The use of participatory processes in wide-scale dissemination of micro dosing and conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe

Participatory technology development has been used for quite some time. However, little is known about how farmers perceive participatory methods and processes. Understanding farmers’ concerns about the participatory process can be an important starting point and can further the ultimate aim of encouraging sustained technology adoption. An ex-post participatory technology development and transfer evaluation was carried out in Zimbabwe in 2006/07 involving 231 farmers. It was revealed that use of demonstration trials encouraged the most participation and subsequent adoption and adaptation of the technologies to suit specific needs. The participatory nature of the process encouraged greater knowledge sharing among farmers and gave them more confidence in the technology. In order to increase the gains of the participatory process, feedback loops should be built in to allow improvements and modifications to be made to the techniques being promoted.Participatory approach, technology, dissemination, adoption, transfer, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

The intensity of adoption of conservation agriculture by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe

This article assesses the intensity of technology adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) techniques by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. It seeks to understand the drivers of CA adoption intensity in terms of the number of practices implemented using count data analysis. On average, the farmers in our sample adopt five out of eight possible CA practices while only 7.4% use all eight practices in any one year. Practices such as digging planting basins (81.9%), applying manure (73.2%) and timely post-planting weeding (70.1%) are relatively popular, while adoption of crop rotation (22.8%) is comparatively rare. Productivity is positively correlated to the number of techniques used. Farmers adopting all the CA practices are the most productive, with an estimated maize yield of 2.50 tons/ha, compared with a yield of less than 1 tons/ha for those using three techniques or fewer. Results from a Poisson regression indicate that education, agro-ecology, non-governmental input support and extension support have a significant impact on adoption intensity. Subsidised inputs increase the number of components used, although access to those inputs was uneven across regions of Zimbabwe. Further, the number of CA components used in the previous season positively impacts current season adoption intensity, implying that promotions of CA technologies do have a persistent effect, even after those promotions end.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ragr202016-12-31hb201

Cost effectiveness of seed fairs relative to direct relief distribution in Zimbabwe

Seed fairs were being promoted in Zimbabwe as an alternative seed distribution approach to sustain local input markets. Using data from ICRISAT monitoring surveys of 2005–06 and records maintained by non-governmental organisations, this article reveals that seed fairs were more cost effective in distributing local seed compared to direct distribution of imported seed. The article found that, in order to supply one household with a seed pack, it will cost an agency US$5.18 through seed fair compared to US$8.22 through direct seed distribution. Vouchers redeemable in retail shops are proposed as an incentive for local shops to stock and distribute agricultural inputs.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cdip2

Measurement, reporting and verification of climate-smart agriculture: Change of perspective, change of possibilities?

The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Unique Forestry and Land Use and Vuna have been working with stakeholders in four countries in eastern and southern Africa (Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe) to assess the current state of national CSA M&E and to set out country-specific roadmaps for developing systems for monitoring and reporting on CSA. The project took a country-driven approach to documenting stakeholders’ information needs, exploring how to build on and align with existing M&E systems and international reporting frameworks, and encouraging cross-country comparisons. Though the research was grounded in southern Africa, these lessons are applicable to CSA and other topic-driven initiatives (such as land restoration and the Bonn Challenge) across similar environments and social contexts on the continent and around the world. Here we detail three key findings from the assessment

Mesure, notification et vérification de l’agriculture intelligente face au climat: changement de perspective, changement de possibilités ? Conclusions de l’auto-évaluation nationale des besoins, systèmes et opportunités

Depuis 2009, des milliards de dollars ont été investis dans des programmes d’AIC dans le but d’aider les petits exploitants à augmenter leur productivité tout en s’adaptant aux changements climatiques et en contribuant à les atténuer. Cependant, l’AIC a récemment dépassé les cercles de l’aide au développement et de la société civile, et les pays se sont mis à adopter des stratégies d’AIC dans le cadre de leurs politiques et stratégies de riposte aux changements climatiques et de développement agricole, notamment leurs Contributions déterminées au niveau national (CDN)

Determinants of yield impact and adoption of conservation agriculture among smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe

The thesis assesses the yield advantage and adoption dynamics of conservation agriculture (CA) as a sustainable farming method that was introduced in Zimbabwe to address the problems of low productivity and declining soil quality. This study is based on five-year panel survey that was intended to monitor the impacts of CA on adopters. The study focused particularly on basin CA, which involves digging small pits with hand hoes during the off-season. This technology allows for early planting and the concentration of soil nutrients within the planting basin in order to reduce the risk of crop failure. Specifically, this study attempts to: a) Provide evidence that shows that CA adoption has a positive impact on maize yield; b) Determine factors that condition farmers to apply more components of the CA package ; and c) Answer the question why some farmers are abandoning CA, which they had adopted earlier. The first part of the thesis used plot level data to model a single equation yield function where CA was assumed to have an intercept effect. Through a household fixed effect model, the impact on yield was measured and verified through ordinary least squares. The evaluation showed that the input with the greatest impact on yield was nitrogen fertiliser. The unambiguous finding of this analysis is the positive significant impact of CA technology on maize yield. The second part of the thesis examined the determinants of adoption intensity using count regression models, specifically Poisson and negative binomial regression. The evaluation showed that more intense users of CA had higher productivity, lived in areas with higher production potential and received some form of input support from non-governmental organisations. There is a general tendency towards dis-adoption as farmers reduce the number of CA practices applied with time. However, the number of techniques applied in the current season increases albeit at a diminishing rate. This implies that CA is becoming more intensively practised in a relatively endogenous manner. However, unless conditions that make the practice easier to apply, CA cannot be expected to be maintained in Zimbabwe. Finally the thesis applied a random effects logit model to measure abandonment of CA. Study findings suggest that poor vulnerable households are more likely to persist with CA confirming that CA is accessible to the poor who are the target group for this technology. Loss of input support through programmes has contributed to dis-adoption but it is not clear whether commercial fertiliser has been available in the absence of NGO programmes. In addition, there is a strong tendency toward dis-adoption in semi-arid and arid regions, raising the question about the suitability of CA in those regions. The study finds results that appear to be at odds with each other: that the practice of CA leads to significantly higher yields of the most important crop, yet there is evidence of farmers discontinuing the practice. There is therefore need to explore the factors that constrain adoption and encourage abandonment in order to understand whether the future of sustainable agriculture in Africa lies in CA.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016.Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural DevelopmentPhDUnrestricte

Adoption of agroecological intensification practices in Southern Africa: A scientific review

AbstractMany international policy and academic circles have explored the effects of climate change on household livelihood outcomes, such as food and nutrition security, household income, and household resilience. Yet, little attention has been paid to understanding how literature has framed adoption drivers of agroecological intensification practices, an area addressed in this study. This review consolidates available literature on how adoption impacts crop yields, food and nutrition security, household incomes, and poverty reduction in Southern Africa. We systematically reviewed 45 empirical studies on adoption drivers and the associated impacts on household livelihood outcomes. Variables affecting adoption of agroecological intensification practices are rainfall distribution and temperature, non-farm economic activities, status of soil fertility, market access, ownership of communication equipment, livestock ownership, age of household head, gender of the household head, household size, factors of production and wealth status. Majority of the reviewed publications found a positive correlation between the use of agroecological intensification practices and crop yield, food and nutrition security, household incomes, and poverty reduction. Thus, it is recommended that agricultural interventions are designed in a way that farmers have a sense of ownership to ensure continuity of adoption, and practices are tailored to the needs of the target population, taking into account both the mix of technologies and existing farmer resource constraints

An evaluation of the use of participatory processes in wide-scale dissemination of research in micro dosing and conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe

Participatory technology development has been used for quite some time. However, little is known about how farmers perceive participatory methods and processes. Understanding farmers' concerns about the participatory process can be an important starting point and can further the ultimate aim of encouraging sustained technology adoption. An ex-post participatory technology development and transfer evaluation was carried out in Zimbabwe in 2006/07 involving 231 farmers. It was revealed that use of demonstration trials encouraged the greatest participation and subsequent adoption and adaptation of the technologies to suit specific needs. The participatory nature of the process encouraged greater knowledge-sharing among farmers and gave them more confidence in the technology. In order to increase the gains of the participatory process, feedback loops should be built in to allow improvements and modifications to be made to the techniques being promoted

An evaluation of the use of participatory processes in wide-scale dissemination of research in micro dosing and conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe

Participatory technology development has been used for quite some time. However, little is known about how farmers perceive participatory methods and processes. Understanding farmers’ concerns about the participatory process can be an important starting point and can further the ultimate aim of encouraging sustained technology adoption. An ex-post participatory technology development and transfer evaluation was carried out in Zimbabwe in 2006/07 involving 231 farmers. It was revealed that use of demonstration trials encouraged the greatest participation and subsequent adoption and adaptation of the technologies to suit specific needs. The participatory nature of the process encouraged greater knowledge-sharing among farmers and gave them more confidence in the technology. In order to increase the gains of the participatory process, feedback loops should be built in to allow improvements and modifications to be made to the techniques being promoted