Estimating the impact of innovation systems on maize yields: the case of Iar4d in southern Africa

Siziba, Shephard; Nyikahadzoi, Kefasi; Nyemeck, Joachim; Diagne, Aliou; Adewale, Adekunle; Fatunbi, Oluwole

doi:10.1080/03031853.2013.821744

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Access to assets is an indication of endowment and wealth. In general, well-endowed households tend to experience lower transaction costs and have more flexibility in allocation of resources to market activities (Siziba et al, 2013). Included in this category are production assets including size of arable land, number of livestock owned; transportation assets, captured by ownership of transport equipment such as cart.…”

Section: Empirical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of local institutions on the adoption of agroforestry innovations: evidence of farmer managed natural regeneration and its implications for rural livelihoods in the Sahel

Binam¹,

Place

Djalal³

et al. 2017

Agric Econ

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The present study aims at (1) assessing how the existing local formal and informal institutions affect farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR) practices and, (2) evaluating the benefits of such practices on livelihoods. The propensity score with continuous treatments was used to assess the effects of a set of covariates on FMNR as well as the impacts of that practice on income, cereal production and caloric intake using data collected from 1,080 rural households in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Senegal. This study demonstrated that regeneration of trees on farms, whereby farmers play an active role in the types of trees and their densities, is important as a practice and safety-net by providing cash income, caloric intake and diet, and crops supplements throughout dryland areas of West Africa. Overall, FMNR cannot be excluded as a recommendation in any geographical region. In addition, the study concludes that the effects of institutions in fostering FMNR practices in the Sahel are mixed. In areas with well-structured formal and informal institutions, populations seem to have adopted a better collaboration attitude with the local government by developing plans for a good management and protection of natural resource including FMNR practices. However, in areas where these commissions are being assimilated to governmental institutions, the willingness to raise incentives towards a better management of natural resources is less perceived. While recognizing the benefits of trees and tree products on caloric intake and diet, there is a need to explore in much more details, the FMNR-food nexus in future researches by going beyond what was covered from this study.

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Section: Empirical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of local institutions on the adoption of agroforestry innovations: evidence of farmer managed natural regeneration and its implications for rural livelihoods in the Sahel

Binam¹,

Place

Djalal³

et al. 2017

Agric Econ

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“…The IAR4D approach uses innovation platforms (IPs) to surround agricultural research and development organisations in a network to embark on multi-disciplinary and participatory research [5]. The IAR4D approach has been proven to have significant impacts on livelihoods [1,6,7]. This paper seeks to investigate how achievements from IAR4D (through participation in IP activities) accrue to smallholder farming households of diverse socioeconomic status.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity amongst farm households and achievements from multi-stakeholder innovation platform approach: lessons from Balaka Malawi

Makate¹,

Mango²

2017

Agric & Food Secur

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Background: Understanding diversity of smallholder farm households is of critical importance for the success of development interventions. Farming households often will devise livelihood strategies that provide the best guarantee for survival and based on their socioeconomic vulnerability. This study examines how achievements from the Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) approach through participation in innovation platform activities accrue to smallholder farming households of diverse socioeconomic status. The study is based on a representative sample of smallholder farmers from Balaka innovation platform found in Balaka district of Malawi. Balaka innovation platform was formed in 2009 with the aim of addressing key farmer problems of low crop productivity, lack of input and output markets, limited access to agricultural credit, low incomes and poverty in general. Through multi-stakeholder dialogue, the platform proposed activities meant to improve livelihoods of participants. Some of the activities include conservation agriculture adoption, crop diversification, improved communication through the platform, linking farmers to microfinance institutions and markets, collective market participation, joining farmer groups organised by the platform and various other activities. The main aim was to improve crop productivity, household incomes and food security. Results:A multivariate study that combines principal component analysis for essential data reduction and cluster analysis to classify typical farm households based on their socioeconomic characteristics and reported achievements from innovation platform activities was used. It is evident from the results that achievements from innovation platform activities are not uniform across farmer groups of different socioeconomic status. Conclusions:The upshots call for segregated approaches in promoting adoption of various livelihood improving activities, technologies and approaches through the innovation platform approach in smallholder farming areas such as the ones in Balaka, Malawi. Tactics selected by development partners to fight against smallholder farmer problems of low productivity low incomes and food insecurity should conform to farmer socioeconomic vulnerability for greater success.

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“…The variables excluded from the composite index have been included in the model independently under production assets. Well-endowed households tend to experience lower transaction costs and have greater flexibility in allocation of resources to marketing activities (Azam et al 2012;Siziba et al 2013). Diversification of income sources reduces risks on the part of the households and may provide additional income for investment in agroforestry during lean periods.…”

Section: Household Endowmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is because improved access to markets has the potential to increase net returns to agricultural production (World Bank 2007). However, the majority of smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa remain primarily subsistence farmers (Omiti et al 2009;Siziba et al 2013), with limited proportions of their production being sold to local markets. For instance, farmers in semi-arid areas of Africa are reported to market only small proportions of their output (Ellis 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, farmers in semi-arid areas of Africa are reported to market only small proportions of their output (Ellis 2005). Despite the low level of participation in agricultural output markets, there is overwhelming evidence that virtually all rural farmers depend on trading for some household needs and hence seek income generating activities (Siziba et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Unlocking Market Potential of Agroforestry Products Among Smallholder Farmers in the Sahelian and Sudanian Ecozone Countries of West Africa

Binam

Oduol

Place

et al. 2015

Small-scale Forestry

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In the Sahelian countries, gathering of agroforestry tree products is one of the few livelihood activities that hold great potential for income generation and poverty reduction among resource-poor households. This study explores the determinants of market participation and selling decisions, which are key prerequisites for sustainable intensification and commercialization of the rural economy. A commercialized economy provides invaluable opportunities for smallholder farmers to increase their income and escape from poverty traps that are faced by most rural households in the Sahel. The results from a cross-sectional sample of 1080 households drawn from four Sahelian countries, namely Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal, lend support to the relevance of three sets of variables in explaining agroforestry farmers' participation in markets and selling decisions. Market participation and selling decisions are affected by predisposing, facilitating and reinforcing factors. In areas where markets for tree products are functioning well, long distances from the main markets do not deter agroforestry farmers from participating in markets and selling decisions. This demonstrates that other interventions to strengthen value chains and market integration can be successful even where transportation is more costly.

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Estimating the impact of innovation systems on maize yields: the case of Iar4d in southern Africa

Cited by 14 publications

References 14 publications

Effects of local institutions on the adoption of agroforestry innovations: evidence of farmer managed natural regeneration and its implications for rural livelihoods in the Sahel

Effects of local institutions on the adoption of agroforestry innovations: evidence of farmer managed natural regeneration and its implications for rural livelihoods in the Sahel

Diversity amongst farm households and achievements from multi-stakeholder innovation platform approach: lessons from Balaka Malawi

Unlocking Market Potential of Agroforestry Products Among Smallholder Farmers in the Sahelian and Sudanian Ecozone Countries of West Africa

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