Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics (JARTS)
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Effectiveness of the farmer-field-school approach in small-scale mixed crop-livestock systems in Burundi
Full text linkDairy farming is one of the means to meet the growing demand for milk and reduce rural poverty in developing countries. To improve its productivity, many agricultural approaches have been tried, including the Farmer-Field-School (FFS) approach. This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of this approach in terms of the adoption of new technologies introduced in small-scale mixed crop livestock systems in Burundi to improve its productivity. A survey was carried out among 98 FFS members and 78 non-members. Technology adoption rates were calculated among FFS and non-FFS members, as well as annual profits per cow. The results showed higher adoption rates among FFS respondents compared to non-FFS respondents for cemented barn floors, traditional lick-blocks, and manure composting, whereas fertilisation of fodder crops, treatment of hay with molasses/urea, and concentrate making were less adopted for the two groups. The annual gross margin was higher for the FFS-group (median: 654 US). The study showed that the dissemination of new technologies among non-supported, non-FFS farmers remained low. It is concluded from the results that FFS approach brings about a positive change in farmers’ behaviour towards adopting improved technologies. However, the results identified a number of constraints limiting the effectiveness of this approach including the low availability of inputs, the low financial capacities of farmers, and the complexity and/or the high price of certain technologies. Our results may provide useful information for strengthening the FFS approach in Burundi. For instance, a consistent financial support and follow-up are important for the sustainability of FFS practices. Harmonizing the market prices along the milk value chain is also proposed to increase incomes from the sale of milk
Gender disparities in agricultural land access and cashew farming participation in Kintampo South District, Ghana
Full text linkThis study examines gender disparities in access to agricultural land and participation, using a sample of 200 cashew farmers in the Kintampo South District of Ghana and descriptive statistical analysis. The study assesses land tenure status, benefits from cashew production and levels of participation by gender. The results suggest significant gender inequalities with male farmers experiencing greater access to land, property rights, and economic benefits than female farmers, who in most cases face deep-rooted systematic barriers in existing customary land practices. Against all odds and with limited control over resources, women are actively involved in cashew farming. The Theory of Access (ToA) and the FAO's Factors and Institutions Framework were used to conceptualise these inequalities. The research highlights the urgent need for gender-responsive land policies, improved access to credit and agricultural extension services, and structural reforms that promote equitable participation in agricultural value chains, especially at the production level. The research contributes to the understanding of the socio-economic dynamics affecting gender roles in agriculture, particularly in the Ghanaian community context of cashew farming
Does guava (Psidium guajava L.) adoption enhance food security and dietary diversity? A neglected fruit crop from northern Ethiopia
Full text linkThis paper aimed to examine the impact of guava adoption on food security and dietary diversity of farm households in northern Ethiopia. This study used 384 sample households, of which 184 and 200 were adopters and non-adopters, respectively. We used an endogenous switching regression model (ESR) in the impact evaluation. From the first stage (selection) of model result, factors such as age of household head, farm size, livestock ownership, access to markets, access to irrigation, household income, and access to extension services significantly influences the likelihood of guava adoption. The result of the second stage of the endogenous switching regression model shows that adoption of guava has significantly enhanced household’s food security (calorie intake) and dietary diversity score, by 2.15% and 37.8%, respectively. Furthermore, the positive sign of transitional heterogeneity effect highlights guava adopters had significantly greater food security status and dietary diversity score. Therefore, this study recommends that the regional government of Tigray should give particular attention to resource-poor farmers by strengthening institutional services, thereby fostering guava adoption as a strategic intervention to address food insecurity
Forest conservation practices: Insights of local communities near wildlife-protected areas in Ghana
Full text linkEffective forest conservation relies on active community participation; however, local communities in Ghana are often excluded from policy development. This study explored community perspectives on forest conservation by identifying practices that local inhabitants believed could help preserve the forests in two wildlife-protected areas within the forest-savannah transition zone of Ghana: Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (BFMS) and Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve (KSNR). A cross-sectional survey involving 300 respondents was conducted using semi-structured questionnaires to gather insights into locally suggested conservation practices. A Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) model was employed to assess whether the socio-demographic variables such as age, sex, educational level, occupation and residential status influenced these perspectives. Wildfire prevention was the most emphasised conservation strategy in BFMS (38.6%), while respondents in KSNR (37.2%) emphasised increased staffing for effective forest monitoring. Socio-demographic variables had no statistically significant influence (p 0.05) on respondents’ perspectives. The findings highlight the importance of integrating local knowledge and community-driven conservation approaches for effective forest management. Strengthening participatory strategies can enhance conservation outcomes and contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land), which focus on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience
Survival and growth performance of local chickens from Burkina Faso and their crossbreeds with exotic cocks in an intensive production system
Full text linkIn response to the growing demand for poultry products in Burkina Faso, small scale producers near urban centres have increasingly adopted crossbreeding practices, mating indigenous hens with exotic roosters. Despite this trend, limited information exist on the performance of these crossbreeds under intensive production systems. This study evaluated the growth and survival performance of local chickens and their crossbreeds to assess the current crossbreeding practices. Four experimental groups of chickens were established, comprising 54, 40, 38, and 36 individuals respectively, resulting from matings between local hens and cocks of the North Holland Blue, Sasso, Brahma, and local breeds. Birds were reared over a 20 week period, with growth and survival data analysed using descriptive statistics and Gompertz growth modelling. At 20 weeks, the average live weights were 1,297 g for Brahma crossbreeds, 1,261 g for North Holland Blue crossbreeds, 1,572 g for Sasso crossbreeds and 1,083 g for the local breed. The crossbreeds all significantly outperformed the local breed (p0.05). The Sasso crossbreeds exhibited superior growth throughout the rearing period, while the Brahma and North Holland Blue crossbreeds only surpassed the local breed after the fourth month. The Sasso crossbreeds also displayed the most favourable Gompertz parameters: mature weight (a) of 2,027 g, maturation rate (k) of 0.02, and integration constant (b) of 4.3. However, they also recorded the highest mortality rate (25%), contrasting with the lowest rate observed in the local breed (8.3%), a statistically significant difference (p 0.05). These findings suggest that while Sasso crossbreeding offers promising gains in meat production, targeted improvements in management practices are essential to mitigate associated mortality risks and ensure sustainable adoption in smallholder systems
A review of climate-smart agriculture in Asia: Critical achievements, key challenges, and potential prospects
Full text linkClimate change is posing a risk to rural communities and smallholders in Asia, whose livelihoods traditionally depend on farming. To address this, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is widely encouraged for sustainable development. Despite global recognition of CSA, there is currently limited evidence to generalise and evaluate the practical implementation of CSA in this region. Given various agro-climate conditions, institutional settings, and socioeconomic backgrounds, this paper conducted a systematic review of the achievements, challenges, and prospects of CSA in Asian countries. We classified nine groups of CSA practices: conservation agriculture, water management, climate-resilient varieties, agricultural diversification, integrated pest management, nutrient management, precision farming, agrivoltaics, and livestock management. The linkages of enabling policies, knowledge transfer, market conditions, financial mechanisms, and socioeconomic background are crucial in supporting the performance and sustainability of CSA. In addition to the achievements in distinct criteria (productivity, adaptation, and mitigation), key challenges include the lack of enforcing guidelines, the shortage of learning platforms, the limitation of financial support, and the weakness of coordination among partnerships in the long term. To promote CSA in Asia, the engagement of multi-stakeholders at multi-levels should be increased to enhance the capacities of farming households and help them adopt responsive actions to local conditions
Plant growth-promoting potential of Bacillus species isolated from the rhizosphere of crops in Sudan and Saudi Arabia
Full text linkThere is an increasing interest in using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria as alternatives for fertilisers and pesticides in sustainable agriculture. In this study, rhizosphere soil samples from 15 crop species in Sudan and Saudi Arabia were extracted, and 113 rhizobacterial isolates were obtained. Out of eight Bacillus isolates, seven were identified as members of the Bacillus cereus group, which is mainly differentiated by their plasmid-driven phenotypes. The eight strains were tested for their plant growth stimulatory effects on maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using a model biotest under controlled environmental conditions in a growth chamber. Depending on application form, i.e. viable cells or their culture supernatant, and applied concentrations, six isolates stimulated maize plant growth. Similarly, six isolates enhanced wheat growth, but the influence of the single isolates differed between and within plant species, indicating plant-specific responses. Furthermore, diversity of rhizospheric members of the B. cereus group is highlighted, as all seven isolates differed in terms of colony traits, capacity to produce indole-3-acetic acid, and response by the maize and wheat plants. Overall, this study indicates the potential of plant growth-promoting Bacillus strains for commercial application promoting further investigation in soil and under field applications
Assessment of the presence of antibiotic residues in meat from small-scale broiler farms in the Pwani region of Tanzania
Full text linkThe unregulated use of veterinary drugs, particularly antibiotics, on Tanzanian broiler farms is widespread. Still, little attention has been paid to the factors that promote the presence of antibiotic residues in broiler meat. This study aimed to identify rearing practices likely to favour the presence of antibiotic residues and to determine the presence of residues of commonly used antibiotics in broiler meat. The length of the rearing period, poultry pathologies and the type of veterinary medicines used were studied on 78 farms in the Pwani region (Tanzania). The results showed that infectious coryza, coccidiosis, chronic respiratory diseases, salmonellosis and omphalitis were the most common diseases. Of the veterinary medicines used to treat these diseases, antibiotics were the most widely used (69%), mainly enrofloxacin (ENO), limoxin (LX), oxytetracycline (OTC), tylosin (TS) and tylodox (TDX). Eight farms were selected to take broiler meat samples for laboratory analysis of residues of these five antibiotics. These analyses revealed that all but one of the samples were negative. Samples taken from four-week-old birds tested positive for another antibiotic, sulfamethazine (SF), which was not initially one of the five antibiotics selected for this study. This study highlighted the significant use of veterinary drugs in response to various diseases. The absence of antibiotic residues can be attributed to the age of the animals sampled, as at over 5 weeks, they would have had time to eliminate the drugs. A rearing period of four weeks is insufficient and would be a factor favouring the presence of drug residues in broiler meat
Weighing benefits in cocoa farming systems: An analysis of profitability in certified and non-certified cocoa farming schemes in Cameroon
Full text linkThe environmental and economic benefits of certified cocoa production are well documented in the current literature. Yet, adoption rates remain largely suboptimal, at least partially due to insufficiently documented empirical evidence on comparative advantage of certified cocoa schemes over conventional production systems. This study estimates profits in certified and non-certified cocoa farming systems in Meme Division in Cameroon. Mixed methods research design and the multistage sampling technique were applied to collect and analyse data, and comparatively estimate profits by applying the gross margins (GM), net farm income (NFI), net present value (NPV), benefit cost ratio (BCR) and internal rate of return (IRR) analyses on 460 individual cocoa farmers. The results showed that GM, NFI, NPV and BCR were significantly higher for certified cocoa farmers compared to non-certified cocoa farmers (p=0.000). The study concludes that certified cocoa production is more profitable than non-certified cocoa production, and therefore has a significant positive impact on the livelihoods of those involved. It is recommended that farmers in the study area be encouraged to adopt certified cocoa production, for example by facilitating access to relevant resources for certified cocoa production, such as access to credit and other policies and programmes designed to motivate participation
