IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i13p5348-d1420704.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Uptake and Level of Use of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices by Small-Scale Urban Crop Farmers in eThekwini Municipality

Author

Listed:
  • Nolwazi Z. Khumalo

    (Discipline of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
    Department of Agriculture, University of Zululand, P. Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa)

  • Lelethu Mdoda

    (Discipline of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa)

  • Melusi Sibanda

    (Department of Agriculture, University of Zululand, P. Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa)

Abstract

Climate fluctuations significantly impact small-scale farmers’ farm welfare (food, nutrition and income). This situation highlights an urgent need to invest in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices. Climate-smart agriculture has prospects for enhancing agricultural productivity and resilience. Therefore, this study addresses the knowledge gap concerning the uptake and level of use of CSA practices by small-scale urban crop (SSUC) farmers, which is critical to enhancing food and income security in urban settings. The relatively low adoption and uptake of CSA practices among small-scale farmers warrants an investigation of the factors influencing its adoption and level of use, especially in urban agriculture (UA) settings. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, this study collected data from 412 SSUC farmers through a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, the composite score index (CSI), and an ordered probit model (OPM) were utilised for the analysis. The results reveal that most (74%) are aware of CSA practices. Despite the high awareness of CSA practices by SSUC farmers, many (66%) are medium users of CSA practices, suggesting a moderate CSA practices level of use in eThekwini Municipality. The top five preferred CSA practices include crop diversification (with a CSI of 3.694), followed by crop rotation (3.619), mulching (3.608), drought tolerant crops (3.459) and organic manure (3.442). The popularity of these CSA practices in eThekwini Municipality suggests their immediate benefits when implemented or their lesser complexity in terms of implementation. Age, gender (being male), and household size exhibit a statistically significant negative influence on the CSA practices’ level of use, increasing the likelihood of being in the lower user category. Yet, education, group membership and farming experience promote a higher level of use of CSA practices. The results show that while awareness is critical, socio-economic factors should not be ignored when upscaling the adoption of widespread CSA practices. Therefore, targeted and tailored socio-economic programmes that are age-directed, gender-sensitive, educational, emphasise collective action and leverage the experiences of urban farmers would be paramount in promoting effective CSA practices adoption and uptake by SSUC farmers in eThekwini Municipality, thus enhancing UA resilience against climate change reparations.

Suggested Citation

  • Nolwazi Z. Khumalo & Lelethu Mdoda & Melusi Sibanda, 2024. "Uptake and Level of Use of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices by Small-Scale Urban Crop Farmers in eThekwini Municipality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-25, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5348-:d:1420704
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5348/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5348/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alvin Chandra & Karen E. McNamara & Paul Dargusch, 2018. "Climate-smart agriculture: perspectives and framings," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4), pages 526-541, April.
    2. Amadu, Festus O. & Miller, Daniel C. & McNamara, Paul E., 2020. "Agroforestry as a pathway to agricultural yield impacts in climate-smart agriculture investments: Evidence from southern Malawi," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    3. Wanglin Ma & Dil Bahadur Rahut, 2024. "Climate-smart agriculture: adoption, impacts, and implications for sustainable development," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 1-23, June.
    4. Margherita Masi & Marcello Rosa & Yari Vecchio & Luca Bartoli & Felice Adinolfi, 2022. "The long way to innovation adoption: insights from precision agriculture," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Mohamed Rafik Noor Mohamed Qureshi & Ali Saeed Almuflih & Janpriy Sharma & Mohit Tyagi & Shubhendu Singh & Naif Almakayeel, 2022. "Assessment of the Climate-Smart Agriculture Interventions towards the Avenues of Sustainable Production–Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-24, July.
    2. Perelli, Chiara & Cacchiarelli, Luca & Peveri, Valentina & Branca, Giacomo, 2024. "Gender equality and sustainable development: A cross-country study on women's contribution to the adoption of the climate-smart agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    3. Amadu, Festus O. & McNamara, Paul E. & Davis, Kristin E., 2021. "Soil health and grain yield impacts of climate resilient agriculture projects: Evidence from southern Malawi," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    4. Helena Shilomboleni, 2020. "Political economy challenges for climate smart agriculture in Africa," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(4), pages 1195-1206, December.
    5. T. S. Amjath-Babu & Pramod K. Aggarwal & Sonja Vermeulen, 2019. "Climate action for food security in South Asia? Analyzing the role of agriculture in nationally determined contributions to the Paris agreement," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 283-298, March.
    6. Tricia Glazebrook & Emmanuela Opoku, 2020. "Gender and Sustainability: Learning from Women’s Farming in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-20, December.
    7. Collins C. Okolie & Gideon Danso-Abbeam & Okechukwu Groupson-Paul & Abiodun A. Ogundeji, 2022. "Climate-Smart Agriculture Amidst Climate Change to Enhance Agricultural Production: A Bibliometric Analysis," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, December.
    8. Festus O. Amadu & Daniel C. Miller, 2024. "Food security effects of forest sector participation in rural Liberia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(5), pages 1099-1124, October.
    9. Heena Panchasara & Nahidul Hoque Samrat & Nahina Islam, 2021. "Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trends and Mitigation Measures in Australian Agriculture Sector—A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, January.
    10. Osrof, Hazem Yusuf & Tan, Cheng Ling & Angappa, Gunasekaran & Yeo, Sook Fern & Tan, Kim Hua, 2023. "Adoption of smart farming technologies in field operations: A systematic review and future research agenda," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    11. Panhwar Ghulam Mustafa & Shangao Wang & Gershom Endelani Mwalupaso & Yi Yu & Zhou Li, 2024. "The effect of climate-smart agriculture on productivity and cost efficiency: Insights from smallholder wheat producers in Pakistan," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(7), pages 334-348.
    12. Zabala, Aiora & Barrios, Luis Enrique García & Pascual, Unai, 2022. "From participation to commitment in silvopastoral programmes: Insights from Chiapas, Mexico," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    13. Andrea, Veronika, 2022. "Mediterranean forest policy beyond the Paris Climate Agreement," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    14. Kihara, Job & Manda, Julius & Kimaro, Anthony & Swai, Elirehema & Mutungi, Christopher & Kinyua, Michael & Okori, Patrick & Fischer, Gundula & Kizito, Fred & Bekunda, Mateete, 2022. "Contributions of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) to various sustainable intensification impact domains in Tanzania," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    15. Charles Samuel Mutengwa & Pearson Mnkeni & Aleck Kondwakwenda, 2023. "Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Security in Southern Africa: A Review of the Vulnerability of Smallholder Agriculture and Food Security to Climate Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, February.
    16. Bengü Everest, 2021. "Farmers’ adaptation to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in NW Turkey," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 4215-4235, March.
    17. Amadu, Festus O. & McNamara, Paul E. & Miller, Daniel C., 2020. "Understanding the adoption of climate-smart agriculture: A farm-level typology with empirical evidence from southern Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    18. Víctor Correa-Porcel & Laura Piedra-Muñoz & Emilio Galdeano-Gómez, 2021. "Water–Energy–Food Nexus in the Agri-Food Sector: Research Trends and Innovating Practices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-31, December.
    19. Abyiot Teklu & Belay Simane & Mintewab Bezabih, 2022. "Effectiveness of Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovations in Smallholder Agriculture System in Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-26, December.
    20. Sarah E. Castle & Daniel C. Miller & Pablo J. Ordonez & Kathy Baylis & Karl Hughes, 2021. "The impacts of agroforestry interventions on agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, and human well‐being in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), June.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5348-:d:1420704. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.