1,721,201 research outputs found
COVID‐19 and Farm Management in India: Evidence From the Rural–Urban Interface of Bangalore
No full textABSTRACT We examine farm management decisions of smallholder farmers during the first wave of COVID‐19 infections in India between June 2020 and March 2021. We use panel data from 256 farm households in the rural–urban interface of Bangalore from a pre‐COVID‐19 face‐to‐face survey and a phone survey at the end of the first COVID‐19 wave. We combine this survey data with sub‐district and village level data on the number of COVID‐19 infections as well as rainfall data. Results of fixed effects panel data models show that higher COVID‐19 exposure, measured by numbers of sub‐district and village level COVID‐19 infections, positively affects the number of sustainable agricultural practices adopted. Conversely, higher COVID‐19 exposure is related to a reduction in the share of crops treated with external inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides. The results suggest that disruptions related to COVID‐19 exposure levels restricted farmers' access to agricultural inputs, prompting a shift towards sustainable agricultural practices.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft https://doi.org/10.13039/50110000165
Does Gender Matter?
No full textThe present study aims to contribute to the scarce literature on traditional food crop marketing by analysing the factors influencing (a) the household’s decision to participate in the market and (b) the selling prices obtained by the household. Using an econometric approach, we analyse household data from 270 finger millet producers in western Kenya. A main focus of the study lies on the role of gender and farmer group participation. Results show that group membership increases the probability of market participation and is of particular importance for female farmers, who obtain higher selling prices when participating in a group
Productive efficiency of specialty and conventional coffee farmers in Costa Rica: Accounting for technological heterogeneity and self-selection
No full textA steep decline in coffee prices at the producer level led to considerable pressure for farmers in Costa Rica and producer countries all over the world. One possible reaction was moving to spe- cialty markets, where price pressure was perceived to be lower. We use original survey data from 2002/03 and 2003/04 to analyze the factors influencing efficiency levels of conventional and specialty coffee farmers. Controlling for selectivity bias, we find that technical efficiency in the two subsamples is influenced by both identical and divergent factors. Among the former, addi- tional income activities increase efficiency. Among the divergent factors, experience, bookkeep- ing, and the number of adult household members are found to have a significant impact in the specialty coffee model. In the case of conventional coffee farmers, membership in cooperatives leads to higher farm-level efficiency. Based on the results, we derive policy recommendations to improve farmers’ production performance and ability to cope with the effects of the coffee crisis. These policy measures include the provision of extension services with respect to accounting methods, the creation of income opportunities in rural areas, and the support of farmer-owned cooperatives
Milk, money, and gender: Exploring the link between women's decision‐making in dairy production and welfare investments in boys versus girls
Full text linkAbstract Greater women's bargaining power and decision‐making within a household have been shown to increase investments in human capital. This study links women's participation in decision‐making in dairy production with household investment in girls and boys in health, nutrition, and education. We survey households in the urbanizing region of Bangalore, India. We utilize a multinomial treatment effects model to analyze the individual and household factors that are associated with women's participation in sole or joint decision‐making. We then assess how the type of decision‐making influences a household's investments. The results first show that female decision‐making households are more disadvantaged on average than other types of decision‐making households. Second, we observe that female decision‐makers for dairy production are more likely to have more children and earn a higher income than their husbands. Third, the main findings show that households in which women engage in joint decision‐making have higher levels of investment across all categories for girls. Conversely, investments decrease in education and nutrition for both girls and boys when the wife is the sole decision‐maker. Lastly, investments are enhanced further for girls when households can sell milk at a higher price.Résumé Une plus grande capacité de négociation et de prise de décision des femmes au sein d'un ménage a été démontrée comme augmentant les investissements dans le capital humain. Cette étude établit un lien entre la participation des femmes à la prise de décision dans la production laitière et l'investissement du ménage dans la santé, la nutrition et l'éducation des filles et des garçons. Nous enquêtons sur les ménages dans la région en urbanisation de Bangalore, en Inde. Nous utilisons un modèle d'effets de traitement multinomial pour analyser les facteurs individuels et familiaux associés à la participation des femmes à la prise de décision seule ou conjointe. Nous évaluons ensuite comment le type de prise de décision influence les investissements du ménage. Les résultats montrent d'abord que les ménages où les femmes prennent les décisions sont en moyenne plus défavorisés que les autres types de ménages décisionnels. Deuxièmement, nous observons que les femmes décisionnaires pour la production laitière ont plus de chances d'avoir plus d'enfants et de gagner un revenu plus élevé que leurs maris. Troisièmement, les principales conclusions montrent que les ménages où les femmes participent à la prise de décision conjointe ont des niveaux d'investissement plus élevés dans toutes les catégories pour les filles. À l'inverse, les investissements diminuent dans l'éducation et la nutrition pour les filles et les garçons lorsque la femme est la seule décisionnaire. Enfin, les investissements sont encore plus élevés pour les filles lorsque les ménages peuvent vendre le lait à un prix plus élevé.Abstract Greater women's bargaining power and decision‐making within a household have been shown to increase investments in human capital. This study links women's participation in decision‐making in dairy production with household investment in girls and boys in health, nutrition, and education. We survey households in the urbanizing region of Bangalore, India. We utilize a multinomial treatment effects model to analyze the individual and household factors that are associated with women's participation in sole or joint decision‐making. We then assess how the type of decision‐making influences a household's investments. The results first show that female decision‐making households are more disadvantaged on average than other types of decision‐making households. Second, we observe that female decision‐makers for dairy production are more likely to have more children and earn a higher income than their husbands. Third, the main findings show that households in which women engage in joint decision‐making have higher levels of investment across all categories for girls. Conversely, investments decrease in education and nutrition for both girls and boys when the wife is the sole decision‐maker. Lastly, investments are enhanced further for girls when households can sell milk at a higher price.Résumé Une plus grande capacité de négociation et de prise de décision des femmes au sein d'un ménage a été démontrée comme augmentant les investissements dans le capital humain. Cette étude établit un lien entre la participation des femmes à la prise de décision dans la production laitière et l'investissement du ménage dans la santé, la nutrition et l'éducation des filles et des garçons. Nous enquêtons sur les ménages dans la région en urbanisation de Bangalore, en Inde. Nous utilisons un modèle d'effets de traitement multinomial pour analyser les facteurs individuels et familiaux associés à la participation des femmes à la prise de décision seule ou conjointe. Nous évaluons ensuite comment le type de prise de décision influence les investissements du ménage. Les résultats montrent d'abord que les ménages où les femmes prennent les décisions sont en moyenne plus défavorisés que les autres types de ménages décisionnels. Deuxièmement, nous observons que les femmes décisionnaires pour la production laitière ont plus de chances d'avoir plus d'enfants et de gagner un revenu plus élevé que leurs maris. Troisièmement, les principales conclusions montrent que les ménages où les femmes participent à la prise de décision conjointe ont des niveaux d'investissement plus élevés dans toutes les catégories pour les filles. À l'inverse, les investissements diminuent dans l'éducation et la nutrition pour les filles et les garçons lorsque la femme est la seule décisionnaire. Enfin, les investissements sont encore plus élevés pour les filles lorsque les ménages peuvent vendre le lait à un prix plus élevé
Perception of and adjustment to adverse weather events among smallholder coffee farmers in Rwanda
No full textAbstract Changing temperature and precipitation patterns threaten smallholder farmers producing coffee. Adaptation is crucial, and perceiving adverse weather events as a risk is the first step towards it. The study, therefore, investigated the link between smallholder coffee farmers' perception of adverse weather events and their adjustments to them. First, four distinct groups of farmers can be distinguished based on their risk perception of adverse weather events. Results show that farmers' risk perception is connected to changes in the timing of the seasons and the expected amount of precipitation. Most farmers in the sample adjust to the adverse weather events they experience. Results also found that farmers’ risk perception and adjustment decisions are closely linked
New institutional arrangements and standard adoption: Evidence from small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers in Thailand
No full textGlobalGAP is the most important private standard for producers in the Thai horticultural sector concerning access to high-value markets, especially to Europe. This paper presents an analysis of GlobalGAP adoption by small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers in Thailand focusing on GlobalGAP group certification, the costs and perceived benefits of GlobalGAP adoption, and the factors influencing standard adoption. In our research area, GlobalGAP group certification has encouraged the formation of new institutional arrangements between farmers, exporters and donors. Farmers participating in a development program were organized in certification groups where the Quality Management System (QMS) was either run by the donor, by the exporter, or by farmers themselves. Results of our adoption model suggest that support by donors, exporters and public–private partnerships are vital to enable small-scale farmers to adopt the standard. Furthermore, farmers are more likely to adopt if they are better educated and more experienced, and if they have access to female family labor, improved farming technology, and information and extension services
The role of farmers’ trust, risk and time preferences for contract choices: Experimental evidence from the Ghanaian pineapple sector
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