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Farmer profit can be increased and air quality improved

Crop production in the tropics is subject to considerable climate variability caused by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon that is likely to become even more pronounced during the twenty-first century. Little is known about the impact of ENSO-related drought on crop yields and food security, especially at the household level. This paper seeks to contribute to closing this knowledge gap with a case study from Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its main objective is to measure household resilience towards drought periods and to identify its influencing factors to deduce policy implications. Using indicators for consumption expenditures, we construct an index measuring household drought resilience; we then apply an asset-based livelihood framework to identify its determinants. Most of the drought-affected farm households are forced to substantially reduce expenditures for food and other basic necessities. Households' drought resilience is strengthened by the possession of liquid assets, access to credit, and the level of technical efficiency in agricultural production. The results suggest a number of policy recommendations, namely improvement of the farmers' access to ENSO forecasts, the provision of credit and savings products to facilitate consumption smoothing, and the intensification of agricultural extension in view of low levels of productivity found in agricultural production.

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In controlled-condition field trials across South Asia, zero-tillage (ZT) has demonstrated considerable scope for enhancing wheat productivity in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) while using less energy and irrigation water. However, studies that quantify the impact of ZT in farmers' fields are scarce, especially in the less productive and densely populated Eastern IGP, an area that the Indian government is targeting for investment to address current and future food insecurity. Furthermore, a recent global meta-analysis has questioned the yield benefits of ZT, especially when permanent soil cover with crop residues is not maintained. To assess the realworld performance of ZT wheat in Eastern India, we quantified the productivity impact of current ZT practices in the State of Bihar, based on a random sample of 1000 wheatgrowing households, stratified by ZT adoption status. CobbDouglas stochastic production frontiers estimated the effect of ZT on wheat output while controlling for potential selection bias between ZT users and non-users regarding crop management. In contrast to the global meta-analysis, we found that the prevailing ZT practices without full residue retention led to a robust yield gain over conventional-tillage wheat across different agro-ecological zones, amounting to 498 kg ha −1 (19 %), on average. The economic benefit from ZT related yield increase and cost savings in wheat production amounted to 6 % of total annual income among sampled households. We conclude that ZT users reap substantial benefits, and that ZT technology could play a major role in making Bihar selfsufficient in wheat. To increase access to the technology among smallholders, an expansion of the network of ZT service providers is essential and can be supported through targeted policies and development interventions.