Evaluating smallholder farmers' preferences for climate smart agricultural practices in Tehuledere District, northeastern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted in Tehuledere district, northeastern Ethiopia. The objective was to find out farmers' preferences for, and barriers to, adopting climate smart agricultural (CSA) practices. Both primary and secondary sources of data were collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Conjoint experiment method was employed to identify the most preferred attributes of CSA practices. We found that high and moderate climate resilience and high crop yield agricultural practices had a positive utility, implying that these were the most preferred combination of CSA when responding to climate change. Contrary to this, high greenhouse gas emissions, low climate resilience and low crop yield had a negative utility, implying that these were the least preferred combination of CSA when responding to climate change. The study found that crop yield and resilience are the most important factors influencing farmers' preferences for CSA practices. The main barriers limiting wide adoption and practicing of CSA include inadequate law enforcement, lack of incentives, inadequate and unreliable extension and weather information. The study established that CSA practices were viable and effective response measures, hence increased support through adoption of innovative technologies, policies and strategies to address the barriers and widen the adoption scope of CSA is recommended.

Origins of Farmers’ Adoption of Multiple Climate-Smart Agriculture Management Practices in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

“…The most critical barriers to climate change adaptation are lack of information and inadequate extension services (Addisu et al, 2016;Asrat & Simane, 2018;Atinkut & Mebrat, 2016;Gebrehiwot & Van Der Veen, 2013;Tessema et al, 2013;Wassie & Pauline, 2018). Information sources that positively influence adoption can include other farmers, media, meetings, and extension.…”

“…Previous studies used farm management models to explain decision making and technology adoption by farmers and focused on microeconomics theory with assumptions of profit maximisation and cost-benefits (Addisu, Fissha, Gediff, & Asmelash, 2016;Asrat & Simane, 2018;Atinkut & Mebrat, 2016;Ayal & Leal Filho, 2017;Dung et al, 2018;Fadina & Barjolle, 2018;Gebrehiwot & Van Der Veen, 2013;Khatri-Chhetri, Aggarwal, Joshi, & Vyas, 2017;Teklewold, Kassie, & Shiferaw, 2013;Tessema, Aweke, & Endris, 2013;Wassie & Pauline, 2018). Nevertheless, these models cannot capture the complexity of farmers' behaviour and attitudes toward climate-smart agricultural technology adoption.…”

Will the Adoption of Early Fertigation Techniques Hinder Famers’ Technology Renewal? Evidence from Fresh Growers in Shaanxi, China

“…Other scholars emphasize the importance of cost-benefit [29,30]. Due to the heterogeneity of farmers, the benefits of adopting the same technology are also different [29].…”

Factors Influencing Farmers’ Adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Rice Production in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta

“…Previous studies applied farm management models to explain decision making and technology adoption by farmers, focusing on microeconomic theory with an assumption of maximizing profit and minimizing the cost-benefit ratio (Gebrehiwot and Van Der Veen 2013;Teklewold, Kassie, and Shiferaw 2013;Tessema, Aweke, and Endris 2013;Addisu et al 2016;Atinkut and Mebrat 2016;Ayal and Leal Filho 2017;Khatri-Chhetri et al 2017;Asrat and Simane 2018;Dung et al 2018;Fadina and Barjolle 2018;Wassie and Pauline 2018). Nevertheless, these models may not capture the complexity of farmers' behavior and attitudes in CSA adoption, and fail to take into account all related constraints of CSA adoption that include transaction costs, social benefits or costs, the role of social capital with collective actions, and institutional factors.…”