Smallholder marketed surplus and input use under transactions costs: maize supply and fertilizer demand in Kenya

This paper assessed the effects of transactions costs—relative to price and non-price factors—on smallholder marketed surplus and input use in Kenya. A selectivity model was used that accounts not only for the effects of fixed and variable transactions costs but also for the role of assets, technology, and support services in promoting input use and generating a marketable surplus. Output supply and input demand responses to changes in transactions costs and price and non-price factors were estimated and decomposed into market entry and intensity. The results showed that while transactions costs indeed have significant negative effects on market participation, cost-mitigating innovations—such as group marketing—are also emerging to mitigate the costs of accessing markets. Output price has no effect on output market entry and only provides incentives for increased supply by sellers. On the other hand, both price and non-price factors have significant influence on adoption and intensity of input use. Overall, the findings suggest that policy options are available other than price policies to promote input use and agricultural surplus.Commercialization, Marketed surplus, Fertilizer use, Transactions cost, Kenya, Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Consumer/Household Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, International Relations/Trade, Marketing, Productivity Analysis, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

Livelihood Strategies of Resource-Poor Farmers in Striga-Infested Areas of Western Kenya.

Striga hermonthica (del) Benth is threatening rural livelihoods in western Kenya where maize is the major food and cash crop. Vulnerability analysis was conducted on a sample of 802 households in eight districts of Nyanza and Western provinces. Farmers perceived Striga as the major cause of poverty and food insecurity. Both household income and child nutrition indicators showed alarming conditions for the majority of households. The coping strategies and informal safety nets were not capable of addressing the vulnerability issue successfully. A logistic regression model of determinants of poverty was estimated to examine the determinants and correlates of poverty. Results revealed certain characteristics of households that were more likely to be poor: poor access to land and farm assets; high dependency ratio; headed by older farmer with low education attainment; no off-farm work, no cash crops; depend on credit; Striga has been on the farm for long, high perceived yield loss to Striga given high dependency on maize for livelihoods; adopt no integrated Striga control options; and live in Bondo and Vihiga districts. The paper concludes with implications for policy to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in the Striga-affected areas of western Kenya. Key words: livelihoods, maize, Striga, Kenya, Logitlivelihoods, maize, Kenya, Striga, logit, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Consumer/Household Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Health Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Marketing, Productivity Analysis, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Design of a low voltage DC microgrid system for rural electrification in South Africa

This project entails the design of a low voltage DC microgrid system for rural electrification in South Africa. Solar energy is freely available, environmental friendly and it is considered as a promising power generating source due to its availability and topological advantages for local power generation. Off-grid solar systems are perceived to be a viable means of power delivery to households in rural outlying areas in South Africa as solar panels can be used almost anywhere in the country. The design presented in this paper is based on the power demand estimation, photovoltaic panel selection, battery sizing and wire selection for the distribution system

COVID-19 outbreak and rural household food security in the western Democratic Republic of the Congo

Open Access Article; Published online: 11 Nov 2022Although global assessments of the initial impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have focused on income, jobs, and health conditions, this study constitutes one of the first studies that assessed the impact of COVID-19 on food security in DRC and established the short-term implications of the COVID-19 outbreak on rural households’ food security in DRC. In addition, the study recommendations contributed to shaping government interventions toward the pandemic in the Country. The study used data from four western provinces of the country on 1339 households. Our results show that 80 % of households experienced an increase in food prices, 61 % a noticeable decrease in the availability of food, and 54 % a decrease in their dietary diversity. Due to changes in food availability, dietary diversity, and food accessibility imposed by the COVID-19 outbreak, >70 % of households experienced either a decrease in the consumption of meat, milk, fish, and cereals or an increase in their consumption of traditional vegetables. In addition, COVID-19 significantly affected food security dimensions in larger households, households with a greater number of members aged 35 years and above, households headed by women, households where members participate in associations or cooperatives, households that depend on crop sales as the major source of income, and in poorer households. These findings highlight the significant implications of the COVID-19 outbreak on household food security in western DRC and underscore the need for emergency interventions to strengthen the resilience of rural people and accelerate their recovery and other long-term measures toward sustainable and inclusive development

A genome scan for quantitative trait loci affecting cyanogenic potential of cassava root in an outbred population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cassava (<it>Manihot esculenta </it>Crantz) can produce cyanide, a toxic compound, without self-injury. That ability was called the cyanogenic potential (CN). This project aimed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with the CN in an outbred population derived from 'Hanatee' × 'Huay Bong 60', two contrasting cultivars. CN was evaluated in 2008 and in 2009 at Rayong province, and in 2009 at Lop Buri province, Thailand. CN was measured using a picrate paper kit. QTL analysis affecting CN was performed with 303 SSR markers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The phenotypic values showed continuous variation with transgressive segregation events with more (115 ppm) and less CN (15 ppm) than either parent ('Hanatee' had 33 ppm and 'Huay Bong 60' had 95 ppm). The linkage map consisted of 303 SSR markers, on 27 linkage groups with a map that encompassed 1,328 cM. The average marker interval was 5.8 cM. Five QTL underlying CN were detected. <it>CN08R1</it>from 2008 at Rayong, <it>CN09R1</it>and <it>CN09R2 </it>from 2009 at Rayong, and <it>CN09L1 </it>and <it>CN09L2 </it>from 2009 at Lop Buri were mapped on linkage group 2, 5, 10 and 11, respectively. Among all the identified QTL, <it>CN09R1 </it>was the most significantly associated with the CN trait with LOD score 5.75 and explained the greatest percentage of phenotypic variation (%Expl.) of 26%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Five new QTL affecting CN were successfully identified from 4 linkage groups. Discovery of these QTL can provide useful markers to assist in cassava breeding and studying genes affecting the trait.</p

High genetic diversity among and within bitter manioc varieties cultivated in different soil types in Central Amazonia

Although manioc is well adapted to nutrient-poor Oxisols of Amazonia, ethnobotanical observations show that bitter manioc is also frequently cultivated in the highly fertile soils of the floodplains and Amazonian dark earths (ADE) along the middle Madeira River. Because different sets of varieties are grown in each soil type, and there are agronomic similarities between ADE and floodplain varieties, it was hypothesized that varieties grown in ADE and floodplain were more closely related to each other than either is to varieties grown in Oxisols. We tested this hypothesis evaluating the intra-varietal genetic diversity and the genetic relationships among manioc varieties commonly cultivated in Oxisols, ADE and floodplain soils. Genetic results did not agree with ethnobotanical expectation, since the relationships between varieties were variable and most individuals of varieties with the same vernacular name, but grown in ADE and floodplain, were distinct. Although the same vernacular name could not always be associated with genetic similarities, there is still a great amount of variation among the varieties. Many ecological and genetic processes may explain the high genetic diversity and differentiation found for bitter manioc varieties, but all contribute to the maintenance and amplification of genetic diversity within the manioc in Central Amazonia. © 2017, Sociedade Brasileira de Genética

The cyanogenic potential of cassava

Manihot esculenta Cyanogenesis, the ability to produce hydrogen cyanide (HCN), is common to over 2000 plant species. In cassava, two cyanogenic glucosides, linamarin and lotaustralin, are produced in the leaves and stored inside vacuoles. Linamarase, an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the glucosides, is also produced by the plant, but is stored in the cell wall. The hydrolysis of the glucosides and the release of HCN only occurs when plant tissues are damaged, e.g. during processing. Once produced, HCN evaporates. The term cyanogenic potential rather than HCN content should be used to express the concentration of cyanogenic glucosides and their breakdown products. Although the synthesis of linamarin and lotaustralin occurs only in the leaves, the two compounds are found in all plant tissues. There is no correlation between the cyanogenic potential of the roots and the cyanogenic potential of the leaves. There is a wide variation in the root cyanogenic potential. The variation is greater between roots of the same plant than between different plants of the same variety. A sampling scheme of 4 plants per plot in 4 replications is recommended when assessing the cyanogenic potential of a variety in field trials. Water stress increases the cyanogenic potential in cassava. The is a strong environmental effect on the expression of cassava's cyanogenic potential, but the genotype-environment interaction is very weak; Cyanides; Hydrocyanic acid; Germplasm; Africa; Latin AmericaManihot esculenta; Cianuros; Acido cianhídrico; Germoplasma; Africa; América LatinaCassava; Yuca; Fisiologíay bioquímica de la planta; Articles in proceedings; Artículos en memorias; Genética vegetaly fitomejoramiento Plant physiology and biochemistry; Plant genetics and breeding