Can conservation agriculture save tropical forests? The case of minimum tillage in Zambia

Hambulo Ngoma and Arild Angelsen

Forest Policy and Economics, 2018, vol. 97, issue C, 153-162

Abstract: Minimum tillage (MT) is a key component in the promotion of conservation agriculture (CA). This paper asks whether MT reduces cropland expansion and thus deforestation. We develop a theoretical household model of land expansion, and test hypotheses by estimating a double hurdle model using household survey data from 368 smallholders in rural Zambia. About 19% of the farmers expanded cropland into forests, clearing an average of 0.14 ha over one year. Overall, we do not find significant associations between MT adoption and reduced deforestation among households in our sample, while higher labor availability and crop yield stimulate expansion. Yield augmenting agricultural technologies (such as MT) may not reduce expansion unless combined with other forest conservation measures.

Keywords: Cropland expansion; Deforestation; Minimum tillage; Double hurdle; Zambia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D13 Q12 Q23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:forpol:v:97:y:2018:i:c:p:153-162

DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2018.10.001

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