IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agisys/v131y2014icp34-44.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Minimum tillage adoption among commercial smallholder cotton farmers in Zambia, 2002 to 2011

Author

Listed:
  • Grabowski, Philip P.
  • Haggblade, Steven
  • Kabwe, Stephen
  • Tembo, Gelson

Abstract

Despite widespread enthusiasm about conservation agriculture (CA) in Africa, empirical evidence on adoption remains fragmentary. This study examines adoption rates of a critical component of CA, minimum tillage (MT), among 135,000 Zambian cotton farmers by comparing the results of two censuses of cotton lead farmers and buyers conducted in 2002 and again in 2011. The survey results indicate that 13% of cotton farmers used some form of MT in 2011. Among farmer groups interviewed in both years, MT adoption rates increased by about one-third compared to 2002. However, the preferred MT technology packages have changed dramatically. While use of hand-hoe basins has declined, use of ox and tractor-drawn rippers plus herbicides has increased. Tobit regression estimates suggest that four key factors – lead farmer use of MT, number of years of extension efforts, availability of herbicides on credit, and availability of tractor ripper services – all positively influence MT adoption. Zambia’s experience likewise underlines the long timeframe required for testing and refining location-specific technology packages that prove both agronomically suitable and commercially attractive for farmers of differing resource endowments.

Suggested Citation

  • Grabowski, Philip P. & Haggblade, Steven & Kabwe, Stephen & Tembo, Gelson, 2014. "Minimum tillage adoption among commercial smallholder cotton farmers in Zambia, 2002 to 2011," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 34-44.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:131:y:2014:i:c:p:34-44
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2014.08.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X14001036
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agsy.2014.08.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Christiaensen, Luc & Demery, Lionel & Kuhl, Jesper, 2011. "The (evolving) role of agriculture in poverty reduction--An empirical perspective," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(2), pages 239-254, November.
    2. Diao, Xinshen & Hazell, Peter & Resnick, Danielle & Thurlow, James, 2006. "The role of agriculture in development: implications for Sub-Saharan Africa," DSGD discussion papers 29, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    3. Fr�d�ric Baudron & Jens A. Andersson & Marc Corbeels & Ken E. Giller, 2012. "Failing to Yield? Ploughs, Conservation Agriculture and the Problem of Agricultural Intensification: An Example from the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(3), pages 393-412, March.
    4. Haggblade, Steven & Tembo, Gelson, 2003. "Development, Diffusion and Impact of Conservation Farming in Zambia," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 54464, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    5. Ngoma, Hambulo & Mulenga, Brian P. & Jayne, T.S., 2014. "What Explains Minimal Usage of Minimum Tillage Practices in Zambia? Evidence from District-representative Data," Food Security Collaborative Policy Briefs 171875, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    6. Nyanga, Progress H., 2012. "Factors Influencing Adoption and Area under Conservation Agriculture: A Mixed Methods Approach," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 1(2).
    7. Drechsel, P. & Gyiele, L. A., 1999. "The economic assessment of soil nutrient depletion: Analytical issues for framework development," IWMI Books, Reports H029216, International Water Management Institute.
    8. Thirtle, Colin & Lin, Lin & Piesse, Jenifer, 2003. "The Impact of Research-Led Agricultural Productivity Growth on Poverty Reduction in Africa, Asia and Latin America," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(12), pages 1959-1975, December.
    9. Tschirley, David L. & Kabwe, Stephen, 2007. "Cotton in Zambia: 2007 Assessment of its Organization, Performance, Current Policy Initiatives, and Challenges for the Future," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 54485, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    10. Knowler, Duncan & Bradshaw, Ben, 2007. "Farmers' adoption of conservation agriculture: A review and synthesis of recent research," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 25-48, February.
    11. Luc Christiaensen & Lionel Demery & Jesper Kühl, 2010. "The (Evolving) Role of Agriculture in Poverty Reduction," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2010-036, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    12. Kabwe, Stephen & Donovan, Cynthia & Samazaka, David, 2007. "Assessment of the Farm Level Financial Profitability of the Magoye RipperiIn Maize and Cotton Production in Southern and Eastern Provinces," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 54482, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Grabowski, Philip P. & Kerr, John M. & Haggblade, Steven & Kabwe, Stephen, 2014. "Determinants of Adoption of Minimum Tillage by Cotton Farmers in Eastern Zambia," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 188567, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    2. Julius Manda & Arega D. Alene & Cornelis Gardebroek & Menale Kassie & Gelson Tembo, 2016. "Adoption and Impacts of Sustainable Agricultural Practices on Maize Yields and Incomes: Evidence from Rural Zambia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 130-153, February.
    3. Kiboi, M.N. & Ngetich, K.F. & Fliessbach, A. & Muriuki, A. & Mugendi, D.N., 2019. "Soil fertility inputs and tillage influence on maize crop performance and soil water content in the Central Highlands of Kenya," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 316-331.
    4. Grabowski, Philip & Kerr, John & Donovan, Cynthia & Mouzinho, Bordalo, 2015. "A Prospective Analysis of Participatory Research on Conservation Agriculture in Mozambique," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 198703, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    5. Hambulo Ngoma, 2018. "Does minimum tillage improve the livelihood outcomes of smallholder farmers in Zambia?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(2), pages 381-396, April.
    6. Thaddaeus Obaji Ariom & Elodie Dimon & Eva Nambeye & Ndèye Seynabou Diouf & Oludotun Olusegun Adelusi & Sofiane Boudalia, 2022. "Climate-Smart Agriculture in African Countries: A Review of Strategies and Impacts on Smallholder Farmers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-32, September.
    7. Holden, Stein T. & Fisher, Monica & Katengeza, Samson P. & Thierfelder, Christian, 2018. "Can lead farmers reveal the adoption potential of conservation agriculture? The case of Malawi," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 113-123.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Grabowski, Philip P. & Kerr, John M. & Haggblade, Steven & Kabwe, Stephen, 2014. "Determinants of Adoption of Minimum Tillage by Cotton Farmers in Eastern Zambia," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 188567, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    2. Dethier, Jean-Jacques & Effenberger, Alexandra, 2012. "Agriculture and development: A brief review of the literature," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 175-205.
    3. Satis Devkota & Mukti Upadhyay, 2013. "Agricultural Productivity and Poverty Reduction in Nepal," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(4), pages 732-746, November.
    4. John Ssozi & Simplice Asongu & Voxi Heinrich Amavilah, 2019. "The effectiveness of development aid for agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 46(2), pages 284-305, March.
    5. Ssozi, John & Asongu, Simplice & Amavilah, Voxi, 2017. "Is Aid for Agriculture Effective in Sub-Saharan Africa?," MPRA Paper 83073, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Urquía-Grande, Elena & Rubio-Alcocer, Antonio, 2015. "Agricultural infrastructure donation performance: Empirical evidence in rural Ethiopia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 245-254.
    7. Aslihan Arslan & Kristin Floress & Christine Lamanna & Leslie Lipper & Solomon Asfaw & Todd Rosenstock, 2020. "IFAD RESEARCH SERIES 63 - The adoption of improved agricultural technologies - A meta-analysis for Africa," IFAD Research Series 304758, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    8. Ngoma, Hambulo & Mason, Nicole M. & Sitko, Nicholas, 2015. "Does Minimum Tillage with Planting Basins or Ripping Raise Maize Yields? Meso-panel Data Evidence from Zambia," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 198701, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    9. Abro, Zewdu Ayalew & Alemu, Bamlaku Alamirew & Hanjra, Munir A., 2014. "Policies for Agricultural Productivity Growth and Poverty Reduction in Rural Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 461-474.
    10. Lungu, Harad Chuma, 2019. "Determinants of climate smart agricultural technology adoption in the Northern Province of Zambia," Research Theses 334754, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    11. Urquía-Grande, Elena & Cano-Montero, Elisa I. & Pérez-Estébanez, Raquel & Chamizo-González, Julián, 2018. "Agriculture, nutrition and economics through training: A virtuous cycle in rural Ethiopia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 707-716.
    12. Zulu-Mbata, Olipa & Chapoto, Antony & Hichaambwa, Munguzwe, 2016. "Determinants of Conservation Agriculture Adoption among Zambian Smallholder Farmers," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 251855, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    13. Valbuena, Diego & Tui, Sabine Homann-Kee & Erenstein, Olaf & Teufel, Nils & Duncan, Alan & Abdoulaye, Tahirou & Swain, Braja & Mekonnen, Kindu & Germaine, Ibro & Gérard, Bruno, 2015. "Identifying determinants, pressures and trade-offs of crop residue use in mixed smallholder farms in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 107-118.
    14. Van, Germinal, 2020. "The Effect of Economic Sectors on the National Income of West African Economies from 2010 to 2019: A Multiple Regression Analysis," MPRA Paper 102417, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Tomich, Thomas P. & Lidder, Preetmoninder & Coley, Mariah & Gollin, Douglas & Meinzen-Dick, Ruth & Webb, Patrick & Carberry, Peter, 2019. "Food and agricultural innovation pathways for prosperity," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1-15.
    16. Díaz-Bonilla, Eugenio, 2015. "Lost in translation: The fractured conversation about trade and food security:," IFPRI discussion papers 1490, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Ilaria Fusacchia & Jean Balié & Luca Salvatici, 2022. "The AfCFTA impact on agricultural and food trade: a value added perspective," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 49(1), pages 237-284.
    18. N'dede Hourizene, Bley Cynthia & Wilson, Norbert L.W., 2017. "Contributing to Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa through Value-Added Agriculture," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258333, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    19. Lalani, Baqir & Aminpour, Payam & Gray, Steven & Williams, Meredith & Büchi, Lucie & Haggar, Jeremy & Grabowski, Philip & Dambiro, José, 2021. "Mapping farmer perceptions, Conservation Agriculture practices and on-farm measurements: The role of systems thinking in the process of adoption," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    20. Erwin Bulte & Rein Haagsma, 2021. "The Welfare Effects of Index-Based Livestock Insurance: Livestock Herding on Communal Lands," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(4), pages 587-613, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:131:y:2014:i:c:p:34-44. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agsy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.