Technical Efficiency of Sugarcane Monoculture and Sugarcane-Soybean Integration among Smallholder Farmers in Awendo Sub-County, Kenya

The demand for sugar in Kenya has been rising with low farm level productivity and high cost of production of USD 870 per MT. The ability of smallholder sugarcane farmers to improve sugarcane output levels and attain sustainable production depends on efficient farm practices, hence technical efficiency. The study analyzed technical efficiency of sugarcane-based cropping systems among smallholder farmers in Awendo Sub-County, Kenya. Primary cross-sectional data were collected from 246 randomly selected sugarcane farmers using multi-stage sampling method. The study identified two sugarcane-based cropping systems, namely; sugarcane monoculture which accounted for 62.6% of the cropping systems and sugarcane-soybean integration which accounted for 37.4 % of the cropping system, indicating that sugarcane monoculture dominated sugarcane based enterprise in the study area. The analysis employed Cobb Douglas stochastic production frontier model to estimate technical efficiency levels. A two-limit Tobit model was used to examine the factors influencing technical efficiency. Results indicated the highest output elasticity for land size (0.532) followed by herbicides (0.051). Fertilizer quantity and sugarcane cuttings had output elasticities of 0.029 and 0.015 respectively. The sum of the partial elasticities in the estimated model was 0.583. Results also showed that sugarcane-soybean integrators were more efficient than sugarcane monoculture farmers and land was found out to be the single most important variable in influencing the farmer’s efficiency. The mean technical efficiency of 62% and 64 % showed that the potential exist to increase output by 38% and 36% for non-integrators and integrators respectively with the present technology. This study recommends that sugarcane farmers be encouraged to allocate part of their land to production of soybean to enhance food security and improve household income. It further recommends that there is need for training sugarcane and soybean farmers on optimum utilization of farm inputs the study area. Keywords: Technical efficiency, Sugarcane monoculture, Sugarcane-Soybean Integration, Smallholder farme

Déterminants de l’adoption des Variétés Améliorées de Maïs dans la Région de Sikasso Mali

Le maïs à cause de sa forte productivité est parmi les céréales sèches qui occupent une place importante dans la stratégie de la sécurité Alimentaire au Mali. Vue cette place de ce produit dans l’économie des pays de l’Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA) en général et dans celle du Mali en particulier, le Conseil Ouest et Centre pour la Recherche et le Développement Agricoles (CORAF) a signé en 2014 avec ces pays, une convention pour la mise en œuvre d’un programme collaboratif sur la filière maïs. Il s’agit pour cette étude d’analyser les déterminants de l’adoption des variétés améliorées de maïs dans la région de Sikasso Mali. Ainsi, des données ont été collectées auprès de 200 producteurs de maïs dans deux cercles (Yanfolila et Koutiala) de la région de Sikasso. Les méthodes économétriques Probit, Logit avec l’approche contrefactuelle basée sur basée sur l’effet moyen de traitement (ATE) ont été utilisés. Il ressort des résultats que les facteurs déterminants dans l’adoption de la variété DEMBAYUNA sont le prix de vente et la participation à une formation. Par contre pour la variété SOTUBAKA, ce sont le nombre d’actif dans le ménage, l’appartenance à un groupement, le contact avec au moins un projet, le prix de vente et la participation à une formation qui sont déterminants. Le Taux commun d’adoption et d’exposition (JEA) est de 39% pour la variété DEMBAYUMA et 64% pour la variété SOTUBAKA. L’amélioration des conditions des producteurs passe par une vulgarisation poussée des variétés performantes.   Maize, due to its high productivity among dry cereals, occupies an important place in the food security strategy in Mali. Considering the importance of the product in the economy of West African Economics and Monetary Union (UEMOA) countries in general and in Mali in particular, the West and Central African Concil for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) in 2014 signed an agreement with these countries for the implementation of a collaborative program in the maize sector. This paper, therefore, focuses on assessing its impact on income, poverty, food and nutritional security, and on the education of children. Data were collected from 200 maize producers in two circles (Yanfolila and Koutiala) in the Sikasso region. The Probit and Logit econometric methods with the counterfactual approach based on the mean treatment effect (ATE) were used. The econometric results showed that the selling price and participation in training determined the adoption of DEMBAYUNA variety. The number of workers in the household, membership group, contact with at least one project, selling price, and participation in training influenced the uptake of SOTUBAKA variety. The Common Adoption and Exposure Rate (JEA) were 39% for the DEMBAYUMA variety and 64% for the SOTUBAKA variety. The improvement of the livelihood of maize producers should be based on the strengthening of the extension services, i.e., high yielding varieties

UNDERSTANDING THE MULTIPLE SOURCES DRIVERS OF AGRICULTURAL INCOME AMONGST SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN SOUTHERN MALI

Multiple sources of income are important strategies for reducing smallholder farmer liquidity constraints and over dependency on single income source. However, farmers in Southern Mali, especially Malian high agricultural potential region are still faced with liquidity constraints resulting from low income from cash crop (cotton) production. Therefore, this study was carried out to understand the factors that motivate farmers’ decision to engage in several income-generating activities. Cross-sectional data were collected from 134 randomly sampled smallholder farmers from three villages in different agro-ecological zones in Southern Mali. Multivariate probit (MVP) regression model was used to estimate the effect of socioeconomic and institutional factors on farmer participation in different sources of farm income. Correlation analysis showed that there is a significant correlation between the different income sources. Results from the econometric model revealed that the age of the family head determines the probability of farmers' participating in multiple sources of incomes, family size, dependency ratio, land tenure, education level, access to agricultural credit and extension services, cash crop income, off-farm income, input prices, agricultural output prices, and rural infrastructure. These results imply that policymakers and agricultural development programs should target strengthening of institutions as well as enhancement of farmers’ access to productive resources

Production, marketing, and consumption of small ruminants in Mali

This report contains information about Mali's agricultural sector, and breeds of small ruminants in Mali, reproduction system, production parameters of small ruminants in traditional system, constraints to the production systems and the role of small ruminants in the livelihoods of smallholder producers

Institutional Innovations to Transform the Small Ruminant Value Chain in Mali

Institutional Innovations to Transform the Small Ruminant Value Chain in Mali

Chapitre 26. Utilisation des fourrages de céréales-mucuna dans l’alimentation des bœufs de trait

Introduction Dans la zone cotonnière du Mali, l’intensification durable des systèmes de culture et d’élevage passe par l’intégration agriculture-élevage. Le maintien de la fertilité des sols cultivés et l’alimentation des troupeaux posent des problèmes aux agroéleveurs (Coulibaly et al., 2017 a). L’alimentation des animaux en saison sèche est devenue un problème de plus en plus important à la suite de la diminution et de la détérioration des parcours naturels. Cette situation est due aux effe..

Dynamics and adaptation of agricultural farming systems in the boost of cotton cropping in southern Mali

International audienc

UNDERSTANDING THE MULTIPLE SOURCES DRIVERS OF AGRICULTURAL INCOME AMONGST SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN SOUTHERN MALI

Multiple sources of income are important strategies for reducing smallholder farmer liquidity constraints and over dependency on single income source. However, farmers in Southern Mali, especially Malian high agricultural potential region are still faced with liquidity constraints resulting from low income from cash crop (cotton) production. Therefore, this study was carried out to understand the factors that motivate farmers’ decision to engage in several income-generating activities. Cross-sectional data were collected from 134 randomly sampled smallholder farmers from three villages in different agro-ecological zones in Southern Mali. Multivariate probit (MVP) regression model was used to estimate the effect of socioeconomic and institutional factors on farmer participation in different sources of farm income. Correlation analysis showed that there is a significant correlation between the different income sources. Results from the econometric model revealed that the age of the family head determines the probability of farmers' participating in multiple sources of incomes, family size, dependency ratio, land tenure, education level, access to agricultural credit and extension services, cash crop income, off-farm income, input prices, agricultural output prices, and rural infrastructure. These results imply that policymakers and agricultural development programs should target strengthening of institutions as well as enhancement of farmers’ access to productive resources

Determinants of Food Security Among Small-Scale Soybean Households in Butere Sub-County, Kenya

Food and nutritional (in)security remain an important matter of concern, especially in developing countries. Despite the efforts to enhance food security among smallholder soybean households, the proportion of the undernourished population in Butere Sub-County still remains high for unknown reasons. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of food security among smallholder soybean households in Butere Sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted the exploratory research design. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a sample of 201 respondents. Cross-sectional data were gathered through face-to-face interviews using pretested semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using ordered logistic regression model. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to measure and categorize the soybean household food (in)security status. The results revealed that the household food (in)security status differed across soybean households and was greatly influenced by an interplay of socio-economic, market, and institutional factors. Age of the household head negatively influenced food security, whereas the level of soybean commercialization, education, livestock units, network density, extension visits, and credit access were positively associated with household food security. The study recommends policy interventions that seek to ensure intensive literacy development, frequent extension and training, improved access to credit, and reinvestment in productive assets or inputs for increased production, commercialization and food security. Strengthening of social ties and increased allocation to safety net programs for the aged, vulnerable, and resource-poor households are also recommended