Adoption of improved fallow technology for soil fertility management in Zambia: Empirical studies and emerging issues

Ajayi, Oluyede C.; Franzel, Steven; Kuntashula, Elias; Kwesiga, F.

doi:10.1023/b:agfo.0000005232.87048.03

Cited by 82 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Factors having a negative relationship with the decision to establish fertilizer trees included labour constraints and a short investment horizon of the farmer. Gender, education, marital status, age, size of the household, off-farm income and size of the maize field did not have a direct relationship with farmers' decision to initially test fertilizer trees in their fields during the early years of the dissemination of agroforestry in farming communities (Ajayi et al 2003). Over time, policy and institutional factors such as incidents of fire and grazing, land tenure and other policy factors assumed greater importance in influencing farmers' adoption decisions.…”

Section: Studies Focusing On Extrinsic Factorsmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…Farmers listed a number of constraints to the adoption of improved fallows, and the main obstacles listed were lack of awareness or poor knowledge of improved fallows, unwillingness to plant trees and the inability to wait two years before getting benefits from the technology (Matata et al 2010). Ajayi et al (2003) presented a synthesis of a number of studies that looked at the factors influencing farmers' decisions to adopt fertilizer tree-based agroforestry in Zambia. Their analysis identified a number of factors positively associated with the planting of fertilizer trees: farmer awareness of the technology, membership of farmers' group, wealth status, size of the land holding, the use of modern farm inputs, possession of oxen and cash crop production.…”

Section: Studies Focusing On Extrinsic Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions in the uptake of agricultural and agroforestry innovations among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

Meijer

Catacutan²,

Ajayi³

et al. 2014

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

573

362

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Despite the great potential of agricultural innovations, the uptake by smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa seems to be slow. We reviewed existing theories and frameworks for the uptake of agricultural innovations and found that these tend to emphasize the role of extrinsic factors such as the characteristics of the adopter and the external environment in the decision-making process. In this paper, we argue that intrinsic factors such as the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of the potential adopter towards the innovation play a key role, but this has been less studied. We present an analytical framework that combines both extrinsic and intrinsic factors in farmers' decisions to adopt new agricultural technologies and apply the framework to agroforestry adoption as a case study. We review the literature on agroforestry adoption in sub-Saharan Africa and identify the extrinsic and intrinsic variables affecting the uptake of agroforestry technologies. We conclude that the uptake of agricultural technologies is a complex process influenced by both extrinsic and intrinsic variables, and recommend that future studies aiming to understand the adoption process of agricultural innovations take into account both sets of variables. A mechanistic understanding of how intrinsic and extrinsic factors interact and drive adoption can help in targeting technologies appropriately to ensure sustainability.

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Section: Studies Focusing On Extrinsic Factorsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Studies Focusing On Extrinsic Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions in the uptake of agricultural and agroforestry innovations among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

Meijer

Catacutan²,

Ajayi³

et al. 2014

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

573

362

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In the highlands of East Africa, farmers with 500 calliandra shrubs increased their net income by between US$ 62 to 122 depending on whether they used shrubs as a substitute, or as supplement, and depending on where they were located [66]. This notwithstanding, Ajayi et al [67] identified factors such as lack of permanent ownership rights over land, incidence of bush fires, and browsing of tree biomass by livestock as major constraints to adopting and scaling up improved fallows in Zambia. Drawing on the available literature, in particular the reviews of Franzel [68] and Place and Dewees [69], several factors are most likely to affect adoption of improved fallows like other agroforestry innovations: biophysical adaptation of the innovation-the ability of the innovation to adapt and be adapted successfully to the farm environment, the profitability of the innovation-in a broad sense to include consideration of returns to labour and land as well as financial profitability; farmers' awareness of the innovation; access to land, labour, and water; access to social capital, particularly where group action is needed; availability of essential inputs, particularly seed; access to financial capital; and degree of risk and uncertainty.…”

Section: Adoptability and Up-scalability Of Improved Fallows In Ssamentioning

confidence: 99%

Why Promote Improved Fallows as a Climate-Smart Agroforestry Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa?

et al. 2017

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Abstract:In the literature, a lot is discussed about how agroforestry can achieve the mitigation, adaptation and productivity goals of climate-smart agriculture (CSA). However, this may be relatively too broad to assess the trade-offs and synergies of how specific agroforestry technologies or practices achieve the three pillars of CSA. Here, we provide an overview of how improved fallows (an agroforestry technology consisting of planting mainly legume tree/shrub species in rotation with cultivated crops) may achieve the goals of climate-smart agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Our review showed that improved fallow systems have real potential to contribute to food security and climate change mitigation and adaptation in SSA. Under proper management, improved fallows can increase maize yields to about 6 t ha −1 , which is comparable to conventional maize yields under fertilization. This is attributed to improved soil fertility and nutrient use efficiency. Although data was generally limited, the growing literature showed that improved fallows increased soil carbon sequestration and reduced greenhouse emissions. Further, as a multiple output land use system, improved fallows may increase fodder availability during dry periods and provide substantial biomass for charcoal production. These livelihood options may become important financial safety nets during off seasons or in the event of crop failures. This notwithstanding, the adoption of improved fallows is mainly in Southern and Eastern Africa, where over 20,000 farmers are now using Sesbania sesban, Tephrosia vogelii, and Cajanus cajan in two-year fallows followed by maize rotations. Land tenure issues, lack of social capital, and improved germplasm and accessions of fallow species have been cited as constraints to scaling up. However, development of seed orchards, nursery development, and the willingness of policy makers to create a policy environment that addresses market failures and alleviates disincentives should improve adoption and future scaling up.

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“…According to Doss (2003), institutional factors, such as the policy environment, also affect the availability of inputs and markets for credit and outputs and, thus, the profitability of a technology. Ajayi et al (2003) note that adoption of soil fertility management options cannot happen in a policy vacuum. The promotion of high-value agricultural enterprises is one policy direction that is likely to generate increased income and investment in integrated soil fertility management (Place et al 2003).…”

Section: Key Interventions That Will Drive Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural water management and poverty in Ethiopia

Hagos

Jayasinghe

Awulachew

et al. 2012

Agricultural Economics

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The main focus of this article is to explore whether access to selected agricultural water management (AWM) technologies has led to significant reduction in poverty and, if they did so, to identify which technologies had higher impacts. In measuring impact we estimated the average treatment effect for the treated on crop income and measured the differences in consumption expenditures per adult equivalent of those with access and without access using matched data. The estimated average treatment effect was significant and amounted to USD 82 per season. Moreover, there was 24 less poverty incidence among users of AWM technologies compared to nonusers. All technologies were found to have significant poverty reducing impacts with micro dams, deep wells, river diversions, and ponds leading to 37%, 26%, 11%, and 9% reduction in poverty incidence compared to rainfed system. Finally, our study identified the most important correlates of poverty on the basis this we made the policy recommendations to build assets (AWM technologies, livestock, etc); to enhance human resource development and improve the functioning of labor markets for enhanced impact of AWM technologies on poverty

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Adoption of improved fallow technology for soil fertility management in Zambia: Empirical studies and emerging issues

Cited by 82 publications

References 14 publications

The role of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions in the uptake of agricultural and agroforestry innovations among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

The role of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions in the uptake of agricultural and agroforestry innovations among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

Why Promote Improved Fallows as a Climate-Smart Agroforestry Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Agricultural water management and poverty in Ethiopia

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