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This article assesses the welfare impact of intensive chilli farming and determines the factors motivating farmers to engage in commercial farming. This study uses a structural equation model that measures the direct and indirect effects of explanatory variables on intensive chilli production and welfare. This study uses data of field surveys of randomly selected 220 farmers in three regions of Java. The results show that stepping up to intensive and profit‐oriented farming improved farmers' welfare. Internal and external factors, directly and indirectly, affected farmers' decision to devote more resources to commercial chilli farming. Farmers' knowledge, as well as access to credit, technology adoption, marketplace, and traders, played significant roles in improving rural welfare. The government needs to reform marketing system of horticultural products and establish market infrastructures to accommodate oversupply during peak season. Easy and flexible credit should be available and accessible to farmers, with technology applicable to such agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the impact of farmer field schools (FFS) on the productivity of vegetable farming in vegetable‐producing areas of East Java and Bali, Indonesia. The FFS have equipped over 3,000 vegetable farmers with integrated crop management knowledge applicable to chilies and tomatoes. The FFS are expected to enhance farmers’ capacity such that they can increase production. This study employs a difference‐in‐differences (DiD) method to overcome selection bias. A survey of 250 FFS‐graduated farmers and 250 non‐FFS farmers were purposively randomly selected from the overall community of farmers. Focus group discussion was used to support the survey. The results indicate that FFS were successful for enhancing farmers’ capability in vegetable farming. Farmers who participated in FFS have higher productivity than those who did not. Farmers also could adapt and adopt the knowledge gained from FFS as they underwent a process of learning by doing. The impacts of the increase in farmers’ capacity can be more evident if weaknesses during the FFS preparation and implementation can be overcome, to ensure more participation, flexibility to fit different conditions/needs and continuous learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which estimates the demand for pesticides in rice farming and to analyze the impact of integrated pest management (IPM) technology on pesticide use in Java, Indonesia. According to the author of the study, aggregate cross-section times series data from 1990-1998 are used. The study shows that IPM technology lessens the use of pesticides by enhancing the process of rice production, such that pesticides are more efficiently used. The study demonstrates that there is an indication that IPM technology has been adopted by farmers.

This article discusses whether agricultural subsidies in developed countries benefit or harm the majority of the poor in developing countries. Subsidized agricultural exports to developing countries and food aid kill the output markets of smallholders. The unfair competition, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, together with blatant neglect of agriculture in public policy, hinders agricultural growth. It mentions that agricultural growth throughout history has been the engine of overall economic growth.