceived economic benefits, perceived non-economic benefits and market access.
Originality/value
This research is innovative in incorporating the use of agriculture information systems as both direct contributor and moderator in converting decisions.
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This paper aims to explore the local conceptualisation of gender and framings of men and masculinities at the local level, which may be applied to improve gender mainstreaming in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the local conceptualisation of gender and framings of men and masculinities at the local level, which may be applied to improve gender mainstreaming in smallholder farming.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data were collected from a total of 70 key informants and community members knowledgeable about climate change and smallholder agriculture, disaster risks, gender and broader community issues in Malawi and Zambia. The thematic analysis was used to identify the themes emerging from the qualitative data.
Findings
Practitioners apply western framings of gender while communities consider their realities and contexts and emphasise that gender means men and women need to work together. Although institutional provisions are in place for gender mainstreaming, practitioners have cautioned against the influence of the global north in gender mainstreaming, which ignores local realities. Applying a masculinities lens at a local level established the existence of subordinate and marginalised men often excluded from interventions and how hierarchical relationships among men limited women's participation.
Research limitations/implications
Future research, practice and policy initiatives in disaster risk reduction and resilience-building need to engage with positive masculinities in gender mainstreaming. This work stimulates a broader framing of gender that builds on the core values and perspectives of communities.
Practical implications
Contemporary gender mainstreaming approaches need to consider local contextualisation of gender, emphasising the critical aspect of cooperation between women and men in overcoming climate-related hazards and risk reduction.
Originality/value
This work contributes to the nascent discourse on local gender perspectives and masculinities in disaster risk reduction and resilience in Southern Africa.
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