The adoption of a portfolio of sustainable agricultural practices by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe

Conrad Murendo, Simon Gwara, Nkululeko Mpofu, Tarisayi Pedzisa, Kizito Mazvimavi and Pauline Chivenge

No 246383, 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE)

Abstract: Climate change and variability and soil fertility depletion are among the main biophysical limiting factors for increasing per capita food production for smallholder farmers in developing countries. To tackle these challenges, the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs), has become an important policy topic among donors and development agencies in developing countries. This paper examines the adoption decisions for SAPs, using recent primary data collected in 51 villages in 3 districts of Zimbabwe. The article employs a multivariate probit regression to model simultaneous interdependent adoption decisions by farm households. The analysis reveals that education, farm experience, farm size, income, access to information and agroecology influence the adoption of SAPs. Policies that are aimed at improving household income and enhancing access to information can increase the uptake of SAPs by smallholder farmers. Extension messages should aim to emphasize the complementarities between different SAPs. This information could help policy makers and extension agents to formulate and promote a package of SAPs.

Keywords: Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Land Economics/Use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 17
Date: 2016-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-env
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:aaae16:246383

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.246383

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