Determinants of Farmers’ Adoption of Improved Soil Conservation Technology in a Middle Mountain Watershed of Central Nepal

Tiwari, Kalpana; Sitaula, Bishal K.; Nyborg, Ingrid; Paudel, Giridhari Sharma

doi:10.1007/s00267-008-9137-z

Cited by 127 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…This result is consistent with studies reported by Genius et al (2006). However, our result is contradicting with observations made by Tiwari et al (2008);Mendola (2007). Hence, the impact of farmers' age on extension participation and/or technological adoption is ambiguous as expected.…”

Section: Determinants Of Extension Program Participationcontrasting

confidence: 57%

Effect of Agricultural Extension Program on Smallholders’ Farm Productivity: Evidence from Three Peasant Associations in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Elias¹,

Nohmi²,

Yasunobu³

et al. 2013

JAS

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This study evaluates the effect of agricultural extension program participation on farm productivity taking three case study kebeles (peasant associations) in Ethiopia. A total of 1112 plot-level data collected from 300 selected farm households, comprising of extension participants and non-participants, were used in the study. The study begins the estimation with simple Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method. To deal with the potential bias due to the existence of observed and unobserved characteristics, we employed Heckman Treatment Effect Model (HTEM) and Propensity Score Matching (PSM). The OLS result shows that extension participation increases farm productivity by about 6%. However, both HTEM and PSM clearly reveal the presence of selection bias in extension program participation which leads to underestimation of the OLS estimates. The participation could have increased farm productivity by up to 20% had it not been to the serious selection bias related to non-farming factors such as involvement in kebele administration, and wealth status of the participants observed during program placement. Our PSM analysis also verifies the positive effect of extension program participation on farm productivity. In conclusion, the extension program has a positive effect on farm productivity in the study area. However, its effect with its current structure and input could have tripled had there been no bias related to extension program participation. This result provides a valuable policy insight in which improving access to diversified and quality agricultural inputs are critically necessary for the participants on top of expanding the program to less resourceful farmers by avoiding any entry barriers in the future.

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Section: Determinants Of Extension Program Participationcontrasting

confidence: 57%

Effect of Agricultural Extension Program on Smallholders’ Farm Productivity: Evidence from Three Peasant Associations in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Elias¹,

Nohmi²,

Yasunobu³

et al. 2013

JAS

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“…A study in Nepal revealed four primary motivating factors for adoption of improved soil conservation technologies like CC/GM (Fig. 5) : neighbor experiences (35%), multifunctionality (30%), finance and material support (20%), and training and extension (15%) [58]. Furthermore, farmer surveys in the Kaski and Dhading districts of Nepal indicate that their terrace land is too dry to grow most crops including many leguminous CC/ GM in the dry season [7].…”

Section: Limitations To the Adoption Of Sustainable Agriculture Intermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The potential for crop failure is exacerbated by the reliance on a few plant species [5,6,61,62]. Plant species vary in their vulnerabilities and resistances to hazards like environmental stress including heat, cold, drought, floods, pests, [58] and disease. As a result, the reliance on a few crop species is a risk for farmers [62].…”

Section: The Need To Diversify Crop Species To Adapt To a Changing Enmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Experimentally validated sustainable agriculture interventions that conserve soil fertility such as leguminous cover crops and green manures (CC/GM) are available to subsistence farmers; however, historically in Nepal and in the global subtropics, the adoption rates of these interventions are meager despite declining soil fertility [57][58][59]. A study in Nepal revealed four primary motivating factors for adoption of improved soil conservation technologies like CC/GM (Fig.…”

Section: Limitations To the Adoption Of Sustainable Agriculture Intermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mitigating dry season food insecurity in the subtropics by prospecting drought-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing weeds

Small

Raizada

2017

Agric & Food Secur

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Subtropical regions experience an extended dry season, which inhibits the growth of most crops, and as a result there is seasonal scarcity of food and fodder. Globally, almost 600 million smallholders and landless laborers experience hunger in the dry season. This situation is expected to worsen, as water shortages are expected to impact up to twothirds of humanity between 2010 and 2050. A second challenge is that 45% of the world's agricultural land is sloped and vulnerable to intense surface runoff during the transition from the dry to rainy season (e.g., monsoon). Erosion, along with nutrient mining, contributes to a net loss of soil fertility. Drought-tolerant legumes can mitigate these challenges. Legumes form symbiotic relationships with microbes that can sequester atmospheric nitrogen gas as ammonia, a process termed biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). As a result of BNF, legumes are rich in nitrogen, which is a building block of edible protein and organic nitrogen fertilizer to replenish soils. Leguminous cover crops can be used as food/feed, and as a tool to reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers, prevent erosion, and suppress undesired weeds that grow on bare, dry soil that otherwise cause female drudgery. Unfortunately, cover cropping is not a traditional practice in most subtropical regions and BNF is inhibited by drought (dry season). Subsistence farmers around the world would benefit from nutritious and drought-tolerant cover crops that can sustain nitrogen fixation in the dry season. Here, we propose that neglected crops in addition to native and naturalized plants that persist in the dry season, often considered to be weeds, may be utilized for the development of new cover crops. A detailed framework is presented for the identification, characterization, and selection of such species. As a case study, the framework was applied to the mid-hills of Nepal. A literature review, stakeholder interviews, and field site visits with farmers informed the selection of 78 candidate dry season leguminous cover crop species. It is hoped that this innovative approach will serve as a model to help alleviate food/feed shortages and improve the livelihoods of subsistence farmers in the global subtropics.

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“…Specifically, the study results can be used to develop a more efficient on-farm plantation forestry adoption strategy. This is important given the fact that 22.8 percent of rural households in Uganda still suffer from absolute poverty (Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development [MFPED], 2014) Several studies have assessed the factors influencing adoption of farm forestry in developing countries (Adesina et al, 2000;Oeba et al, 2012;Tiwari et al, 2008;Bayard et al, 2007). These studies reported that adoption was influenced by demographic, socio-economic, institutional and farm characteristics such as contact with extension agencies, belonging to farmer's groups, population pressure, fuel wood scarcity, tree tenure security, size of land holding, education level, soil erosion index and gender.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adoption of On-Farm Plantation Forestry by Smallholder Farmers in Uganda

Kiyingi¹,

Edriss²,

Phiri³

et al. 2016

JSD

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The study assessed the factors influencing adoption and intensity of adoption of on-farm plantation forestry by comparing results from a censored Tobit model and a Double-hurdle model. Analysis indicated that determinants of adoption and intensity of adoption of on-farm plantation forestry are different, thus indicating a double-hurdle process. Results from the double-hurdle model indicated that size of landholding, secondary school education, forestry skills training, extension services and farmers' perceptions significantly explain the variation in the decision to invest in on-farm plantation forestry. On the other hand, gender of household head and size of landholding influenced the intensity of adoption. This study highlights some of the areas that should be considered in developing adoption strategies for on-farm plantation forestry. It also highlights the importance of farmers' perceptions in influencing adoption of farm forestry. The study suggests that since the factors influencing adoption and intensity of farm forestry adoption are made separately, it is important that both stages are considered in developing adoption strategies for farm forestry.

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Determinants of Farmers’ Adoption of Improved Soil Conservation Technology in a Middle Mountain Watershed of Central Nepal

Cited by 127 publications

References 25 publications

Effect of Agricultural Extension Program on Smallholders’ Farm Productivity: Evidence from Three Peasant Associations in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Effect of Agricultural Extension Program on Smallholders’ Farm Productivity: Evidence from Three Peasant Associations in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Mitigating dry season food insecurity in the subtropics by prospecting drought-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing weeds

Adoption of On-Farm Plantation Forestry by Smallholder Farmers in Uganda

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