Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics (JARTS)
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Typology of smallholder’s pig production systems in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo: Challenges and opportunities
Get PDFPig farming plays an important role in farmers’ livelihoods in many tropical countries. It contributes to food security of the poorest as well as the development of rural economy through multiplier effects. In the South Kivu province, pig farms are almost exclusively owned by smallholders. A few studies have attempted to describe thoroughly pig farming systems in this province. This study was undertaken to characterise pig production systems, in order to better understand their current situation, namely constraints they face and opportunities they offer. Investigation was conducted based on a structured survey questionnaire and participatory interviews with the owners of 989 farms in South-Kivu. Collected data was analysed using Multiple Correspondence Analysis and clustering techniques. Results showed that there are two types of smallholder pig farms differing mainly in the type of husbandry and feeding management. One category includes farms that raise pigs in free-range system consuming forages and scavenge feed (heaps picked-up from garbage and trash on their ways), which are sometimes, combined with crop residues and kitchen leftovers. The second category includes improved pig farms raising tethered pigs or in lairage where feed is mostly based on forages combined with kitchen leftovers, crop residues and concentrate feed. Nevertheless, all these different farm types share many common characteristics, including having pigs of local breeds, small herd sizes, absence of breeding boars and absence of adequate prophylactic measures. It emerged that female farmers together with experienced farmers mainly own pig farms with better characteristics (breed type, management practices, litter size, etc.). Hence, the involvement of women in pig farming can offer better prospects for the improvement of this sector. In addition, access to agricultural credit can also be an alternative to foster investment in livestock in South Kivu. All this can only lead to better results though improved local market access to smallholder producers
Economic and financial returns of livestock agribusiness in high mountains of Nepal
Get PDFDevelopment partners and donor agencies often target programs and projects in poverty stricken and vulnerable regions around the world. However, there is paucity on economic and financial analysis of such investments. This study contributes to the literature by assessing financial internal rate of return (FIRR) and economic internal rate of return (EIRR) of livestock agribusiness, a vital component of ‘High Mountain Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement’ (HIMALI) project supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) from 2011 to 2018 in ten mountain districts of Nepal. The analysis employs a unique dataset on annual cost (investment, operation and labour) and revenue of 138 livestock agribusiness from 2013 to 2017. The study estimates the EIRR and FIRR of six important livestock species namely, goat, sheep, mountain goat known as chyangra, chauri (a cross-bred of yak and local hill cow), cattle and pig raised in high uplands of Nepal. The overall EIRR of livestock agribusiness is 15% with the highest EIRR observed for sheep (18%), followed by goat (16%), chauri (14%), chyangra (14%) and pig (12%) farm enterprises. By contrast, the overall FIRR of livestock agribusiness is just 12%. Sensitivity analysis shows that the livestock agribusiness is highly sensitive to changes in revenue and operation costs. Some of the major challenges identified are lack of veterinary services and capital to scale-up agribusiness, inadequate market linkages, and limited pastureland. Among livestock agribusiness, sheep, goat, chyangra, and chauri has a high potential in high mountains. The low FIRR indicates a high risk to agribusiness. The study therefore recommends local, provincial and federal governments to deliver reliable extension services, improve market access and provide financial support to ensure the financial sustainability of livestock enterprises in the most difficult and economically lagged region of the country
Characterisation of productivity and diseases affecting dairy goats in smallholder systems of Greater Thika Region, Kenya
Get PDFThe current cross-sectional study aimed at characterising the productivity and diseases affecting dairy goats kept by smallholder farmers in three sub-counties in Thika Region, Kenya. Standard questionnaires were administered to 240 farmers through face-to-face interviews and the outputs were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The farmers mainly kept crosses of Toggenburg (45.9 %), Kenyan Alpine (29.5 %) and Saanen (17.4 %) dairy goats. The average dairy goat flock size was 4.5 (range 1–23) and 77.5 % of the goats were kept for production of milk for domestic consumption. The average milk production per goat per day was 1.26 litres (range 0.5 to 3.5 litres) and was significantly (p 0.05) associated with sub-county of origin, main occupation of the owner, breed, and lactation stages. Goats were mainly fed on napier grass, maize stovers, natural grass and hay; and these feeds did not influence (p 0.05) the milk production levels. The farmers identified helminthosis (84.6 %), pneumonia (32.9 %), coccidiosis (25.8 %) and mastitis (25 %), as the most prevalent goat diseases. In conclusion, the study showed that dairy goat farming in greater Thika Region was characterised by low-input with an objective of provision of milk for home consumption. The observed challenges of low milk productivity and diseases should be addressed by the local extension workers through training on improved husbandry, nutrition and health management of the dairy goats
Effect of Village Savings and Loan Associations on adoption of index-based crop insurance under limited liabilities
No full textA household survey and focus group discussions were conducted to quantify the general determinants of an index-based crop insurance adoption under limited liabilities in Burundi, and specifically the effect of existing Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). The survey sample comprised of 40 crop insurance adopters, 40 non-adopters and 40 drop-outs in Bukirasazi and Makebuko communes of Gitega province.The results indicated that saving money (by VSLAs) for upcoming premium payments and regularly VSLA meetings attendance increase insurance adoption with relative risk ratio (RRR)=0.21, p≤0.001) and (RRR=0.01, p≤0.01), respectively. In addition, VSLAs’ members with more knowledge in land management (RRR=0.07, p≤0.05), crop management (RRR=0.05, p≤0.001) and integrated farm planning (RRR=0.03, p0.05) were more likely to adopt the crop insurance. Furthermore, smallholders being aware and less appreciative limited liability were more likely inclined to adopt crop insurance with RRR=0.12 (p≤0.01) and RRR=0.01 (p≤0.001), respectively.Given the importance of VSLA in fostering crop insurance adoption, we recommend strengthening VSLAs in their operation, save for upcoming premium payments as jointly agreed and set in their constitution, and encourage smallholders to run their farms with integrated farm planning. Due to limited knowledge of smallholders about the mode of crop insurance operation, a more extensive capacity building coupled to a coaching by experts in this domain is more than a necessity
Seasonal variation in mycoflora associated with asymptomatic maize grain from small-holder farms in two provinces of South Africa
Get PDFSeed quality plays an important role in the establishment of healthy crop stands. The aim of this study was to identify the mycoflora associated with maize grain collected over two growing seasons, one experiencing severe drought, from small-holder farms across KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Eastern Cape (EC), two important provinces with maize producing small-holder farmers in South Africa. Asymptomatic maize ears were collected at harvest during two maize growing seasons from farms located in Hlanganani (KZN), Ntabamhlophe (KZN), KwaNxamalala (KZN), Bizana (EC) and Tabankulu (EC). Maize grain was subjected to seed health tests using the agar plate method. The percentage incidence of fungal species isolated from maize grain was determined with species identities confirmed by ITS sequencing. Nine fungal genera were identified with Fusarium species and Stenocarpella maydis the most prevalent. Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium graminearum and S. maydis were isolated from all sites in both seasons. No fungal species exhibited a higher incidence in the drought season across all sites. F. graminearum and S. maydis had higher incidences in the wetter season at four and three sites, respectively. F. verticillioides had a greater incidence at the EC sites, particularly the coastal Bizana site. We conclude that local factors have a greater impact than the drought season on the population structure of ear-rot pathogens. The widespread presence of fungi that are potentially mycotoxin-producing in asymptomatic maize grain poses health risks to consumers and is worthy of further investigation
Responses of Filipino farmers to harsh weather phenomena: A risk perception and attitude study
Get PDFSmall-scale farmers, whose livelihood and food security greatly depends on farming, are constantly exposed and vulnerable to the risks of extreme weather events. The current study explored how the perception and attitude on agricultural risks of small-scale farmers from the upland, lowland and waterside ecosystems in Siniloan, Laguna in Philippines influence the way they respond and cope with extreme weather events. The study employed quantitative and qualitative data collection methods particularly farm surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and secondary data from the office of the municipal agriculturist. The small-scale farmer-respondents recognised that they were exposed and at risk of extreme weather events and perceived climate as a major farming risk (85 %). However, pest and diseases (not climate) was perceived as the biggest risk to their production (94 %). The respondents had a risk-neutral attitude towards extreme weather events and tended to have ‘band-aid’ solutions to the impacts and tolerated the outcome. Based on correlation, the perceptions and attitudes of the small-scale farmers were influenced by socioeconomic factors that generally identified the experiences, roles and spending power of the farmer namely age, education, household size, income, land ownership, farm size and farming experience. The risk perception and risk attitude on various extreme weather events influenced the small-scale farmers’ agricultural practices, such as farm decisions. Therefore, risk perception, risk attitude and socioeconomic factors of the farmers are important factors to consider in risk management strategies for the local agricultural sector of the Philippines. Raising awareness and education on effective adaptation strategies and improved climate forecasting are recommended to minimize losses from extreme weather events
Biofuels and livelihoods: Empirical findings on the welfare impacts of Jatropha cultivation in the Mangochi district, Southern Malawi
No full textThis study evaluates the welfare impacts of jatropha (Jatropha carcus) cultivation measured as consumption expenditure per adult-equivalent for smallholders in southern Malawi. Household survey data from the southern region of Malawi collected in 2014 from 303 smallholders using purposive and random selection strategies were used. Propensity score matching and endogenous switching regression methods were employed to address the selection bias problem and to control for observed and unobserved covariate effects. The analysis suggests that when selection bias and endogeneity were accounted for, jatropha cultivating farmers' welfare was lower as compared to their counterparts. In the absence of tangible empirical evidence on welfare benefits to smallholder jatropha feedstock producers, this study concludes that jatropha is unlikely to bring meaningful welfare benefits to smallholders. As such, further research should consider pursuing other potential biofuel options like ‘moringa” for biodiesel in the future Malawi biofuels policy. These findings also show that biofuels are not a panacea to the rural development and welfare of smallholders. Rather, the results suggest that programme initiatives which build household assets need to be encouraged to improve the plight of rural households largely dependent on agriculture
The impact of uncertainty on smallholder farmers' income in Kyrgyzstan
Get PDFThe farming systems in the mountain areas of Kyrgyzstan are primarily characterised by small-scale crop and livestock activities. Farmers are faced with several environmental, socio-economic and political challenges and constraints that result in significant uncertainties affecting their operations. This paper attempts to model how various sources of uncertainty collectively affected the smallholders’ farm incomes during a mid-term horizon using Monte Carlo simulation. The analyses were based on data collected through a survey of 235 smallholder farms in the medium and high-elevation mountains ranges and expert interviews. We defined a static and a dynamic scenario, the latter of which incorporating likely adjustments in land use and production methods by farmers in response to changing prices and factor costs. Our results suggest that to benefit from improving market opportunities, farmers should adjust and modify their farm management by expanding cash crops in the medium-elevation ranges or increasing herd sizes and fodder cultivation in high-altitude ranges. Results also indicate that farmers in the medium elevations benefit more from these opportunities than farmers in higher altitudes. The paper concludes with some practical recommendations for agricultural policy making in Kyrgyzstan
Constraints to commercialisation of smallholder agriculture in Tanintharyi division, Myanmar
Get PDFMyanmar is a country in rapid economic and political transition, with opportunities emerging for its smallholders to benefit from current economic growth. However many smallholders are trapped in semi-subsistence agriculture, disconnected from markets. Commercialisation can increase farm incomes, and - through the multiplier effect - lead to wider pro-poor growth in the rural economy. However, there are many constraints to commercialisation that prevent this process from occurring. While literature on constraints confronting smallholders abounds internationally, there is a paucity of literature on the challenges confronting smallholders in Myanmar. This study investigates constraints to commercial farming in the townships (districts) of Myeik and Palaw in Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Division. A representative two-stage sample of 259 rural households was drawn from these townships, and data relating to livelihoods and agricultural enterprises were gathered using a structured questionnaire. The most important determinants of commercialisation identified using Heckman regression were the household’s land endowment, liquidity, land quality, and productive assets. Access to affordable financial services could boost household liquidity and investment in farm inputs, assets and improvements to land, so alleviating the most important constraints to commercial farming
Combining biochar with low rate of chemical fertiliser boosts maize biomass yield, regardless of tillage system, under humid conditions
Get PDFBiochar application to soils increases biomass and crop yields, especially with rates higher than 100 t ha−1. Yet, there is limited knowledge on the combined effect of biochar and chemical fertiliser under different tillage systems. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of maize-cob biochar (BC) (rates of 5 and 10 t ha−1) combined with chemical fertiliser micro-dosing (MD) at a rate of 25% of the recommended quantity on total shoot dry matter (DM) and plant height of maize cultivated under flat (F) and tied-ridge (R) practices during a humid season in Tanzania. The results indicate that combining 5 t ha−1 BC with 25% MD increases DM at harvest by 83% (4.16 t ha−1) compared to the control (2.27 t ha−1) and was in the same range as the DM obtained from the treatment with the recommended fertiliser rate (100% FD). The treatments with single applications of 25% MD, 5 t ha−1 BC, and 10 t ha−1 BC only tended to exceed the control of DM yield. Therefore, we recommend that small-scale farmers aiming at DM for livestock or grain yield with limited access to chemical fertilisers to combine biochar with 25% MD, rather than applying biochar or low chemical fertiliser rates alone