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Browsing Journal Articles by Subject "Agricultural productivity"
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- ItemAnalysis of the Determinants of Fertilizer Use Decision by Farmers in Senegal using a Logit Model(2023) Ngom Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba; Kwaaning Samuel Arthur; Lo Samb Mamadou Moustapha; Sarr Saer; Dièye Faye MbèneIn Sub Saharan Africa, agriculture plays a central role against hunger and in poverty alleviation. However, it has been noted that agricultural productivity in this area is one of the lowest in the world. One of the reasons of this fact is a decrease of soils fertility due to a lack of nutrients in the soils. To reverse this trend, a solution would be using improved agricultural technologies, like fertilizer. This article aims at determining factors influencing farmers to use fertilizer in Senegal. Data have been collected in five agro ecological zones namely Peanut Basin, Casamance, Niayes, Eastern Senegal and Senegal River Valley. The study sampled 734 household heads for the analysis. For this purpose, a logit model has been estimated through the Maximum Likelihood procedure. Results revealed that household size, gender, relation with extension and research services, farmer organization membership, perception of the cultural practices impact on the land regeneration, connection with Agri-inputs suppliers, cropping cereals and vegetables were statistically significant. The policy implications for a better use of fertilizer are: (i) strengthening extension services capacities in terms of logistics and human resources; (ii) sensitizing farmers to join farmers’ organizations; (iii) strengthening farmers’ capacities in specific themes like good agricultural practices; (iv) putting in place proximity selling points to facilitate fertilizer access to farmers living in isolated areas.
- ItemReview: Taking stock of Africa’s Second-Generation Agricultural Input Subsidy Programs(2018) Thomas S. Jayne; Nicole M. Mason; William J. Burke; Joshua ArigaInput subsidy programs (ISPs) remain one of the most contentiously debated development issues in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). After ISPs were phased out during the 1980s and 1990s, the landscape has changed profoundly since the early 2000s. By 2010, at least 10 African governments initiated a new wave of subsidy programs that were designed to overcome past performance challenges. This study provides the most comprehensive review of recent evidence to date regarding the performance of these second generation ISPs, synthesizing nearly 80 ISPrelated studies from seven countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Ethiopia). We specifically evaluate ISP impacts on total fertilizer use, food production, commercial input distribution systems, food prices, wages, and poverty. We also consider measures that could enable ISPs to more cost-effectively achieve their objectives. We find that ISPs can quickly raise national food production, and that receiving subsidized inputs raises beneficiary households’ grain yields and production levels at least in the short-term. However, the overall production and welfare effects of subsidy programs tend to be smaller than expected. Two characteristics of program implementation consistently mitigate the intended effects of ISPs: (1) subsidy programs partially crowd out commercial fertilizer demand due to difficulties associated with targeting and sale of inputs by program implementers, and (2) lower than expected crop yield response to fertilizer on smallholdermanaged fields. If these challenges could be addressed, ISPs could more effectively mitigate the concurrent challenges of rapid population growth and climate change in SSA.
- ItemThe Significance of Farmers' Climate Change and Salinity Perceptions for On-farm Adaptation Strategies in the South-central Coast of Bangladesh(Elsevier, 2024-03-08) Md. Isfatuzzaman Bhuyana; Iwan Supita; Uthpal Kumar; Shamim Miac; Fulco LudwigClimate change contributes to a rise in salinity levels in the coastal regions of Bangladesh, notably impacting agricultural productivity. Therefore, crop-level adaptation strategies against salinity are crucial to increase productivity. In this study, our objective is to explore farm-level adaptation to climate change-induced salinity in the south-central coastal area of Bangladesh, considering the farmers' perception of climate change and salinity ingress as well as their adaptation strategies. Subsequently, we compare our findings with climatic and salinity data acquired from secondary sources. The study area was partitioned into three distinct zones delineated by proximity to the coastline, and primary data was collected from 475 households within these salinity zones using a multistage random sampling technique. Data collection was carried out using semi-structured questionnaires, which had been pretested on the respondents' perceptions for validity and reliability. The results indicate that while farmers possess an awareness of long-term alterations in climatic conditions, such as changes in temperature and precipitation, they often fail to attribute these changes to climate change explicitly. They could perceive changes in salinity over time but had difficulty perceiving cyclonic events. Farmers realize the risks posed by hydroclimatic variability and extreme weather events. Interestingly, while farmers may not be taking explicit measures to address perceived climatic changes, we discern that they are indeed modifying their agricultural and farming practices, such as fertilizer application, land leveling, and freshwater application. Traditional farming systems increase vulnerability and reduce persistence. In pursuit of enhanced resilience, households must implement various adaptation strategies for resilient farming practices. Moreover, our findings indicate that farmers are interested in adopting diverse adaptation strategies that require technical and financial support, particularly for the smallholders. In conclusion, this research provides valuable information for formulating climate change adaptation policies in the context of coastal agriculture in Bangladesh.