THE ROLE OF RISK ASSESSMENT IN MANAGING RISK

Risk and Uncertainty,

MEMBERSHIP TO INNOVATION PLATFORMS AND GENDER IN OWNERSHIP OF PRODUCTIVE ASSETS IN THE SAVANNAS OF WEST AFRICA

Access to productive assets is a major issue in the gender empowerment discourse. Asset accumulation is a pre-condition for economic empowerment, and sustainable accumulation of assets is key to upward mobility beyond survival, and towards economic empowerment. The objective of this study was to examine the role that participation in the Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D)\u2019s Innovation Platform \u201cIP\u201d \u2013 (social capital) play in empowering rural women to acquire productive assets using the case of the sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Programme (SSA-CP). We utilised panel data from baseline and midline data obtained from the Kano-Katsina-Maradi Pilot Learning Site (KKM PLS) of the SSA CP in West Africa. The data were obtained from twelve IPs of the three Task Forces (TFs) that made up the KKM PLS of the SSA CP. Altogether, the analysis involved 600 households in the PLS. Both descriptive analysis and the probit regression models showed that women who were inferior to men in productive asset ownership at the inception of the project improved with participation in the innovations of the project, in terms of human asset, input resource, durable business asset and household good.The value of women\u2019s asset index was 21.78 compared to that of men at 18.33 at the end of the project. Probit regression results suggest that membership to IP, female education level, age of female spouse and household size are determinants of asset ownership by women in the study area. The results confirm that social capital in the form of membership of IP enhances accumulation of productive assets for women.L\u2019acc\ue8s aux ressources de production est un probl\ue8me majeur dans les discours sur l\u2019autonomisation des femmes. L\u2019accumulation des biens est un pr\ue9-requis pour l\u2019autonomisation \ue9conomique, et l\u2019accumulation durable des biens est \ue9ssentielle pour une mobilit\ue9 sociale au del\ue0 de la subsistance, et pour une automisation \ue9conomique. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019examiner le r\uf4le que la participation \ue0 la Plate-forme d\u2019Innovation \u201cIP\u201d en Recherch\ue9 Agricole Int\ue9gr\ue9e pour le D\ue9velopppement (IAR4D)- (Capital social) joue dans l\u2019automisation des femmes en milieu rural pour acqu\ue9rir des biens de production en se basant sur le cas du programme des d\ue9fis de l\u2019Afrique Sub-Saharienne (SSA-CP). Nous avons utilis\ue9 les donn\ue9es de base et les donn\ue9es de la ligne m\ue9diane venues du site Pilot d\u2019apprentissage de Kano-Katsina-Maradi (KKMPLS) de SSA en Afrique de l\u2019Ouest. Les donn\ue9es \ue9taient obtenues des douze IPs des trois groupes de travail (TFs) qui formaient les KKMPLS de SSA CP. Ensemble, l\u2019analyse implique 600 m\ue9nages dans les PLS. L\u2019analyse descriptive et les mod\ue8les de r\ue9gression de Probit \ue0 la fois ont montr\ue9 que les femmes qui \ue9taient inf\ue9rieures aux hommes dans l\u2019acc\ue8s aux ressources de production au d\ue9but du projet se sont vues am\ue9lior\ue9es avec la participation aux innovations du projet, en termes des ressources humaines, intrants, actif commercial durable et bien familial. La value de l\u2019indice d\u2019acc\ue8s aux biens des femmes \ue9tait 21,78 compar\ue9e \ue0 celle des hommes qui \ue9tait de 18,33 vers la fin du projet. Les r\ue9sultats de la r\ue9gression de Probit sugg\ue8rent que l\u2019appartenance \ue0 l\u2019IP, le niveau d\u2019\ue9ducation de la femme, l\u2019\ue2ge de la femme et la taille du m\ue9nage sont les d\ue9terminants d\u2019acc\ue8s aux propri\ue9t\ue9s par les femmes dans le mileu d\u2019\ue9tude. Les r\ue9sultats confirment que le capital social en forme d\u2019appartenance aux IP augmente l\u2019accumulation des propri\ue9t\ue9s productives des femmes

PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH DEMONSTRATION AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ADOPTION OF IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE SAVANNAS OF WEST AFRICA

Despite continued progress in the development and promotion of improved agricultural technologies, and the gradual process in agricultural research for development (R4D) programmes, adoption rates are relatively low in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Recommendations have, therefore, been made by national and international research institutions and stakeholders for more involvement of the smallholders in evaluating promising agricultural technologies. This study assessed the impact of the participatory research demonstration on the adoption of the technologies promoted by the sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Programme (SSA CP) using the innovation platform (IP) concept. Results showed that 67 and 59% of the IP and non-IP farmers, respectively, reported that researchers and extension personnel decided on the technologies for research or demonstration. Fifty-two and 43% of the IP and non-IP farmers, respectively, perceived research and demonstration to be very useful. The type of technology or demonstration that farmers mostly participated in was crop variety (IP farmers=72.87%; non-IP farmers=70.19%). Following our analyses which are based on the Instrumental Variable (IV) approach, participation in research and demonstrations significantly increased adoption of the demonstrated technologies by 99%. We observed a 100% significant increase in adoption of the demonstrated technologies in the sample of IP participants. The main factors that determined the adoption of the demonstrated technologies included membership to farmer group, and distances to input and output markets.Malgr\ue9 les progr\ue8s continu dans le d\ue9veloppement et la promotion des technologies agricoles am\ue9lior\ue9es, le progr\ue8s graduel dans les programmes de recherche agricole pour le d\ue9veloppement (R4D), les taux d\u2019adoption sont relativement faibles dans la plupart des parties de l\u2019Afrique Sub-Saharienne (SSA). Des recommendations ont \ue9t\ue9, cependant faites par les institutions nationales et internationals de recherches et les parties prenantes pour plus d\u2019implication des petits exploitants agricoles dans l\u2019\ue9valuation des technologies agricoles prometteuses. Cette \ue9tude a evalu\ue9 l\u2019impact de la d\ue9monstration de la recherche participative sur l\u2019adoption des technologies d\ue9velop\ue9es par le programme d\u2019enjeu de l\u2019Afrique Sub-Saharienne (SSA CP) en utilisant le concept de la plate-forme d\u2019innovation (IP). Les r\ue9sultats ont montr\ue9 que 67 et 59% des producteurs de IP et non-IP, respectivement, ont rapport\ue9 que les chercheurs et le personnel de vulgarisation ont le pouvoir de d\ue9cision sur les technologies de recherche et de d\ue9monstration. Cinquante-deux et 43% de producteurs IP et non-IP, respectivement, ont per\ue7u la recherche et la d\ue9monstration comme tr\ue8s utiles. Le type de technologie ou de d\ue9monstration auquel les paysans ont particip\ue9 \ue9tait la vari\ue9t\ue9 de culture, (producteurs IP=72,87%; producteurs non-IP= 70,19%). Selon nos analyses qui sont bas\ue9es sur l\u2019approche de variable instrumentale (IV), la participation \ue0 la recherche et \ue0 la demonstration a sigificativment augment\ue9 l\u2019adoption des technologies d\ue9montr\ue9es par 99%. Nous avions observ\ue9 une augmentation significative de 100% d\u2019adoption de technologies d\ue9montr\ue9es dans l\u2019\ue9chantillon des particpants IP. Les facteurs principaux qui d\ue9terminent l\u2019adoption des technologies d\ue9montr\ue9es comprennent l\u2019appartenance aux groupements de producteurs, et les \ue9carts entre les march\ue9s d\u2019intrant et du produit

The effect of communication media on the uptake of agricultural innovations in selected states of Nigeria

Open Access Article; Published online: 21 Sep 2022Purpose Poor uptake of agricultural innovations on weed management practices is a major factor responsible for low productivity. This paper examines how communication media can help improve farmers’ adoption behaviour. Methodology A sample of 725 Nigerian cassava farmers, exposed to agricultural innovation on weed management practices from varying sources, were asked, through a structured questionnaire, to indicate their knowledge, attitudes, and practices of cassava weed management. The responses were compared with a sample of 190 cassava farmers who were not exposed to the information (control group). The data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, mean, analysis of variance, and multivariate probit regression. Findings Farmers exposed to the agricultural innovation in weed management practices indicated more positive behaviour (57.7%) towards improved weed management practices than the control group (26.8%). The mean knowledge, attitude, practice, and behaviour of the farmers exposed to the innovation through demonstration was significantly higher than for other sources. Practical implications On-farm demonstrations as a means of communication will enhance the uptake and effectiveness of agricultural innovation on weed management practices. Theoretical implications Findings on the influence of communication media on improved weed control and agronomy are significant, given that there is little well-documented data on how communication media enhances technology and innovation adoption in arable crop farming. Originality/value This study generates important data that reinforces the imperatives of communication and media choices, and further underpins the debate that technology alone cannot lead to uptake by farmers but needs to be communicated

THE ROLE OF RISK ASSESSMENT IN MANAGING RISK

Paper and PowerPoint Presentatio