Search results

1 – 10 of 66
Article
Publication date: 8 February 2013

Kolawole Ogundari

The purpose of this paper is to identify the trends in crop diversification (CD) while examining its impact on the technical efficiency of peasant farmers in Nigeria.

1671

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the trends in crop diversification (CD) while examining its impact on the technical efficiency of peasant farmers in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs the Herfindahl and Ogive indices to compute the diversification indices and the stochastic frontier production model (SFPM) to estimate the technical efficiency (TE) level of the farms using unbalanced panel data covering three farming seasons (2006/2007 to 2008/2009).

Findings

The results of both the Herfindahl and Ogive indices showed that cropping pattern increased significantly with the intensification of crop diversification in the study across the three seasons. The result of the SFPM shows evidence of decreasing returns‐to‐scale and technical progress in the food crop production in the region. Education, extension, and CD are identified as efficiency increasing policy variables while an average TE level of about 81 percent was obtained from the analysis.

Originality/value

To the best of the author's knowledge, this the very first study that employs panel data to analyze technical efficiency of farms in Nigeria.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 40 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 April 2019

Fissha Asmare, Hailemariam Teklewold and Alemu Mekonnen

This study aims to examine the effect of crop diversification (CD), as a climate change adaptation strategy, on farm household’s welfare in terms of farm income and demand for…

3456

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of crop diversification (CD), as a climate change adaptation strategy, on farm household’s welfare in terms of farm income and demand for labor. It explores whether adoption of CD is a win-win strategy on household income and demand for on-farm labor. It also examines the determinants of rural household’s net farm income and family labor demand.

Design/methodology/approach

A household-plot level data were collected in 2015 from 929 rural farm households and 4,778 plots in the Nile Basin of Ethiopia. The data comprise farm and household characteristics accompanied by geo-referenced climate data such as long-term average temperature and amount and variability of growing season rainfall. The authors estimate an endogenous switching regression model to measure the effect of CD on the farm household’s welfare, using net farm income and household labor demand as a welfare indicator.

Findings

The results indicate heterogeneous effects of climate variables on farm income between adopters and non-adopters of CD. The study also confirms the win-win effect of adoption of CD with a positive and significant effect on farm income and a reduction in demand for on-farm labor. The results suggest that adoption of CD helps improve the well-being of farm households and build a resilient agricultural system.

Research limitations/implications

As the study used a cross-sectional data, it is limited to show the time effect of practicing CD on the household’s welfare.

Originality/value

First, the authors investigate, to their knowledge for the first time, the existence of synergy or tradeoff in the effect of CD on two dimensions of rural households’ welfare (net farm income and labor demand). Second, they investigate the heterogeneous effect of climate change adaptation strategies on the farm household’s welfare between adopters and non-adopters. This is unlike previous studies that consider climate change adaptation strategies as having a homogeneous effect. However, this approach is inappropriate since the effect of adaptation strategies is different for adopters and non-adopters.

Details

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-8692

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 April 2018

Jeetendra Prakash Aryal, M.L. Jat, Tek B. Sapkota, Arun Khatri-Chhetri, Menale Kassie, Dil Bahadur Rahut and Sofina Maharjan

The adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) is important for sustaining Indian agriculture in the face of climate change. Despite considerable effort by both…

11169

Abstract

Purpose

The adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) is important for sustaining Indian agriculture in the face of climate change. Despite considerable effort by both national and international agricultural organizations to promote CSAPs in India, adoption of these practices is low. This study aims to examine the elements that affect the likelihood and intensity of adoption of multiple CSAPs in Bihar, India.

Design/methodology/approach

The probability and intensity of adoption of CSAPs are analyzed using multivariate and ordered probit models, respectively.

Findings

The results show significant correlations between multiple CSAPs, indicating that their adoptions are interrelated, providing opportunities to exploit the complementarities. The results confirm that both the probability and intensity of adoption of CSAPs are affected by numerous factors, such as demographic characteristics, farm plot features, access to market, socio-economics, climate risks, access to extension services and training. Farmers who perceive high temperature as the major climate risk factor are more likely to adopt crop diversification and minimum tillage. Farmers are less likely to adopt site-specific nutrient management if faced with short winters; however, they are more likely to adopt minimum tillage in this case. Training on agricultural issues is found to have a positive impact on the likelihood and the intensity of CSAPs adoption.

Practical implications

The major policy recommendations coming from of our results are to strengthen local institutions (public extension services, etc.) and to provide more training on CSAPs.

Originality/value

By applying multivariate and ordered probit models, this paper provides some insights on the long-standing discussions on whether farmers adopt CSAPs in a piecemeal or in a composite way.

Details

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-8692

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 August 2024

Getasew Daru Tariku and Sinkie Alemu Kebede

The purpose of this paper is to assess the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and its implication on improving the farming household food security status, their…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and its implication on improving the farming household food security status, their resilience and livelihood risk management of farmers.

Design/methodology/approach

This systematic review has followed procedures to accomplish the review, including literature searches, screening studies, data extraction, synthesis and presentation of the data.

Findings

Based on the result of the review, the determinants of CSA adoption can be categorized into five categories, including demographic factors (age, sex, family size, dependency ratio, education), economic factors (land size, household income, livestock ownership), institutional factors (extension services, training access, credit services, farm input, market distance), environmental factors (agroecology, change in precipitation, slope of land) and social factors (cooperatives membership, farmers perception). The result also shows that applying CSA practices has an indispensable role on increasing productivity, food security, income, building resilient livelihoods, minimizing production risk and alleviating poverty. This concluded CSA practice has a multidimensional role in the livelihood of agrarian population like Ethiopia, yet its adoption was constrained by several factors.

Originality/value

This review mainly emphasizes on the most commonly practiced CSA strategies that are examined by different scholars.

Details

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-8692

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2022

Pandaraiah Gouraram, Phanindra Goyari and Kirtti Ranjan Paltasingh

This paper examines the determinants of concurrent adoption of farm risk management strategies by rice growers in two different ecosystems of Telangana agriculture-irrigated and…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper examines the determinants of concurrent adoption of farm risk management strategies by rice growers in two different ecosystems of Telangana agriculture-irrigated and rainfed ecosystems.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary data have been collected from the rice growers in two different ecosystems, and after checking the variance inflation factor (VIF) for controlling multicollinearity, a multinomial logit model has been used to examine the determinants of concurrent adoption of coping strategies by rice growers.

Findings

The study finds that adopting one risk management strategy persuades farmers to embrace other strategies, reducing the risk in agriculture between the two ecosystems. Among the determinants, farmers' age, education, contact with extension services, irrigation sources, livestock income, total farm income, crop loss reasons, and crop insurance awareness significantly influence the adoption of various risk management measures. However, considerable heterogeneity is found among the driving forces across the rice ecosystems.

Research limitations/implications

The major policy implications that can be drawn from the analysis are increased access to information through government-funded extension services and the provision of alternative risk management technologies, such as drought-resistant or flood-resistant seeds, farmers' field schools and increased provision of crop insurance, farmer-friendly agriculture extension services, and farm investment support, are critical for assisting farmers managing risks. In addition, however, there should be ecosystem-specific policies to tackle the ecosystem heterogeneity.

Originality/value

This paper is very timely and entails some relevant policy implications for the development of Indian agriculture.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 October 2020

Bodrul Islam and Pradyut Guha

The present study aims at examining the determinants of occupational migration of unskilled labourer from domestic agriculture and their impact on farm business income (FBI) in…

Abstract

Purpose

The present study aims at examining the determinants of occupational migration of unskilled labourer from domestic agriculture and their impact on farm business income (FBI) in Assam, India.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data for this study were collected during June–November, 2019 from 224 farm (cultivator) households in two contiguous districts in central Brahmaputra valley of Assam. The study used three-stage least square (3SLS) estimation technique for jointly determining the factors influencing migration and remittances and their impact on FBI.

Findings

The result of this study confirms that occupational migration of unskilled labourer from domestic agriculture significantly reduced household FBI. In contrast to the inflow of remittances from migrants helped in increasing the FBI. The migration in the study area considerably influenced by household size, total value of assets holding, networking influence, distance to commercial bank and flood proneness of the village; while the number of migrants, number of dependents and age of migrants seen to be strong predictor of inflow of remittances. Findings of present study offer evidence in support of the new economics of labour migration (NELM) theory.

Research limitations/implications

The study is restricted to a single crop (paddy) and constrained by the collection of longitudinal data with a revisit to the farm household pre and post-migration of the unskilled labourer from household agriculture.

Originality/value

This paper is based on a novel data set that has especially been collected to examine the determinants of occupational migration from agriculture and their impact on the FBI in Assam that has not been studied before.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 47 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2024

Rajveer Kaur Ritu, Prabhjot Kaur and Amanpreet Kaur

The present research attempts to delve into the climate-agriculture-migration nexus to ascertain whether the variation in agriculture output due to climatic factors has a…

Abstract

Purpose

The present research attempts to delve into the climate-agriculture-migration nexus to ascertain whether the variation in agriculture output due to climatic factors has a significant influence on the emigration flows from the Asian and African continents.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study draws upon a rich panel of data from 27 countries (14 African and 13 Asian) between 1995 and 2020. The first stage least square, OLS and 2SLS techniques have been employed to examine the relationships between climatic factors and international migration, climatic factors and agriculture output, and agriculture output and international migration, respectively.

Findings

The results exhibit a positive relationship between temperature and international migration. The influence of temperature on agriculture output is negative but insignificant while precipitation promotes agriculture output. In addition, agriculture output negatively influences international migration, and these findings establish a climate-agriculture-migration relationship.

Practical implications

To counteract the climate-agriculture-migration nexus, it is incumbent upon governments to conduct extensive field trials and data collection exercises to assess the influence of climate in separate agro-ecological zones and devise policies accordingly.

Originality/value

The literature concerning the interrelationship between climatic factors, agriculture and migration is scarce and what is available pertains to different contexts. Moreover, no studies are based on Asia and Africa; the continents have a high dependence on agriculture and outmigration rates, and the present research covers this important gap in the literature.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 January 2023

Beshea Abdissa Chemeda, Feyera Senbeta Wakjira and Emiru Birhane

Background: A range of local social and environmental factors has an impact on farmers' views of climate change and choices on the use of coping mechanisms. This study examines…

Abstract

Background: A range of local social and environmental factors has an impact on farmers' views of climate change and choices on the use of coping mechanisms. This study examines the factors that are limiting farmers' perceptions of climate change and their coping mechanisms in Gimbi district, Western Ethiopia.

Methods: A household survey and focus group discussion were employed to collect relevant data. A total of 402 randomly selected households and six focus group discussions containing 72 participants were used to gather data. Binary logit models were used to analyze the collected data.

Results: Farmers noted that some of the signs of climate change included increasing temperature, erratic rainfall, late onset of rainfall, and early cessation of rainfall. We discovered that there are three distinct sets of climate adaption strategies used by farmers: crop management, soil and water conservation and intensive farm management. The primary determinants of farmers' perceptions of climate change and adaptation techniques were household head age, education, soil fertility, market access, and agricultural training. Age, education, and soil fertility level were the characteristics that significantly impacted farmers' perspectives and coping mechanisms among the primary drivers evaluated in the area. Use of agroforestry, shifting planting dates, and fertilizer application were all essential farming practices used as climate adaptation measures.

Conclusions: Both socioeconomic and environmental factors have found to affect farmers' perceptions of climate change in the area. The existing socioeconomic and environmental factors, in turn, affect their choice of strategies to adapt to climate change. When implementing climate change adaption strategies, it is critical to assess farmers' level of awareness of climate change and their coping strategies, as well as the factors limiting their ability to adapt to climate change.

Details

Emerald Open Research, vol. 1 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2631-3952

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2004

George K. Stylios

Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects…

3702

Abstract

Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 16 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 October 2021

Ram Nayan Yadava and Bhaskar Sinha

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of different programs (Self Help Groups, Farmers Clubs, Check Dams, and Training Programs) being implemented by Lupin Human…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of different programs (Self Help Groups, Farmers Clubs, Check Dams, and Training Programs) being implemented by Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation (LHWRF), Bhopal, under corporate social responsibility in enhancing the capacity of rural people to improve their socio-economic and agro-environmental conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

The assessment of different programs was carried out using field-based survey along with the semi-structured interview of total 123 sampled individual beneficiaries spread in 23 villages of Raisen and Vidisha districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Findings

This study revealed that the CSR programs impacted significantly to beneficiaries in improving their socio-economic and agro-environmental conditions.

Originality/value

It further emphasized that there is scope for improvement in planning and execution of CSR programs for enhancing agricultural production and creating employment by integrating with ongoing government programs related to rural development.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

1 – 10 of 66