Robust evidence underpinning the role of beekeeping in poverty alleviation is currently lacking. This study estimated the production potential for beekeepers in Northern Uganda by quantifying current ...production assets (equipment and knowledge) and impact on rural income streams range of proposed interventions. Intervention scenarios evaluated the economic benefits to be derived from different hive types combined with year-round provision of a nectar source (Calliandra calothyrsus) planted at varying density. Findings show that the type and number of beehive combinations used influenced the amount of revenue streams generated by the beekeepers. Addition of 20 log hives increased incomes 10 times, 20 KTBs increased revenues 16 times and Langstroth 18 times. Adding Calliandra trees as a forage source to the baseline scenario yielded revenues up to 17.6 times higher than the baseline. Implying that good management plus the introduction of a reliable nectar source, to off-set dry season challenges (absconding), could improve beekeeping productivity in Northern Uganda. Further research is required to validate in situ the impact of modelled scenarios on both honey yield and other ecosystem service benefits.
This paper analyses the efficiency with which water is used in small-scale irrigation schemes in North-West Province in South Africa and studies its determinants. In the study area, small-scale ...irrigation schemes play an important role in rural development, but the increasing pressure on water resources and the approaching introduction of water charges raise the concern for more efficient water use. With the data envelopment analysis (DEA) techniques used to compute farm-level technical efficiency measures and sub-vector efficiencies for water use, it was shown that under constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) specification, substantial technical inefficiencies, of 49% and 16%, respectively, exist among farmers. The sub-vector efficiencies for water proved to be even lower, indicating that if farmers became more efficient using the technology currently available, it would be possible to reallocate a fraction of the irrigation water to other water demands without threatening the role of small-scale irrigation. In a second step, Tobit regression techniques were used to examine the relationship between sub-vector efficiency for water and various farm or farmer characteristics. Farm size, landownership, fragmentation, the type of irrigation scheme, crop choice and the irrigation methods applied showed a significant impact on the sub-vector efficiency for water. Such information is valuable for extension services and policy makers since it can help to guide policies towards increased efficiency.
The potential of beekeeping to mitigate the exposure of rural sub-Sahara African farmers to economic stochasticity has been widely promoted by an array of development agencies. Robust outcome ...indicators of the success of beekeeping to improve household well-being are unfortunately lacking. This study aimed to identify the key drivers and barriers of beekeeping adoption at the household level, and quantified the associated income contribution in three agro-ecological zones in Uganda. Beekeepers were generally the most economically disadvantaged people in the study areas and tended to adopt beekeeping following contact with non-government organisations and access to training. Whilst incomes were not statistically lower than their non-beekeeping counterparts; their mean household well-being scores were significantly lower than non-beekeeping households. The inability of beekeeping to significantly improve well-being status can in part be attributed to a lack of both training in bee husbandry and protective equipment provision such as suits, gloves and smokers. These are critical tools for beekeepers as they provide the necessary confidence to manage honey bees. Rather than focussing solely on the socio-economic conditions of farmers to effectively adopt beekeeping, future research should also attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of development agencies' provision to the beekeeping sector.
Abstract
Integrated water management is complex and requires the participation of diverse actors to identify and implement transformative solutions. However, power relations can obstruct the more ...inclusive and equitable experiences of participatory approaches, hence limiting the empowerment of vulnerable groups. It is thus important to study how power relations are influenced by people's interests, socio-political structures, and knowledge in the process of (co)creation of water policies. We use a case study in a rural municipality of Bolivia to address this issue. Qualitative data were collected between 2017 and 2020 and analysed using the elements of the Power Cube of Gaventa as the analytical framework. Results confirm that different factors influence power relations in the making of a water policy such as interests, access to information, habits, and customs. Actors use different forms, spaces, and levels of power to achieve their interests. Our results show the importance and need to analyse power relations prior, during and after the (co)creation of any public policy and to step away from linear and sectoral frameworks of policy development.
•Firms need to provide clear income benefits to farmers to prevent them stepping out.•With a partial control for publication bias, the pooled average income effect of contract farming lies between ...23% and 55%.•This estimate is upward biased because contract schemes that fail in the initial years are not covered by research.•Contract farmers tend to be significantly larger or richer than the average farmer in the region.•A price premium was present in the most effective cases, especially when no cooperative was involved in its set-up.
Contract farming is a sales arrangement between a farmer and a firm, agreed before production begins, which provides the farmer with resources or services. Many governments and donors promote contract farming as part of agricultural development policies. However, there is serious concern whether smaller farmers can benefit from these arrangements.
This paper presents the results of a systematic review that analysed the evidence in the literature on income effects for smallholders. The review included all studies with an econometric design to reduce selection bias in effect estimates. The meta-analysis covered 26 empirical instances of contract farming in 13 developing countries. The contracts varied widely, with varying service packages provided by the firm to the farmers. Using truth table analysis, we explored combinations of services associated with relatively high or relatively low income effects.
The meta-analysis resulted in an overall pooled average effect size of 38%. However, we show that there are publication and survivor biases. Non-significant effects are systematically underreported. Moreover, all studies assessed the effectiveness of the contractual arrangement when these had already survived the start-up problems. Both sources of bias lead to an overestimation of the average income effect.
The findings point to the need for substantial income effects for contract farming arrangements to survive over time. Both firms and farmers face risks; for example, farmers may side-sell products after having received the services from the firm. The most effective contractual arrangements included a price premium, especially when there was no farmers’ organisation to broker the contract between the farmer and the firm.
We show that smallholders can benefit from the contractual arrangement. However, the poorest farmers are rarely included; we show that, in 61% of the cases, the contract farmers had significantly larger landholdings or more assets than the average farmers in the region.
Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are considered part of an environmentally friendly technology leading to more timely and cost-effective production and management of farms. Despite the potential of ...WSNs to agricultural development in the global South, outreach is still very limited, also in Iran. Therefore, in order to facilitate the adoption of WSNs, it is necessary to identify the factors influencing and challenging the adoption of this technology. This exploratory study uses a qualitative approach to identify the main barriers WSN outreach is facing. In the results, we distinguish facts that we define as issues or barriers that were identified by others from fears that are not supported by evidence so far, at the level of the farmers, the government actors as well as the technology itself. Facts include communication barriers such as internet access, farmers' knowledge levels and rigidity to change as well as the government's top-down organisation of the extension programme and support levels. Fears are mainly expressed on the technology itself and relate to costs, a lack of access, the complexity of use and reliability of the data. We provide a nuanced view of how fears need to be acknowledged and facts are to be tackled.
Eating out of home (OH) is increasingly popular in Balkan countries, among them Albania. To date there is only anecdotal evidence regarding nutritional quality of food consumed OH and the ...contribution to diet. This study assessed intake of foods and drinks consumed OH and at home (AH), as well as their nutritional contribution to the daily diet of university students in Tirana, Albania. Using a single day Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM) 24-hour dietary recall, we examined food intake among 289 students aged 18-24 years old, from three major universities in Albania. Contribution of eating OH to total energy intake per day, as well as to daily consumption of macronutrients by eating OH intensity tertiles were assessed. Foods and drinks consumed OH contributed 46.9% 95%CI:41.4-52.8 of total daily energy intake, representing, on average, 1169.1kcal 95%CI:1088.3-1249.9. Sweets, soft drinks and meat products were more frequently consumed OH, while fruits and vegetables consumption was extremely low. The average quantity of sugars and dietary fats per day was higher AH, 76.9g 95%CI:70.3-83.5 and 173.7g 95%CI:163.2-184.2 respectively, compared to OH, 33.7g 95%CI:30.4-37.0 and 142.0g 95%CI:131.5-152.5 respectively. Dietary composition of AH intake was richer in sugars, total fats and proteins, while OH intake was richer in saturated fats. The overall diet appeared unhealthy, when nutrients were assessed as energy percentage against WHO proposed nutrient standards for sugar and saturated fats. Eating OH, even though was associated with lower fruits and vegetables intake, was not clearly associated with poor diet quality, as AH foods were also characterized by increased saturated fats and sugars intake as energy percentage. This study provides data on the first assessment of current dietary patterns of the studied population and can be used as baseline for designing and conducting future studies and interventions targeting malnutrition in all its forms.
In this paper, we search to link changes in non-farm employment and agricultural mechanization to the emergence of large-scale farming in China. Based on county-level data for the Jiangsu Province ...from 2002 to 2016, we use spatial panel data techniques to understand how the increase in large-scale farming in one county is explained by changes in employment and mechanization in the county itself as well as by changes in the neighboring counties. Our results confirm the presence of substantial spatial spillover effects. The level to which large-scale farming is present and expanding in one county is positively associated with local non-farm employment and agricultural mechanization levels. A local higher non-farm employment ratio also contributes to an increase in large-scale farms in neighboring counties. Hence, if a local government intends to support large-scale farming, it can bank on the creation of non-farm employment and support agricultural mechanization in the county it governs. Also economic and policy changes in the neighboring counties will induce land use transition when non-farm employment is created.
•Large-scale farm expansion is spatially correlated among neighboring counties.•Non-farm employment and agricultural mechanization promote local farm expansion.•Economic and employment structures show obvious spillover effects in this process.
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