DETERMINANTS OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN LOW INPUT AGRICULTURE: THE CASE OF BANANA PRODUCTION IN UGANDA

Replaced with revised version of paper 09/01/04.Crop Production/Industries,

Early changes in farmers’ adoption and use of an improved maize seed: An assessment of the impact of demos and field days

Background: Demonstration plots are widely used in the seed industry to create awareness and promote improved seed among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the magnitude of effects on farmers’ adoption behaviour is less known. Objectives: This study assessed the impact of demonstration plots and field days on farmers’ awareness, knowledge and use of the improved maize variety that was being promoted. The study also assessed the impact on maize yields and production. Method: A promotion campaign was mounted by a local seed company in eastern and western Uganda, where demonstration plots were established and field days were held for two seasons. These were aimed at augmenting effects of radio messages that were aired over the same period. We used quasi-experimental approaches to determine changes in farmers’ adoption behaviour towards a new maize variety, and the subsequent effects on productivity. Farm household data were collected at the baseline and midline from a sample of 2050 households. Results: The findings showed no effect on the proportion of farmers planting the promoted variety, the acreage or proportion of land planted with the promoted variety. This was not surprising as farmers’ awareness and knowledge about the variety remained very low. Conclusion: The early result shows that demonstration plots were not effective, suggesting that more effective approaches should be explored. It may also be the case that the assessment was too early in the adoption cycle, in which case results after two more seasons of promotion will provide a better estimate of the effect

Determinants of banana productivity and technical efficiency in Uganda

The estimation of a stochastic production frontier model with inefficiency effects can be used to analyze the technical efficiency of banana production among Uganda smallholders. The two constraints in banana production include soil fertility and labor. In the inquiry, the impact of plot farm and regional characteristics on the productivity and efficiency of banana farmers has been assessed. It was showed that much is needed to be done in terms of access to basic inputs, farm credit, information and education to improve the productivity of small farmers. It was also showed that in high-elevation region, the productivity of cooking bananas depends on the climate and soil characteristics of the region and is more pronounced

Determinants of smallholder farmer labour allocation decisions in Uganda

There is growing evidence of the increasing role of nonfarm activities in the rural livelihoods. However, empirical evidence on the factors that influence smallholder farmers to diversify into nonfarm activities is still scanty. The study analyses the factors that influence household labour allocation decisions and demand for hired farm labour. It was carried out in central, Masaka and southwest regions of the country, which have divergent production constraints and opportunities. The study shows that household members respond positively to increases in shadow wages and negatively to increases in shadow incomes, which implies that they respond to economic incentives. Increase in wage rates negatively affects use of hired labour. Household size has no effect on the use of hired labour, implying that economic rationing of hiring labour has more to do with the market wage than family size and composition. Education and road access have a positive effect on time allocated to off-farm activities. Access to off-farm opportunities, however, takes away the most productive labour from farm production. Investment in road infrastructure, education and financial institutions suited to smallholder production needs could help to alleviate the bottlenecks in the labour, food and financial markets, and improve resource allocation between the farm and nonfarm sectors

Determinants of smallholder farmer labour allocation decisions in Uganda

There is growing evidence of the increasing role of nonfarm activities in the rural livelihoods. However, empirical evidence on the factors that influence smallholder farmers to diversify into nonfarm activities is still scanty. The study analyses the factors that influence household labour allocation decisions and demand for hired farm labour. It was carried out in central, Masaka and southwest regions of the country, which have divergent production constraints and opportunities. The study shows that household members respond positively to increases in shadow wages and negatively to increases in shadow incomes, which implies that they respond to economic incentives. Increase in wage rates negatively affects use of hired labour. Household size has no effect on the use of hired labour, implying that economic rationing of hiring labour has more to do with the market wage than family size and composition. Education and road access have a positive effect on time allocated to off-farm activities. Access to off-farm opportunities, however, takes away the most productive labour from farm production. Investment in road infrastructure, education and financial institutions suited to smallholder production needs could help to alleviate the bottlenecks in the labour, food and financial markets, and improve resource allocation between the farm and nonfarm sectors.Farm Management, Labor and Human Capital,

Impact of creative capacity building of local innovators and communities on income, welfare and attitudes in Uganda: a cluster randomized control trial approach

Stata do files and ready-for-analysis data used in the analysis published in the Final Report to 3ie on the project, "Impact of creative capacity building of local innovators and communities on income, welfare and attitudes in Uganda: a cluster randomized control trial approach" (project code PW2.08). This project was funded as part of the Policy Window Round 2

DETERMINANTS OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN LOW INPUT AGRICULTURE: THE CASE OF BANANA PRODUCTION IN UGANDA

Banana production provides suitable options for subsistence and income generation in the mid and high elevation areas of East Africa, including Uganda. Limited access to factor markets (labour, land and credit), as well as critical biophysical factors (pests, diseases and soil degradation) have led to the decline of banana production in central Uganda and its rise in the southwest of the country. We formulate a farm production model to analyze farm household behavior in developing countries regarding resource allocation to crop production with specific reference to banana production. Findings have implications for policies to support sustainable agricultural production and growth, contributing to on-going debates about the separability of consumption and production decisions in developing economies and the response of poor households to price incentives. Our adapted model considers the non-separability of household production and consumption decisions. Perfect market conditions rarely exist in developing countries because of limited access to credit and the seasonal nature of crop production. Households often fail to satisfy annual cash income constraints, their expenditures exceeding revenue at certain periods of the year. We estimated a production function econometrically with a double log functional form to analyze output response to input use. A reduced form equation of labour demand was estimated to analyse the determinants of farmers' investment in banana production. Primary data was generated through a random sample that includes 660 households of which 533 were used. The sample was drawn from 33 villages located in major banana production systems, stratified by elevation and previous exposure to new technology. Elevation is highly correlated with differences in farm and biophysical characteristics such as soil fertility, incidence of pests and plant disease. "Exposure" captures the village-level effect on household decision-making of previous technology releases. Results from the production function showed positive and significant relationship between banana production and elevation, crop sanitation labour and natural pasture. Education of household head was negatively related to output, implying that improvements in education results to a withdraw labour from agriculture to other activities. Labour use in cooking banana responded negatively to wage rate but response to out price was not significant. Nonfarm self-employment was negatively related to labour use in cooking bananas implying withdraw of family labour from farm production to non-farm production. There was a negative relationship between distance to paved roads and labour use, which implies higher transaction costs for farmers staying far away from improved road network. Education of housewife was positively related to labour used in banana production in low altitude areas but not significant for high altitude areas implying that women have a big role in decisions regarding food crop production. Investment in education (improving farming skills) of women might increase food security in low input agricultural areas. The joint effect of household characteristics on labour use (output supply) was significant implying that the separability condition between production and consumption decisions among smallholder producers is not valid. The results indicate that, given the current environment constraints, investment in technology development and dissemination has positive implications for agricultural development in low input systems. Investment in human capital, especially in education of women, and providing an enabling environment for easy access to input markets play major roles in improving agricultural production