Exploring Farmers’ Decisions on Agricultural Intensification and Cropland Expansion in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Zambia through Serious Gaming

Barbara Adolph (), Nugun P. Jellason, Jane Musole Kwenye, Jo Davies (), Anne Giger Dray, Patrick O. Waeber, Katy Jeary and Phil Franks
Additional contact information
Barbara Adolph: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), 235 High Holborn, London WC1V 7DN, UK
Nugun P. Jellason: International Business School, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BZ, UK
Jane Musole Kwenye: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, Kitwe P.O. Box 21692, Zambia
Jo Davies: Department of International Development, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AH, UK
Anne Giger Dray: Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Patrick O. Waeber: Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Katy Jeary: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), 235 High Holborn, London WC1V 7DN, UK
Phil Franks: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), 235 High Holborn, London WC1V 7DN, UK

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: This paper explores how increasing agricultural productivity through agricultural intensification may influence farmland expansion decisions of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Zambia. Six pairs of farmers at each site (72 in total) from different wealth groups were involved in serious games sessions that simulated different institutional, economic, and governance contexts, with players choosing their resource allocation accordingly. The approach was used to explore with farmers, in a ‘safe space’, whether an increase in agricultural productivity and profitability via intensification would reduce or end farmland expansion into natural habitats. The results show that, under certain conditions (such as poor forest governance and lack of alternative income-generating and investment opportunities), agricultural intensification can lead to more agricultural expansion at the expense of natural habitats, such as forests and grasslands. This suggests that intensification strategies to promote increased productivity may need companion strategies to protect forest ecosystems from expansion at the agricultural frontier.

Keywords: agricultural intensification; cropland expansion; expansion drivers; -sub-Saharan Africa (SSA); Jevon’s paradox; serious games (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:3:p:556-:d:1080013

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