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1 – 8 of 8Samuel Kwabena Chaa Kyire, Richard Kwasi Bannor, John K.M. Kuwornu and Helena Oppong-Kyeremeh
Credit is essential in the farm business because it facilitates the adoption of productive technologies such as irrigation. However, access to credit remains a significant hurdle…
Abstract
Purpose
Credit is essential in the farm business because it facilitates the adoption of productive technologies such as irrigation. However, access to credit remains a significant hurdle for sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghanaian farmers. Therefore, the authors assessed credit utilization and the intensity of borrowing by irrigated rice farmers in the Upper East region. In addition, how extension moderates the amount borrowed was analysed.
Design/methodology/approach
The multistage sampling approach was used in the study. The Tono and Vea irrigation schemes were purposively selected. Proportionally, 318 rice farmers were sampled from the Tono irrigation scheme and 159 from the Vea irrigation scheme. Cragg's double hurdle and moderation analysis were used.
Findings
It was uncovered that gender, age, years of farming, total farm size, rice farm size, contract farming and off-farm employment explain farmers' decision to borrow. On the other hand, the intensity of borrowing was influenced by gender, age, years of farming, rice farm size, contract farming and the number of extension contact. The moderation analysis revealed that extension contact improves the amount borrowed by farmers.
Research limitations/implications
While there are irrigated rice farmers in other regions of Ghana, this study was limited to rice farmers under the Tono and Vea Irrigation schemes in the Upper East region.
Originality/value
This study investigated the moderating role of extension contact on amount borrowed in Ghana. This makes a modest addition to the limited literature on the moderating role of extension and credit access.
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Mansour Soufi, Mehdi Fadaei, Mahdi Homayounfar, Hamed Gheibdoust and Hamidreza Rezaee Kelidbari
The construction industry contributes to economic development by providing physical equipment and infrastructures. However, it also generates some undesirable outputs such as…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry contributes to economic development by providing physical equipment and infrastructures. However, it also generates some undesirable outputs such as waste and environmental pollution, especially in developing countries. Due to the importance of the green supply chain management (GSCM) philosophy, for solving these problems, the current study aims to evaluate the drivers of GSCM adoption in the construction industry of Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
This research uses a descriptive and practical methodology. The participated experts in the study include senior managers of the construction department in Rasht municipality who had relevant academic education and suitable experiences in urban and industrial construction. The experts took part in both qualitative and quantitative phases of the research, namely verification of the drivers extracted from literature and ranking them in ascending order. In the quantitative phase, Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) as a new multi-criterion decision-making (MCDM) method is used to evaluate the drivers of GSCM adoption using MATLAB software.
Findings
The results show that environmental management systems, green product design and innovational capability with weights of 0.347, 0.218 and 0.143 are the most significant sub-drivers, respectively. The less important factor is an investment in environmental technology.
Originality/value
This study evaluated the motivational factors of GSCM in the construction industry. The findings help governments, companies and green supply chain (GSC) managers to improve their knowledge about GSCM and make the best decisions to decrease environmental pollution.
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Wei-Lun Chang and Vladlena Benson
In the global migration crisis COVID 19 had devastating consequences. Workers were confined to their locations due to travel restrictions and working from home became “working…
Abstract
Purpose
In the global migration crisis COVID 19 had devastating consequences. Workers were confined to their locations due to travel restrictions and working from home became “working away from home” for millions of migrant workers. Mobile financial services emerged as key to livelihood of the mobile remittance recipients. It is essential for service providers to gain insights of users' motives to use mobile remittance services.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposed the model by extending unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model and integrating by perceived cost (PC) and perceived security (PS). Based on the survey data (n = 344) the proposed model was tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis.
Findings
The findings reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, PC and PS affect the users' behavioral intention (BI) to use mobile remittance applications. Social influence nonsignificantly affects the BI and there is no significant influence of facilitating conditions on user behavior.
Originality/value
The volume of migrant workers preCOVID 19 reached 3.5% of the global population, the shear number of unprotected workers plunged into devastation by the COVID-19 impact is huge to cause an economic meltdown. Under the pandemic crisis conditions, the findings provide several practical implications on how service providers could improve their products and services to increase mobile remittance applications usage.
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Richard Kwasi Bannor, Helena Oppong-Kyeremeh, Abigail Oparebea Boateng, Ebenezer Bold and Barikisu Gruzah
This paper examined the factors influencing the participation of rice processors in short supply chains and the participation impact on the amount of rice processed, per capita…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examined the factors influencing the participation of rice processors in short supply chains and the participation impact on the amount of rice processed, per capita expenditure of household and value of sales.
Design/methodology/approach
The Seemingly Unrelated Regression and Doubly Robust Augmented Inverse Probability Weighting Model (AIPW) were used to analyse the determinants of short supply chain participation and the impact of short supply.
Findings
From the results, the mean value of rice processed was GH₵18385 (US$ 3,069.28), with the minimum value being GH₵ 25 (US$ 4.17) and the maximum GH₵ 67200 (US$ 1,1218.70) per annum. Processed rice aroma and grade characteristics positively influence the value of processed rice sold via short supply chains as well as the expertise rate of the processor, Farmer-Based Organisation membership, and marketing information availability. Women rice processors' per capita expenditure, total sales value and the value of processed rice was positively influenced by the short supply chain participation.
Research limitations/implications
Even though the sample size was appropriate, a larger sample size could further support the study's finding since a limited geographical area with predominant domestic rice processors was studied. Again, future studies should consider behavioural theories, such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour, amongst others, in understanding the reasons for the choices of short supply chains compared to other sales outlets.
Originality/value
Although there is a growing body of literature on rice, most of the studies focussed on the marketing outlet of rice producers, rice processing, constraints and opportunities faced by rice farmers and processors and an out-grower scheme involving rice processors amongst rice producers with none of these on the choice of short supply chains amongst women processors. Also, amongst all the studies on rice producers, none applied a theory; however, the Women in Development (WID) Theory was used to analyse the impact of the short supply chain on the impact on household per capita expenditure (poverty), the value of sales and amount of rice processed, a modest theoretical contribution of the paper to literature.
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Godfrey Moses Owot, Kenneth Olido, Daniel Micheal Okello and Walter Odongo
The purpose of this study is to analyze trust perceptions between farmers and traders from a dyadic context in developing countries using mixed-method with a specific focus on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze trust perceptions between farmers and traders from a dyadic context in developing countries using mixed-method with a specific focus on fresh and dry commodities under contracted and non-contracted markets.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed approach was employed. Cross-sectional data were collected from 202 farmers and 188 traders using questionnaires and an interview guide. The Mann–Whitney test was used to assess differences in trust perception. Differences in the excerpts were assessed through content analysis.
Findings
Results show differences in perception of trust between farmers and traders on integrity, benevolence and competence in marketing fresh and dry commodities. No detectable differences in trust perception between contract and non-contract markets were observed.
Research limitations/implications
Data are limited to Northern Uganda and were collected on trust perception. Besides, there is a scarcity of formal contracts and difficulty in having a matched dyad which could affect generalization.
Originality/value
This is the first study to analyze differences in trust perceptions using a mixed approach in a dyadic context between fresh and dry chains in different markets typologies in developing countries.
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Deo Shao, Cleverence Kombe and Stuti Saxena
Warehouse receipt system (WRS) schemes aim to revitalize the market of cash crops, particularly those of the smallholder farmers. However, the existing government schemes for the…
Abstract
Purpose
Warehouse receipt system (WRS) schemes aim to revitalize the market of cash crops, particularly those of the smallholder farmers. However, the existing government schemes for the smallholder farmers have not been much successful on account of issues related with transparency and trust deficit, thereby limiting farmers' access to credit for their farming activities as channeled via the formal financial institutions. Conceding that blockchain is an emerging technology, this study aims to theoretically posit the potential to optimize WRS in real time to bolster farmers' trust and privacy.
Design/methodology/approach
The research bases itself on the design science research (DSR) approach. Using the DSR approach backed by the literature review and evolutionary prototyping, a blockchain-based WRS has been advanced in the study.
Findings
This study provides a design of a digital WRS, which serves as a proof of concept of blockchain technology (BCT) applications in improving transparency in the WRS in the agricultural sector. The findings from this study present the possibility of leveraging blockchain smart contracts to improve the linkages between the WRS stakeholders to promote trust and transparency that would eventually unlock the potentials of WRS schemes. Furthermore, the findings inform decision-makers and practitioners to prioritize the emerging technologies in revamping the classical WRS.
Research limitations/implications
The study leaves research pointers for implementing BCT in agricultural supply chain and furthering the findings from the present study with an empirical agenda.
Originality/value
Whilst research on the BCT applications across myriad sectors abounds, research on the BCT applications to address societal needs is conspicuously limited. Furthermore, research on the practical implementation of the BCT in real-world scenarios is few and far between. The present study seeks to plug these gaps by underlining the application and utility of blockchain in WRS. The study makes a significant contribution to the theory and practice of the agrarian supply chain management, specifically the WRS, by invoking design knowledge obtained through an iterative design process besides serving as an edifice for the integration of emerging technologies, notably BCT in the agricultural sector.
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This study aims to determine the non-economic factors that probably influence the Pakistani farmers to use Islamic finance for agricultural production. This paper analyzes the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to determine the non-economic factors that probably influence the Pakistani farmers to use Islamic finance for agricultural production. This paper analyzes the other religiosity and familial leadership constructs in the standard theory of planned behavior (TPB) model from the Islamic banking perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 233 farmers using snowball sampling techniques and partial least square structural equation modeling used for data analysis. An additional qualitative analysis was conducted of seven respondents through semi-structured interviews to deepen into knowledge about Islamic banking.
Findings
The findings demonstrate that attitude, subjective norms, religiosity and familial leadership to use Islamic banking among the farmers play a primary motivating role in manipulating their behavioral intentions to use it. However, PBC negatively affected the behavior of farmers to use Islamic banking.
Practical implications
This study highlights the importance of emotional attachment between the farmers and Islamic financial products according to Shariah law. Therefore, Islamic banks need effective strategies for the development of innovative products in the agricultural sector according to the Shariah principle.
Originality/value
The research contributes to the area of Islamic banking, demonstrating that “familial leadership” significantly influences an individual’s behavior toward decision-making to use Islamic finance.
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Deepa Pillai and Shubhra Mishra Deshpande
Warehouse receipt-based financing (WRF), an innovative instrument with its structure embedded in the agricultural value chain can potentially address farmers' concerns about…
Abstract
Purpose
Warehouse receipt-based financing (WRF), an innovative instrument with its structure embedded in the agricultural value chain can potentially address farmers' concerns about timely credit access and accessible remunerative markets. However, studies indicate farmers' exclusion from currently practiced WRF mechanisms across developing countries. Transaction cost and lack of assured remunerative markets post storage are the challenges thwarting farmers' participation. The study explores how these challenges can be addressed by analyzing a case study. The finding will help in coming up with a farmer-inclusive WRF mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a case study as an analysis tool. Primary data is gathered through farmers. Descriptive statistics and partial least squares (PLS) approach to structural equation modeling methodology has been adopted for empirical testing of the hypothesis of the study. The study uses SMART PLS 3.0 for analysis of data.
Findings
Single window offering of multiple value chain operations and technological intervention in physical handling substantially reduces transaction costs for farmers. Sustained farmers' participation in the case supports this finding. The presence of an assured market (PAM) is found to have a positive and significant relationship with WRF in the case of beneficiary farmers. The PAM is found to have a negative yet significant relationship with WRF in the case of nonbeneficiary farmers. Critical success factors of the entity KisanMitra stated in the case substantiates a farmer-inclusive WRF mechanism.
Research limitations/implications
The study analyzes a case study of specific geography. However, similarities enlisted across developing countries in the introduction section provide a scope of generalization of findings across developing countries. The identified factors for a farmer-inclusive WRF mechanism will enable the governments, policymakers and development institutions to ascertain and align their WRF implementation measures to inculcate and upgrade these factors to the prospective WRF agents. Future studies can explore the replication of farmer-inclusive WRF mechanisms across other geographies. The studies also explores the role of technological interventions in further reducing the transaction cost and suitable policy modifications to encourage replication of the study in other geopgraphical context.
Originality/value
The study on WRF and the methodology adopted is first of its kind to identify factors for a farmer-inclusive WRF mechanism.
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