Search

Abstract Cashew cultivation has emerged as an important agricultural activity in promoting sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers. The present study investigates the impacts of cashew cultivation on sustainable livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Southern region of India, addressing a significant research gap in the understanding of how this crop affects various aspects of farmers' lives. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study reveals that, cashew farming significantly increases farmers’ income, leading to improvements in food security, education, social status, and standard of living. These findings contribute to new insights into the socio-economic and environmental dimensions of cashew cultivation, offering a holistic understanding of its role in rural development. Additionally, the study also emphasizes the need for government policies supporting smallholders in cashew farming, including training, access to quality seeds, and best agricultural practices. Social welfare initiatives and cooperatives can improve the overall well-being of cashew farming communities. Research and development should prioritize climate-resistant cashew varieties to address environmental challenges linked to cashew cultivation. The study’s results also provide a foundation for future research and policy formulation aimed at enhancing the practice of cashew farming for sustainable livelihoods.

Agriculture plays a critical role in Ethiopia's economy but suffers from low technology, traditional practices, and low productivity, leading to persistent poverty and food insecurity among farming households. Transforming the sector requires enhanced market access to promote commercialisation. This study examines smallholder market access, commercialisation, and livelihood outcomes in Werie Leke district, Tigray, Ethiopia. Using survey data from randomly selected households, the analysis employs mean, independent sample t-tests, and Tobit regression. Results indicate that smallholders face significant market access challenges, leading to low commercialisation levels. Notably, higher commercialisation correlates with improved livelihoods. Factors influencing commercialisation include household characteristics, asset endowments, market access, cooperative membership, and access to specific livelihood services. The study recommends investing in road and market infrastructure, improving access to extension and credit services, farm inputs, irrigation, and strengthening cooperatives to enhance market access, smallholder participation, and livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cashew cultivation has emerged as an important agricultural activity in promoting sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers. The present study investigates the impacts of cashew cultivation on sustainable livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Southern region of India, addressing a significant research gap in the understanding of how this crop affects various aspects of farmers' lives. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study reveals that, cashew farming significantly increases farmers' income, leading to improvements in food security, education, social status, and standard of living. These findings contribute to new insights into the socio-economic and environmental dimensions of cashew cultivation, offering a holistic understanding of its role in rural development. Additionally, the study also emphasizes the need for government policies supporting smallholders in cashew farming, including training, access to quality seeds, and best agricultural practices. Social welfare initiatives and cooperatives can improve the overall well-being of cashew farming communities. Research and development should prioritize climate-resistant cashew varieties to address environmental challenges linked to cashew cultivation. The study's results also provide a foundation for future research and policy formulation aimed at enhancing the practice of cashew farming for sustainable livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the impact of participating in High-Value Markets on the income, savings, and asset value of smallholder vegetable farmers. The study was guided by the participatory behaviour theory and operationalized through a cross-sectional research design. It was conducted in the Arumeru District. Data was collected through household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. A total of 384 respondents including both farmers participating and not participating in the HVM for vegetables were randomly selected and interviewed. The data were analysed using propensity score matching. Nearest neighbourhood, kernel, radius, and stratification matching techniques were used to estimate the impact of participation on income, savings, and asset value. Findings revealed that farmers participating in HVM had higher and statistically significant values of income, savings, and assets as compared to farmers not participating in HVM. This was evidenced by the statistically significant values of Average Treatment Effect (ATE) and Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) (p

The study assessed the effect of Leventis Foundation Nigeria (LFN) Agripreneurship programme on beneficiaries’ selected livelihood outcomes in Kano State, Nigeria. The study deployed a multi-stage sampling procedure to select 109 LFN agripreneurship programme beneficiaries. Data collected were analysed using percentages, means, standard deviation and t-test. Results showed that community leaders, radio and internet were the main sources of information of respondents on LFN. The results also showed that respondents majorly specialized in livestock and crop production. There was significant difference between income of beneficiaries before and after the programme. Furthermore, the effect of the programme on food security status of the beneficiaries was moderate (WMA=2.7). Economic instability, inadequate finance, and poor state of infrastructure were the major constraints encountered during and after the programme. The study concluded that the LFN agripreneurship programme had a positive effect on the beneficiaries. It is recommended that similar programmes such as this be established and supported by non-governmental organizations and the government across the country.

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.

The risk of drought poses a significant challenge to agricultural production in Ninh Thuan Province. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors that influence farmers’ livelihood outcomes due to the impact of drought. Data were collected from a survey of 231 farmers randomly selected from the districts of Thuan Nam, Thuan Bac, and Ninh Hai. In addition to descriptive statistics, a Tobit regression model was used to identify the factors influencing livelihood outcomes during mild and severe droughts. The results showed that farmers’ livelihood outcomes were generally low. The regression identified the financial (β=0.230 and 0.205), social (β=0.200 and 0.291), and human capital (β=0.195 and 0.196) impacts on farmers’ livelihood outcomes from both mild and severe droughts. During mild drought years, seasonal adjustment (β=-0.009) and migration (β=0.013) were found to significantly influence livelihood outcomes. In severe drought years, government support (β=-0.030) negatively affected livelihood outcomes. There is a need to establish an early warning system for climate change and extreme weather events while simultaneously disseminating information widely to farmers so that they can take timely measures to cope. Enhancing human capital by raising awareness and skills in adapting to drought and developing comprehensive abilities to implement drought adaptation strategies is needed.

Collective action through Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies (AMCOS) is a significant tool for improving smallholder livelihoods; hence, contributing to farmers’ economic development. AMCOS provides a favourable atmosphere for an effective government aid scheme, farm input supply, and mobilization of funds from external support services organizations. However, farmers are facing many challenges, such as inadequate access to agricultural credit, market linkage, information, inadequate technologies, and underperforming markets. There are mixed findings on whether or not agricultural cooperatives improve members’ livelihoods. Therefore, this study evaluated the contribution of AMCOS to members’ livelihood outcomes and constraints for sustainable livelihood development. A total of 340 respondents were interviewed. The findings showed that AMCOS members had higher outcomes in some livelihoods than non-members of AMCOS. In addition, AMCOS contributed to members’ income and some of the assets. Lastly, stakeholders pointed out inefficient service delivery, inadequate skills of co-operative managers, and district co-operative officers’ interference in AMCOS business, which deprived members of co-operative autonomy, as constraints facing AMCOS to enhance sustainable livelihoods for members. Therefore, the study recommends that AMCOS management improve service delivery and plan for continuous staff development. Also, District Co-operative Officers should observe co-operative principles and values in executing their duties.

Working conditions and wellbeing (quality of life) could be linked, and they in turn enhance social and economic development. Nevertheless, working conditions of farmhands have largely been ignored in policy and research. We explored working conditions of migrant and native farmhands on Ghana's cocoa farms, and implications on wellbeing, using primary data from 600 respondents. Multidimensional Poverty Index, Department for International Development sustainable livelihood approach, World Food Programme asset score, Zellner's seemingly unrelated regression and multinomial logistic regression were adopted. Living standards, resilience, health and asset ownership of farmhands were generally low. Natives had higher living standards than migrants. However, migrants had better food security, and were more resilient to shocks than natives. Working and living conditions like years as a farmhand, closeness to social amenities, years migrant had stayed in community, type of migrant, being joined by a household member, working hours and days, type of agreement, category of farmhand, bonuses, satisfaction with working conditions, and income influence living standards, resilience, health and asset ownership. Thus, there is a link between working conditions and wellbeing of cocoa farmhands. Farmhands should be given long-term contracts, bonuses/incentives and personal protective equipment (PPE) by cocoa farmers. Government and private agencies should provide social amenities/infrastructure in cocoa-growing communities. Farmhands should do their own farms and join associations.

Research background: In Kenya, maize production has been severely constrained by parasitic pests and weeds such as Striga, stem borer, and fall armyworm. The government of Kenya and its partners have developed, disseminated, and promoted the continual uptake of integrated pest management technologies such as Push-Pull technology (PPT) as a way of addressing these constraints. Understanding the effect of these technologies on smallholder livelihoods is crucial, however, it is largely ignored in the literature. Purpose of the article: This study evaluates the effect of continual uptake of PPT as an integrated pest management technology on livelihood outcomes of small-scale maize producers in Homa Bay County. Methods: A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a sample of 240 respondents. Cross-sectional data were gathered through face-to-face interviews using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire, and analysed using descriptive statistics and propensity score matching models. Findings & Value added: Findings were that age, education level, total land owned, perception on Striga weed, stem borer, and fall armyworm severity, and land tenure positively influenced continual uptake of PPT, whereas the distance to nearest administrative centre was negatively associated with it. Propensity score matching results revealed that continual uptake of PPT had a positive and significant effect on household consumption expenditure and household dietary diversity, with a negative impact on poverty. The study, therefore, recommended policies that will ensure efficiency, literacy development, extension training, and resource availability among PPT non-adopters and dis-adopters to the level of the PPT continuous users.

The authors examined cocoa farmers' participation in Farmer Business Schools (FBS) in Ghana, impacts of livelihood outcomes (human, physical, financial, and social capitals) on participation, and implications of participation on productivity and per capita expenditure. We used cross-sectional data from 150 cocoa farmers. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, heteroskedastic probit, and doubly robust augmented inverse probability weighted regression adjustment model (AIPW). More than half of cocoa farmers participated in FBS. Financial capital (income and loan accessibility) and social capital (farmer group membership) positively influenced participation in FBS. Nevertheless, human capital (ability to pay medical bills) and physical capital (number of sleeping rooms) negatively influenced participation in FBS. Knowledge and skills cocoa farmers obtained from FBS are new farming methods, creativity in solving farming problems, record keeping, and managerial skills. Participation in FBS had a positive impact and a heterogeneous effect on cocoa farmers' productivity and per capita expenditure. Given that the impact of FBS was heterogeneous, the FBS curriculum and approach should be segmented for different types of farmers to the generic FBS approaches currently practiced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural technologies are seen as an important route out of poverty in most of the developing countries. However, the rates of adoption of these technologies have remained low in most of these countries. This study aim at shedding some light on an evaluation of climate mitigation agricultural adoption technologies, and its contribution to rural livelihood outcomes in Gurawa district using cross sectional data collected from randomly selected 180 sample households during the 2016 crop production season. Multivariate probit and Propensity score matching was used to identify impacts of adoption technologies, and to identify factors affecting smallholder farmers’ multiple technology adoption decisions. The results showed that the probability of adoption of agricultural technologies are influenced by several factors: family size, economical active members, education level, age of the household head, social status, soil fertility status, distance from extension office, land holding, distance to markets and distance to weather road. The impact evaluation results indicated that on average, the participation household in soil conservation has increased food security status and asset accumulation nearly by 38% and 15%, respectively, however it decreases the rate of poverty nearly by 51 percent. Use of improved seeds increased food security status and decreased poverty rate nearly by 38% and 44%, respectively. On the other hand, use of irrigation technology increased food security status and asset accumulation nearly by 23% and 31.8%, respectively, whereas it decreases the rate of poverty nearly by 29 percent. Similarly, adoption of row planting methods increased food security status and asset accumulation nearly by 28.7% and 15.5%, respectively, whereas it decreases the rate of poverty nearly by 51.5 percent. Therefore, policy makers should give due emphasis to the aforementioned variables to increase adoption technologies and improve the livelihood of the rural households.

The paper examines the security of beekeeping livelihoods amongst men and women in rural and peri-urban Ghana. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, 85 (n = 85) in-depth interviews with individual actors in the beekeeping value chain and institutions were carried out to examine access to resources, strategies, motivations and livelihood outcomes of beekeeping. The findings reveal that although both men and women make a livelihood from beekeeping, it is a male dominated livelihood activity. Women are more challenged in terms of equipment ownership. Institutional support both from governmental and non-governmental circles in the form of education, training and supply of equipment is key in ensuring that beekeepers make optimal gains from beekeeping operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture as an agricultural activity is one of the recent agricultural development approaches in rural areas, which, in addition to its important role in food production, plays a significant role in job creation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aquaculture in salmon dairy ponds in improving the livelihood of households working in these units. The research is a descriptive-analytic type with a survey method. Required data were collected using both library studies and field method using a questionnaire instrument. The statistical population consisted of all 130 heads of households with a dual-purpose pool across rural areas of Hamadan province. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts from Bu-Ali Sina University. In order to verify the reliability of the questionnaire, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used which its value in the five capital categories and livelihoods were higher than 0.7 and 0.94 in total was obtained. SPSS22 software was used to analyze the data. Research findings showed that aquaculture has affected the improvement of livelihoods (natural, financial, physical, human and social) of the subjects. The findings of the research indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between the five livelihoods with households' livelihood. The results from regression analysis totally explained 56.3 percent of dependent variable (households' livelihood level) by four mail assets including: financial, human, natural, and social assets. So it can give this knowledge in order to promote and sustain the livelihood of the target community, it should have a multi-faceted, at the same time omnipresent look. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New trends in urban growth in Accra have put many poor households at a detriment, and there is a growing fragility that threatens the economic and social balance of residence in public estates resulting in many transforming their residence to cope and as a new form of urban resilience. This study examines housing transformation and livelihood outcomes in one of Ghana's largest low cost government estates, constructed in 1975 in Accra. The authors collected field data using questionnaires, interviews, observations and field pictures. The study revealed that housing transformation in public estates are a strategy to address shortfalls' associated with the physical design, structure and construction paucities, especially in living space, lifestyle and size, and for addressing pecuniary and livelihood challenges through home-based enterprises. Household needs and household assets were the significant factors affecting transformations. This study is important for policy making in developing countries because it provides a basis for policy implementation for urban and regional planners. Housing and building policies must be swotted to reflect the effort of local performance in housing supply and livelihoods. Housing design and construction must also be realistic to the current needs, lifestyle and resource availability of low-income households instead of relying on passé colonial regulations which are inappropriate for current living conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-management of forest resources has gained acceptance among governments, development agencies and development practitioners as an alternative natural resources management strategy to the top-down or centralized government management approach. However, a significant methodological issue in the current literature on evaluation of co-management institutional arrangement is how to link these institutions with sustainable livelihood outcomes of the poor forest dependent communities. To address this limitation, there is need for linking co-management with the sustainability of the community, effectively for the sustainability of its livelihood. This article links two theoretical concepts—co-management and sustainable livelihood approach (SLA)—to formulate an evaluative framework for co-management of forest institutions and their associated livelihood outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to analyze the effects of drought on rural livelihood systems in Iran with an emphasis on the mediator role of livelihood assets in relationship between drought and livelihood outcomes. The relationships between these concepts were explored through the lens of sustainable livelihoods approach. A conceptual model was developed based on the literature review and was evaluated using cross-sectional data based on 11 years average of each variable from 2002 to the end of 2012. Regarding research objectives, a documentary review was applied to collect necessary data and information. So, secondary data were obtained from national surveys and statistical sources of governmental organizations. Data were analyzed using multiple regression. We followed the Baron and Kenny’s (1986) three-step procedure to test mediating relationships between variables. Results generally showed that drought duration had destructive effects on rural livelihood capitals and outcomes, while the negative influences of drought severity were far more restricted than drought duration. Complete mediation of livelihood assets in the relationship between drought intensity and inequality was confirmed. We also found support for partial mediation of livelihood assets in the relationship between drought severity and duration with the added value of the agricultural sector as well as in the relationship between drought duration and inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government regulations have created new markets for non-timber forest products such as tropical forest seeds for ecological restoration and agroforestry in Brazil. This paper examines whether and how participation in the seed market has affected assets that will shape households’ ability to pursue new livelihood opportunities. These impacts may vary across different dimensions of capital and among sociocultural groups. Impacts were characterized through semi-structured interviews following the sustainable livelihoods approach; 40 producers in the Xingu Seed Network, from settler farmer, urban and indigenous groups, were interviewed. The groups differed in perceptions of impacts on their natural, social and human capital, which could be related to the sociocultural background and vulnerability context of each group. Communities that were already organized were most likely to strengthen their social capital through participation. Cash income earned from sale of seeds was correlated with household-reported gains in financial capital, but not correlated with changes in other dimensions of capital. Contrary to expectations, sociocultural groups less integrated with the market achieved better livelihood outcomes through participation in the seed market. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Urban agriculture has been advocated as a livelihood strategy to improve food security. This study assesses the contribution of urban food gardens as a livelihood strategy for household food security as well as the livelihood outcomes thereof. Ward 51, Langa, Cape Town is the case study area of this research. The mixed-methodology research paradigm was employed. In the quantitative design, 83 randomly selected participants completed the self-administered closed-ended questionnaires. STATA 12.1 was used as a tool for the quantitative analysis. The descriptive statistics present the sociodemographic and economic trends of the households by the scores of each variable and the existence of any relationships between the variables. Conclusions were drawn from the sample data about the populations with inferential statistics. The qualitative data collection included two focus group discussions with 17 community members and 13 beneficiaries respectively. Purposive sampling was used in the qualitative research and emerging themes were identified in response to the research objective supporting the quantitative analysis. The results attest that 82% of the respondents indicated that the urban food gardens contribute to their household food security. However, low levels of food security are still experience within the community. With the Sustainable Livelihood Approach as theoretical framework, the study accentuates other livelihood outcomes of urban agriculture such as improving health, improving self-esteem and improving food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there has been much discussion in the literature about the impacts of farmland loss (due to urbanization) on household livelihoods, no econometric evidence of these effects has been provided thus far. This paper, hence, is the first to quantify the effects of farmland loss on household livelihood outcomes in peri-urban areas of Hanoi, Vietnam. Our study found no econometric evidence for negative effects of farmland loss on either income or expenditure per adult equivalent. In addition, the results show that farmland loss has an indirect positive impact on household welfare, via its positive impact on the choice of nonfarm-based livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the question, to what extent and under which conditions nontimber forest product (NTFP) trade leads to both livelihood improvement and forest conservation. We based the analysis on a standardized expert-judgment assessment of the livelihood and environmental outcomes of 55 cases of NTFP trade from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The results show that NTFP trade benefits several components of peoples' livelihoods, but may increase inequality between households. Involvement of women in the production-to-consumption system (PCS) tends to have a positive impact on intrahousehold equity. In 80% of the cases, the commercial production of NTFPs does not enable people to make financial investments to increase quality and quantity of production, limiting the potential for development. In our set of cases, commercial extraction from the wild, without further management, tends to lead to resource depletion. NTFP production systems are generally considered to have lower environmental values than natural forest, but do contribute positively to the environmental values in the landscape. We found that higher livelihood outcomes are associated with lower environmental outcomes and conclude that NTFP trade is not likely to reconcile development and conservation of natural forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]