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Project
Soil Fertility, Food Security and Gender in Central Africa.
There is a general consensus on the need for sustainable agricultural intensification in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and the crucial role of improved technologies therein. It is less clear, however, how this can be achieved. On the one hand, alternative, and sometimes opposing, views and paradigms exist on which agricultural practices are (not) sustainable. On the other hand, despite considerable promise in experimental trials, adoption of such practices often remains disappointingly low.
Inthis dissertation, I use two case studies from an agricultural researchfor development project on integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) in Burundi and Eastern DR Congo (DRC) to address different researchgaps in the literature on ISFM adoption specifically, and on agricultural technology adoption more generally. The ISFM paradigm recognizesthat sustainable agricultural intensification cannot occur without investments in soil fertility. ISFM essentially consists of a set of soil fertility management technologies including the use of mineral fertilizer, organic inputs, and improved germplasm, combined with good agronomic practices, and adapted to the local conditions. Ultimately, the aim is to use multiple practices simultaneously in an integrated fashion in order to exploit complementarities and synergies.
In chapter 2, I use an innovative approach to analyze the adoption of mineral fertilizer in DRC. I distinguish three different steps in the adoption process: awareness, tryout and continued adoption. The results indicate that the impact of prevailing constraints varies over the different adoption steps. 57% of the households are aware of mineral fertilizer, but only 13% of the aware households have ever tried mineral fertilizer. Awareness is mainly determined by education and social capital. Tryout is mainly influenced by extension interactions. Continued adoption after tryout is high (70%), but capital and credit constraints play an important role. Direct interactions between farmers and agronomists are more effectivein promoting the different adoption steps compared to approaches in groups.
In chapter 3, I analyze the role of gender in agriculturalextension programs. I use data on the adoption of improved legume varieties, row planting, and mineral fertilizer in South Kivu, and find that joint program
participation by the male and female farmer in the household is associated with the highest level of adoption. Female extensionparticipation by female farmers in female-headed households is more likely associated with technology adoption compared to female farmers in male-headed households. Female participation is linked with lower, equal, and higher rates of technology adoption compared to male participation for respectively mineral fertilizer, improved legume varieties and row planting. Agricultural extension programs often evaluate their gender strategy by the proportion of female participants. However, my results show that female program participation is not necessarily conducive for reaching program objectives.
In chapter 4, I look at the interrelationships in the adoption of ISFM practices in Eastern DRC. Technologies are often promoted in packages, and farmers are motivated to exploit synergies and complementarities that occur when agricultural technologies are combined. However, in analyzing technology adoption, very little attention is given to the interrelationships between different technologies. I find that adoption of ISFM technologies is not independent. At plot level, I distinguish two subsets of technologies. The first subset is characterized by more resource-intensive technologies (row planting and mineral fertilizer). The second consists of less resource-intensive technologies (improved legume and maize varieties). These subsets behave as supplements rather than as complements, and adoption within
each subset is often sequential rather than simultaneous. Generally, farmers adopt less resource-intensive technologies first, and then adopt more resource-intensive technologies.
In chapter 5, I use a choice experiment to explore farmers preferences for ISFM technology traits in Central Burundi. While traditional technology adoption studies focus on biophysical and socio-economic
characteristics to explain technology adoption ex post, choice experiments allow to analyze farmers preferences for specific technology traits ex ante, before new technologies are introduced.The findings indicate that climbing bean varieties with a high yield potential, more biomass to improve soil fertility, and a low seed cost have a fair chance to be adopted, even if the maturation period is long andeven among severely food insecure farmers.
The findings from this dissertation have specific implications for the design of agricultural technologies and agricultural extension projects. I compare the efficiency of different agricultural extension activities and I challenge thegeneral trend in agricultural and development projects that seek to ensure at least some minimum share of female participants. From a research perspective, I show that the analysis of adoption
can be improved by taking into account non-exposure and differentiating between tryout and continued adoption. Also, interrelationships in adoption of different technologies should be accounted for. Finally, I call for more ex-ante research to direct technology development and extension activities.
Inthis dissertation, I use two case studies from an agricultural researchfor development project on integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) in Burundi and Eastern DR Congo (DRC) to address different researchgaps in the literature on ISFM adoption specifically, and on agricultural technology adoption more generally. The ISFM paradigm recognizesthat sustainable agricultural intensification cannot occur without investments in soil fertility. ISFM essentially consists of a set of soil fertility management technologies including the use of mineral fertilizer, organic inputs, and improved germplasm, combined with good agronomic practices, and adapted to the local conditions. Ultimately, the aim is to use multiple practices simultaneously in an integrated fashion in order to exploit complementarities and synergies.
In chapter 2, I use an innovative approach to analyze the adoption of mineral fertilizer in DRC. I distinguish three different steps in the adoption process: awareness, tryout and continued adoption. The results indicate that the impact of prevailing constraints varies over the different adoption steps. 57% of the households are aware of mineral fertilizer, but only 13% of the aware households have ever tried mineral fertilizer. Awareness is mainly determined by education and social capital. Tryout is mainly influenced by extension interactions. Continued adoption after tryout is high (70%), but capital and credit constraints play an important role. Direct interactions between farmers and agronomists are more effectivein promoting the different adoption steps compared to approaches in groups.
In chapter 3, I analyze the role of gender in agriculturalextension programs. I use data on the adoption of improved legume varieties, row planting, and mineral fertilizer in South Kivu, and find that joint program
participation by the male and female farmer in the household is associated with the highest level of adoption. Female extensionparticipation by female farmers in female-headed households is more likely associated with technology adoption compared to female farmers in male-headed households. Female participation is linked with lower, equal, and higher rates of technology adoption compared to male participation for respectively mineral fertilizer, improved legume varieties and row planting. Agricultural extension programs often evaluate their gender strategy by the proportion of female participants. However, my results show that female program participation is not necessarily conducive for reaching program objectives.
In chapter 4, I look at the interrelationships in the adoption of ISFM practices in Eastern DRC. Technologies are often promoted in packages, and farmers are motivated to exploit synergies and complementarities that occur when agricultural technologies are combined. However, in analyzing technology adoption, very little attention is given to the interrelationships between different technologies. I find that adoption of ISFM technologies is not independent. At plot level, I distinguish two subsets of technologies. The first subset is characterized by more resource-intensive technologies (row planting and mineral fertilizer). The second consists of less resource-intensive technologies (improved legume and maize varieties). These subsets behave as supplements rather than as complements, and adoption within
each subset is often sequential rather than simultaneous. Generally, farmers adopt less resource-intensive technologies first, and then adopt more resource-intensive technologies.
In chapter 5, I use a choice experiment to explore farmers preferences for ISFM technology traits in Central Burundi. While traditional technology adoption studies focus on biophysical and socio-economic
characteristics to explain technology adoption ex post, choice experiments allow to analyze farmers preferences for specific technology traits ex ante, before new technologies are introduced.The findings indicate that climbing bean varieties with a high yield potential, more biomass to improve soil fertility, and a low seed cost have a fair chance to be adopted, even if the maturation period is long andeven among severely food insecure farmers.
The findings from this dissertation have specific implications for the design of agricultural technologies and agricultural extension projects. I compare the efficiency of different agricultural extension activities and I challenge thegeneral trend in agricultural and development projects that seek to ensure at least some minimum share of female participants. From a research perspective, I show that the analysis of adoption
can be improved by taking into account non-exposure and differentiating between tryout and continued adoption. Also, interrelationships in adoption of different technologies should be accounted for. Finally, I call for more ex-ante research to direct technology development and extension activities.
Date:24 Sep 2010 → 30 Sep 2014
Keywords:Soil fertility, Adoption, ISFM, Impact, Food security, Gender
Disciplines:Economic development, innovation, technological change and growth, Agriculture, land and farm management, Applied economics, Soil sciences, challenges and pollution
Project type:PhD project